The 2nd Commission District includes the Forest Hills, Chuckey-Doak, Chuckey, Jockey and Newmansville precincts.

Four Republicans and two Democrats are vying for three county commission seats.
Incumbent John D. Carter faces Kevin C. Morrison, Robert Sayne and Janice Carter Johnson in the Republican primary.

The top three GOP vote-getters in that race will face Democrats Tim Armstrong, an incumbent, and Jackie Britton in the Aug. 1 General Election.

Following are profiles of the candidates and their answers to the same questions.
Britton declined to complete a questionnaire, saying voters already know his positions.

Tim Armstrong

Armstrong, 45, of 823 Wilhoit Road, Chuckey, an incumbent county commissioner, is weekend operations manager for the Landair, Corporation and a dairy farmer.

Armstrong, a Democrat, is seeking reelection to a third term. He is a 1975 graduate of Chuckey-Doak High School and has attended classes at Walters State Community College and Northeast State Tech

Armstrong is president of the Middle Nolichucky Watershed Alliance, chairman of the Tiny Day/Red Edmonds High School softball tournament for 16 years, assistant softball coach at C-DHS for three years, and a past director for nine years of the dairy cooperative now called Dairymen Inc. He has been a member of Clear Springs Ruritan for 14 years, and has served as president, secretary, and zone governor.

Armstrong has been an Agriculture Extension committee member for six years, and has served for four years on the Farm Bureau board of directors.

John D. Carter

Carter, 44, of 3440 Chuckey Pike, Chuckey, is a 1976 graduate of Greeneville High School, and has completed extended courses through Auburn University, UT and Memphis State University.

Carter is supervisor of Greene County Skills plants one and two, and is also a tobacco and cattle farmer. A Republican, he was elected to the county commission in 1994, representing the old 6th district, and is seeking a third term.

Carter is a member of Chuckey United Methodist Church, a former member of the Greeneville Jaycees and Chuckey Ruritan Club. He is chairman of the Chuckey Utility District, a member of the Greeneville Moose Lodge, and a member of the
Chuckey Cemetery Association.

Janice Carter Johnson

Johnson, 55, of 360 Sinking Creek Road, Chuckey, is a teacher at Mosheim Elementary School, a farmer and real estate broker.

She is a polling officer in the Jockey voting precinct.

Johnson earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from ETSU. She formerly worked at Greene County Bank, and now works for Century 21, in addition to teaching.

Johnson is involved in Community Crime Watch, the Greene County Angus Association, and the Angus Association of America, as well as the Northeast
Tennessee Association of Realtors.

Kevin C. Morrison

Morrison, 33, of 1595 Morrison Road, Chuckey, is a specialty sales representative for Pfizer Pharmaceuticals. He is a 1987 graduate of North Greene High School and earned a bachelor’s degree from ETSU in 1991. Morrison served as a U.S. Army Airborne Paratrooper and Ranger, and was honorably discharged with the rank of captain in 1997.

Morrison is chairman of the board of Union Temple United Methodist Church, a member of the Union Temple Community Club, treasurer of Greene County Young Republicans, a member of Greeneville/Greene County Moose Lodge 792, and a primary sponsor of the Greeneville/Greene County Parenting Fair.

Robert A. Sayne

Sayne, 45, of 135 Choctaw Drive, Chuckey, is director of Greene County/Greeneville Emergency Medical Services (EMS).

Sayne is a graduate of Young High School in Knoxville, and attended Roane State Community College. A Republican, he has never before sought public office.

He is a member of the Greeneville Emergency & Rescue Squad, 9-1-1’s board of directors, the Local Emergency Planning Committee, Concerned Citizens of Chuckey
School, and the Chuckey-Doak High School Boosters.

Why are you a candidate for a seat on the Greene County Commission?

Armstrong: “I would like to continue to be a voice for the people I represent.”

Carter: “I am not a candidate interested in personal gain. I am concerned about the welfare of the citizens of Greene County. I would like the opportunity to participate in matters concerning Greene County and I want to continue the work I have done in the past eight years.”

Johnson: “I am interested in helping Greene Countians improve their communities.
When someone is buying a house, they tell me what they want. We take care and focus on the criteria for meeting those needs. I am seeking a seat on the Greene County Commission because I know that I’ll return calls to people. I’ll do my best to get results for them.”

Morrison: “I am a candidate for the Greene County Commission because there are some very important issues that I believe the commission has not prioritized or adequately addressed. I also feel that my occupation and military background have provided valuable leadership, decision-making and communication skills that I believe uniquely qualify me for the County Commission.”

Sayne: I have always had a concern for the community I live in. I have a strong interest in our local, state and federal government. I feel I have the administrative and business qualities that would benefit the decision-making process of the county commission that affects us all.”

What are the most pressing needs you see facing Greene County? What would you like to see done about each of them?

Armstrong: “That we use each tax dollar collected to the maximum, and fund each department so the citizens can see their money at work for them.”

Carter: “Budget cuts in Nashville. Employees of the Education Department of Greene County. Rising cost of disposal of solid waste. Highways. Recruiting more industry for Greene County. I want to try to find other avenues for funding sources other than property tax increases to deal with these problem areas. I would like to look into more industry for Greene County, as well as continue to work with tobacco farmers to help them find an alternative to tobacco farming.”

Johnson: “Balance and equality for Greene Countians. The real issue is how their dollar is used. I’d like to see all roads paved, public water made available without the property owner funding it.”

Morrison: “Five issues affect and concern many citizens, including myself: 1-We should demand wise and judicious use of our tax dollars. Every dollar should be accounted for. Most citizens of Greeneville and Greene County either live or operate their households on limited funds. Their expenditures cannot exceed their incomes, and, in my opinion, government should operate the same way. 2-It is my belief that everything that you achieve in life is tied either directly or indirectly to the quality of the education that you receive. Business will not locate where the education system is broken or neglected. 3-We have some of our best and brightest citizens protecting and serving us at the Sheriff's office, Police departments, Greeneville Fire
Department and volunteer fire departments, EMS, Rescue Squad, 9-1-1, and the Emergency Management Agency. They are to be commended and should be supported with training, equipment, and benefits commensurate to the level of service that we demand and receive. 4-Good roads provide access and mobility, which are important to today’s businesses, not to mention the increased level of safety they provide. Well-planned, well constructed and well-maintained roads last longer and cost less in the long run. 5-As our society grows, trash and waste disposal will increasingly become a problem. A wise, forward-looking plan is needed. A solid plan will save money, protect the environment, and allow for continued growth without infringing on our quality of life or that of our children.

“I will work to address the above five issues within the framework of keeping taxes low, getting the best value for our tax dollars and realizing that we cannot afford everything that we may want.”

Sayne: “There needs to be an emphasis on recruiting industry and other jobs to the area, to provide jobs for our citizens. There needs to be a strong emphasis on education, so our children will be prepared to enter the work force. Greene County needs to promote the strengths and assets of the county to the rest of the nation.
“Greene County needs to maintain and improve the infrastructure, such as roads, utilities and schools. There needs to be a good working relationship with the area municipalities within our community. Grants should be researched and applied for.”

What in your background prepares you for this office? What strengths do you potentially have to offer?

Armstrong: “Being a commissioner for eight years has proven to be a learning time for myself and I value the privilege to represent the citizens of Greene County.”

Carter: “I have been a county commissioner for the last eight years and I am very familiar with the job duties and budget of Greene County. I have been chairman of the Chuckey Utility District since 1986. I have been employed through Greene County Skills in a management position for the past 16 years. I have been a lifetime farmer growing tobacco and raising cattle.”

Johnson: Farm work has taught me patience and perseverance. Real estate business has taught me that business is strengthened by returning calls and communicating with people.”

Morrison: “I am a self-starting individual that gets excited about solving problems, working and interacting with people, and making decisions. I spent seven years as an officer in the U.S. Army training and leading soldiers, a quality that I think uniquely qualifies me for the county commission. In addition, I have been very successful in my current occupation, which has me communicating and working with the public on a daily basis.”

Sayne: “I feel I have a strong understanding of money management. As director of EMS, I am responsible for planning and maintaining a large budget. I must make priority decisions, and find innovative ways of funding them. Twenty-five years in EMS, as a paramedic on an ambulance and director, have given me the skills to make hard decisions in very stressful situations.”

Do you think the Greene County Commission should take a long-range view to the county’s problems, or just deal with what comes up?
Armstrong: “A long-range view can help eliminate problems before they become a problem, so yes.”

Carter: “We need to seek a long-range view of problems the county has had in the past. These problems should not be overlooked. I believe it will help us with issues we will face in the future.”

Johnson: “I don’t want to travel in an unfamiliar area without knowledge of where I’m going. Things do have to be dealt with unexpectedly, but long-range goals give us a vision of choices and accomplishments.”

Morrison: “The lack of a progressive, prioritized plan to address some our most pressing needs is a major concern to many, including myself. In my opinion, we spend too much valuable time, money, effort, and resources on immediate problems.
The County Commission needs a long-range plan that integrates urban growth, infrastructure and services expansion, and business and manufacturing recruitment. A failure to plan is a plan to fail.”

Sayne: “I feel the county should always attempt to take a long-range view to each problem presented to them. This may not always be feasible, and some problems only need to be dealt with on a short term basis. Many decisions by the county commission do have long-reaching effects, and should be dealt with accordingly.
Short-term solutions to long term problems only mean that the problem must be dealt with again. I feel the county commission must look ahead and plan for the future. By looking at the whole picture and planning ahead, many problems may be prevented from arising.”

Is there enough cooperation and trust between Greene County and the municipalities within it (Baileyton, Greeneville, Mosheim, Tusculum)? What steps do you think could be taken to improve the situation?

Armstrong: “Yes, as of right now we have a working agreement with each municipality on the new animal shelter.”

Carter: “Yes, I feel there is enough trust and cooperation. I believe there needs to be committees appointed within each department to work together as a team, which will in turn contribute to the welfare of the citizens of Greeneville and Greene County and its municipalities.”

Johnson: “Trust is wonderful. World conflicts could be solved with more trust and cooperation. People with real concerns know they must trust their commissioners. Campaigning revealed a population of friendly faces, people with ideas for how they would like things to be. However, many were not registered voters.

“The Greene County Commission works hard and spends many grueling hours reaching just the right answer to serve the needs between Greene County and the municipalities within it. I’m sure we don’t thank them enough. People of Greene County, Baileyton, Greeneville, Mosheim and Tusculum know that it is election time.

Get registered. Exercise your right to vote. These are very important steps toward cooperating and trusting our county officials.”

Morrison: “I have not observed nor am I aware of mistrust and lack of cooperation between Greene County and the municipalities. I do believe that it is imperative that all commissioners do their best to represent their constituents, including those who reside inside the municipalities within Greene County.

“I think that better cooperation and trust could be achieved by establishing the following: The municipalities and the Commission must place the interest of all citizens above political pettiness and jealousy ... establish a prioritized list of issues and problems that can collectively be addressed ... have open, honest and frank exchange of ideas, goals and growth ... and have a realistic plan for the future and not continue to operate in the atmosphere of immediacy.”

Sayne: “During the planning of the 20-year growth plan, it did not appear as if the County Commission and other municipalities cooperated or trusted each other. In the end they were able to work their differences out. I believe there needs to be better lines of communication between the County Executive and other municipal leaders.

“I believe the county commission could improve cooperation through open dialogue with members of other municipalities. I would like to see a committee formed of representatives from each municipality. Members could meet to discuss differences, individual municipal problems, and community problems. If we pool our resources and keep an open line of communication, we can accomplish great things for all citizens of Greene County.”