Written by Mark Brackney
To the Editor:
Boone County has developed considerably over the last 32 years since my wife and I moved here from Edgewood. There’s been a tremendous growth in population and new business and with that a need for an increase in housing, transportation, and public infrastructure to support it. But it seems like now is a good time to take a step back, digest what growth we’ve enjoyed, and begin to consider more carefully what kind of growth we want in the future. A policy of build…build…build – without determining the things that need to accompany it — is not in the best interest of this county.
That’s why I hope the people of Boone County will choose Republican Chet Hand for Boone County Judge Executive in the primary election on May 19. We need new leadership – leadership fresh enough to understand the coming challenges and then provide meaningful solutions in today’s fast-paced world.
Mr. Hand is well acquainted with Boone County’s operations as he serves on the county’s Fiscal Court as a Boone County commissioner. He has many years of experience in public safety. In business, Mr. Hand has been entrusted with analyzing and managing risk for national multi-million-dollar corporations as well as increasing the efficiency of their operations.
Mr. Hand is responsible with the tax dollars we “donate” to the county every year. This past year, he worked long and hard to convince the Fiscal Court to turn down a proposal that would have, for all intents and purposes, set up Boone County as a business operating electrical vehicle charging stations. This would have required the county to build, operate, and maintain these stations financially. He believes this is something better left to the private sector.
All of the Mr. Hand’s campaign donations have come from individual donors. Volunteers have canvassed Boone County using their own time and gas to pass out materials, post signs, make calls, write postcards, and more. Mr. Moore has also raised donations from individual donors. But just last month, two campaign organizations received $85,904 from Great American PAC in Washington. D.C. to spend on behalf of Mr. Moore’s campaign.
Patriot Grassroots, a Washington, D.C. political field services firm specializing in door-to-door canvassing, signature gathering, voter communication, and outsourced campaign management received $61,578. Another $24,326 was received by The Strategy Group for Media, Inc., a Delaware, Ohio nationally recognized firm specializing in advertising, media placement, creative production, and digital marketing. The firm focuses on electing Republican candidates, including U.S. presidents, senators, governors and now, it seems, Kentucky county judge executives.
Mr. Moore’s campaign materials and videos have largely focused on his past accomplishments. Nothing forward looking. All of Mr. Hand’s campaign materials emphasize the work he has done the past three years as a Boone County Commissioner and on serious issues that face our county in the future. It is this kind of vision we need to ensure Boone County will be a place we can be happy and proud to call home.