Miller County judge Larry Burgess texarkanagazette/content/uploads/pictures/2014/10/Burgess,-Larry-county-judge.jpg EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an installment of Miller County candidate profiles for the November general election. The Gazette requested that candidates not exceed a word limit on each question to provide fairness and equality in coverage and article length. Aside from minor changes and editing to conform with word limits, candidate responses are being printed as submitted. In this installment, Miller County judge candidates are highlighted. Larry Burgess Miller County judge Incumbent Biographical Spouse and children: Wife, Amber; children, Shannon, Lori, Linda, Becky and Charlie. Age: 60 Years a Miller County resident: 22 Political Party: Republican Highlight top three degrees and/or educational achievements: • Numerous leadership and military occupational schools. • Small business at Cooper Mountain College in California. • Heavy equipment operator training at the University of Arkansas at Hope. List current job/employer and top three occupational achievements: Miller County judge • Restored accountability, efficiency, leadership and capabilities to the road department, Office of Emergency Management and judge’s office. • Safer roads and better maintained government facilities including rehabilitating the courthouse. • Establishing good relationships with local, regional, state and federal leadership and businesses to address concerns. Highlight top three examples of your civic or community service: I am a member of many civic organizations as well as the division vice chair of the Ark-La-Tex Region of the Coordinating and Development Corp., and I’ve served 24 years in the U.S. Marine Corps and almost four years as county judge. Highlight top three examples of your political experience: My only political experience has been county judge. I have no other ambitions or agendas. This is what I love to do. Political Why did you run for office? This time is definitely different than the last two times. I have grown spiritually and mentally. I feel closer to the community. I’m happy, and I really enjoy helping people. I have great people working with me, and I love to see projects get done. What are you top three goals, if elected? • Continue to ensure safer, better-maintained roads as well as continuing to upgrade government facilities. • Continue to foster good working relationships with the city, chamber of commerce, regional, state and federal leadership to promote economic development. • End illegal dumping. What are the three greatest issues facing the county? • Jobs, jobs, and jobs • Generating revenue, control spending and end illegal dumping What proposals do you suggest to address these? We must understand that I-49’s opening brings opportunity. With I-30, the airport and rail already in place, we could, with the right leadership, become an economic hub. More jobs mean better health care, schools and government services and more activities. It’s important that we pursue tourism dollars, too. The lake project below Fouke is a prime example. However, it is vital that tax dollars are spent wisely and properly, within the law, and for the benefit of the taxpayer. As for illegal dumping, rather than reinvent the wheel, we have reintroduced an ordinance we think is a powerful preventive tool. The Issues Under what circumstances, if any, would you support a tax increase? I am not in favor of a tax increase. Currently, there is no need, and I see no need in the future. Under what circumstances, if any, would you support a bond issue? If crucial to our existence, I may support it, but citizens should vote on it. Paving roads is a primary function of the county judge. We must live within our budget. We have maintained our roads in the past, but it was tight. Most roads that should be are sealed. Do you have any opinions regarding operations of the Miller County Fire Department? Our volunteer firefighters are better organized, operating legally, well-funded and performing in a professional and outstanding manner. Most stations have grown and have better and updated capabilities. There are still some growing pains, but overall, they have worked hard and have come a long way. My hat’s off to them. Where do you believe the county stands financially and what, if anything, would you like to see changed? The county is in great shape financially. One only has to look at surrounding counties and realize we are blessed and well-managed. Do you believe there are county departments receiving too much or too little funding and how do you propose changing that? Every elected official pretty much gets funding they need. Most of us trim off the fat before we submit our budget requests. As far as changing anything, the Quorum Court votes to pass the budget and therefore has control over funding. I do not have a vote as county judge. Should Miller County increase its offering of recycling too much or too little funding and how do you propose changing that? Offering more recycling locations sounds great. However, the reality is that unsupervised sites just turn into full-blown household trash receptacles, occasionally with discarded, smelly remains of someone’s recent hunting or fishing trip. Staffing would be perpetual, so funding could be a problem. Got a solution? Door is always open! How can the county judge help this region to attract industry and create an atmosphere to retain existing jobs? A county judge has to think regionally and be cognizant of current obstacles and assets. Most importantly, he must maintain working relationships with other leaders. All must provide a positive, united front. If we bring jobs, we’ll keep other jobs. If we grow stagnant, we’ll lose jobs to other areas. Published: 10/11/2014
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 00:45:32 +0000
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