CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Bradley County Commissioner Lisa Stanbery says that if elected county mayor she will contribute $20,000 of her $70,000 salary each year to the Small Business Development Center, the city/county jobs incubator at Cleveland State.
“Although my business is now successful, I still remember the challenges I faced getting started,” Mrs. Stanbery said in her announcement Friday. Ms. Stanbery, a licensed contractor, is a partner in Franklin and Stanbery Corp.
Asked to comment, incumbent Mayor D. Gary Davis, who is seeking re-election, said the position is “not a hobby but a serious job.”
Mr. Davis said he goes to work for two reasons.
“One is because I love the job of serving the people of Bradley County,” he said. “Two, to feed and clothe my family.”
The third candidate, Chris Weir, called the pledge “an empty political gesture” and “a little insulting” to families and businesses when “thousands of my neighbors are out of work; families trying to figure out how to keep their lights on, how to put gas in their cars, how to put food on their kids’ plates.”
All three are Republicans seeking their party nomination in the May 4 primary. The winner will face Democrat Paul Edward Krisle in the Aug. 5 county general election.
Mrs. Stanbery said the incubator helps start and grow businesses that support the local economy.
“More than 80 percent of our economy is built on small businesses, and they provide jobs for 50 percent of our work force,” Mrs. Stanbery said.
She said she intends to create a small-business roundtable including retired executives and other professionals who can work with new business start-ups and existing small businesses.
“During the campaign I have talked to thousands of citizens, and many are out there struggling to pay their bills and provide for their families,” Mrs. Stanbery said. “As soon as I take office as county mayor, I will be laser focused on creating jobs, and this starts in the small business center.”
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