Get to know the Soddy-Daisy City Commission candidates

All three North Hamilton County municipalities – Lakesite, Red Bank and Soddy-Daisy – have contested seats on their boards of commissioners in the upcoming Nov. 8 election. Early voting runs Oct. 19 through Nov. 3.

On the Soddy-Daisy City Commission, four candidates are vying for three open slots. We asked each of them to give their age and occupation and respond to two questions: “What experience/qualifications make you the best candidate?” and “What do you feel is the most important issue in your city and how do you plan to address it?” Their responses follow.

To read responses from the Red Bank and Lakesite contenders, visit timesfreepress.com/news/community/north-hamilton.

Jim Adams, 81

Occupation: Retired after 40 years of service at DuPont

My qualifications and experience include management at DuPont, plus 22 years on the Soddy-Daisy City Commission, as well as service on several local boards of directors and organizations within my church.

I think the most important issue in Soddy-Daisy is to complete the street-paving program. We have about 120 miles of roadway, with about 60 miles with recent pavement. I will maintain and replace equipment in police, fire and public works organizations to keep state-of-the-art equipment in play. Another important goal will be to provide a high livable wage structure for our employees. I want to continue the growth of our parks, trails and playgrounds, as well as pursue the idea of a museum to house the many local artifacts that record our long history.

Soddy-Daisy is a great place to live!

Max Lowe, 60

Occupation: Maintenance superintendent

I have lived in Soddy-Daisy my entire life and have been employed by Hamilton County government for 23 years. I am a volunteer firefighter for the city in my 45th year of service. I have had very limited political experience. I will continue my efforts to go from a citizen to a commissioner to see this city move forward in a manner that benefits both business and families.

Of all the many important issues that could be addressed, the one that comes to mind for me is the safety of the families of Soddy-Daisy, whether it be police, fire or medical. I would see that these services have the tools necessary to provide safety for all of us.

Geno Shipley, 61

Occupation: Plumbing contractor

My [qualifications include my] past 12 years working on the board, and knowing the needs of the city; my working relationships with the department heads, employees and public; my experience of working to balance and maintain a working budget; my 30 years of business experience.

The most important issue is growth – commercial, retail and housing, to grow the tax base. By doing this, the elderly should be able to avoid a tax increase for many years.

One major item underway is the new road project through the Walmart area. This will allow traffic to flow better and make it more business-friendly. The present infrastructure of the city needs to be upgraded. The Veterans Park is complete, so now we can rebuild the North City Park.

It’s important to maintain strong fire and police departments, which allow us to take care of the safety of all, but especially the aging in the community.

Candidate William H. Layne, 53 and an electrician, elected to not answer either question.

Email Emily Crisman at ecrisman@timesfreepress.com.