Democrat Sam Barr, who has held Carroll County’s top administrative position for 10 years, is seeking another two-year term as county judge. His opponent, Republican Charlie Reece, has been Mayor of Green Forest for nine years.
Barr said when he was first elected, the county completed 38 FEMA road projects left over from the 2008 flood.
“We also had a major ice storm in 2009, and by using our own road personnel and temporary workers for cleanup, saved the county more than $200,000 in labor,” Barr said. “We have worked out more than $4 million from damage to our county from flooding. We have updated our county road department machinery, striving to improve and maintain our county road system.
“In May 2011, I ordered all wooden or steel bridge structures to be replaced with concrete. We adopted new codes and standards for vented low water crossings in March 2016. We have created a designated line item for public roads in our budget, used to maintain roads such as those in Holiday Island. We have accomplished much without asking to or raising your taxes.”
Barr said he also authorized and signed the issuance of Revenue Bonds for Tyson’s $136 million facility, creating jobs and revenue for Carroll County. In December 2017, he signed a resolution proclaiming Carroll County a Purple Heart County.
“If re-elected, I plan on finishing up the FEMA projects from the flood of 2017, and improving the county roads and hopefully, with good weather and no disasters, we can get back to scheduled maintenance,” Barr said. “I feel a great love for Carroll County. I was born and raised here, and after serving my country in the Air Force, chose to come back home. I love God and our people, and I still have the desire to serve our county.”
Charlie Reece
Reece said he is running for County Judge because he wants to help Carroll County grow and prosper by providing leadership that will enable the county to be marketed across the U.S.
“I believe I have the talent and management experience to make a significant difference in county operations on a daily basis,” Reece said. “The county judge, as chief executive officer, has to represent the county in many venues and be able to work and negotiate with executives of prospective companies. I have excellent communication and public speaking skills that can and will make a difference in how the county is viewed by presidents and CEOs. Finally, I am committed to equal treatment of all our citizens regardless of race, lifestyle or political belief. I am, simply put, an advocate for all our citizens.”
If elected, Reece would like to:
- Improve 911 dispatch communications.
- Schedule monthly meetings with all county departments.
- Review all county roads needing repair and utilize a county web page to inform citizens about the status of needed repairs and maintenance.
- Work and meet with state and federal agencies to source funds for countywide infrastructure improvements.
- Work with the board of the Carroll County Airport regarding expansion to make the county more attractive to businesses.
- Review and evaluate the staffing of the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and evaluate pay to be more competitive in sourcing new deputies.
Reece is a native of Green Forest and graduated from Green Forest High School. He is a Navy veteran having served on the staff of the Commander Amphibious Forces 7th Fleet as the Admiral’s Enlisted Advisor. After the Navy, he worked at the U.S. Embassy in Saigon.
He graduated from the University of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in government and politics and was a manager with Red Lobster/Darden Restaurants and regional director of operations throughout the U.S. He was President/CEO of Mama’s Café in San Antonio and Houston for four years.
He is Chair of Boston Mountain Rural Health Centers and is on the Northark Advisory Board for Adult Education, and chair of the Carroll Count Republican Committee.