Many county residents have only a vague idea of the responsibilities of the county judge. The judge presides over quorum court meetings, and has other administrative duties, but overseeing the county’s road system makes up the largest share of the job. Former county judge Sam Barr held the position since 2009, until he resigned earlier this year. His administrative assistant, Ronda Griffin, was selected by the quorum court to fill the last year on Barr’s term.
Barr faced few opponents during his tenure, but six candidates have filed for the November 2022 election. Of those six, three will compete in the Republican primary, and two have filed as independents. One candidate, James “Rusty” Rusterholz, Jr., is unopposed in the Democratic primary. Kelly Wood and Robert Lynn are independents, and Bud Phillips, David Writer, and Rodney Ballance will compete in the May 24 primary to determine which of those three will appear on the ballot for the general election.
Whoever takes office in January will face some new challenges. Higher gas prices will take a big bite out of an already-tight budget. Rising asphalt prices will limit the amount of paving projects the county can undertake. Despite those challenges, all candidates expressed their commitment to tackling the job, and they shared some information about their backgrounds and expectations in Independent interviews last week. Rusterholz, Wood, and Lynn will all appear on the November ballot, but only one of the three Republicans will survive the primary.
Bud Phillips has lived here most of his life and graduated from Berryville High School. He has operated a poultry farm for more than 20 years, and also raises cattle. “Anyone running a business knows what a problem it is to stay in the black,” he said. “I understand challenges.”
Before turning to agriculture, Phillips served as a police officer and detective for eight years in Pine Bluff. He has served on the Green Forest School Board for14 years, and as board president for the past 13 of those years. The school board budget has complicated procedures to meet federal and state regulations, and the county budget has some similar challenges. Phillips said he will look for new ways to approach the county’s problems, including seeking federal or state grants. He described the great success of the county’s vocational C-4 school, which began as an idea in Green Forest. A million-dollar grant from Tyson Foods made the program a reality.
David Writer grew up near Carr Lane, Mo., but moved to Carroll County almost 40 years ago. During his 14 years with the County Road Department, Writer “started at the bottom” and worked his way into positions of more responsibility. He served four years as assistant road foreman and became foreman at the start of this year. He has already seen sharp increases in costs, and as an example, he noted that metal culverts have doubled in price. The county judge will have to prioritize and respond to complaints. Writer said he began dealing with complaints at the Road Department even before becoming the assistant foreman. “If you go talk to people, and you’re straight with them, they’ll usually understand,” he said. “It’s important to acknowledge their concerns and discuss options.”
Rodney Ballance moved to Carroll County from southern Missouri three years ago. He has a business providing Internet service, and also serves as a consultant. He served as police chief in his hometown in North Carolina. In running his own business, Ballance has learned “to do the most you can with what you have.” He has written books on personal finance, and taught finance at Mid-Atlantic Christian University in North Carolina. Ballance said he plans to step back from his other business commitments if elected. He expects to play a larger role in corporate recruitment to the county, as a way to increase revenues without raising taxes. “There are some great economic opportunities in this area,” he said. In assessing the county roads, Ballance said many roads do not meet minimum standards, and he mentioned one-lane roads or roads without shoulders. He said he would “look for new solutions,” such as asking state engineers to identify challenges and seek solutions.
Rusty Rusterholz said, “I’ve lived or visited here my whole life and I have family all over the county.” He retired from law enforcement after 28 years, and also served in the National Guard. During his time in the National Guard, Rusterholz spent part of his time working in finance, budgeting, and payroll, and that experience has helped him prepare for the challenges he would face as county judge. In his law enforcement career, he rose to the position of assistant chief, giving him additional experience in budgeting and scheduling employees. His current work as a Realtor has given him many opportunities to guide people through the complicated process of buying and selling property.
Kelly Wood grew up in Carroll County and went to school in Berryville. For the past 25 years, he has driven a dump truck. “We travel all these roads, from Hogscald to Green Forest,” he said. He said many county roads are in good shape, “but others need lots of repairs.” He would like to see better clearing of rights-of-way. “With so many miles of county roads, it’s a time-consuming job,” he said. As county judge, he would bring a positive spirit to the job. “People know me, and they know I’m honest and level-headed,” he said. Wood also explained, “I don’t think of myself as a politician. This is a job, and I’m ready to work hard for the people of Carroll County.”
Robert Lynn has filed as an Independent, but he asked to postpone an interview until the signatures on his petition are verified.