By Wayne Gates

Incumbent Georgetown Mayor Dale Cahall and challenger Mike Mays are facing off for the Georgetown Mayor’s seat next week.

Both men were sent a list of questions from The News Democrat regarding their experience and priorities if elected. Mays did not return his answers prior to press time. Cahall’s unedited responses are below.

Why are you running for mayor and what qualifications would you like voters to be aware of?

I am running for re-election for the mayor’s office because of the unique challenges that are part of our village experience. We have had healthcare disintegrate in our community, just like it has in many rural areas throughout the country. It is my quest, along with many others, to find healthcare close to home. Having a first class emergency response team is essential to this community. It enhances and attracts people and businesses to our area.

It has been the distinct pleasure of being the mayor of Georgetown for 13 years. It takes time to understand the needs and desires of the community and in how to implement solutions to them in a concise, orderly and prudent manner.

I have been a resident of Georgetown for over 60 years, loving this community, and have been dedicated to making this community one that we can all be proud of. I have been a successful business owner for over 40 years and have a financial services background as my other and current profession. I manage millions of dollars for my clients and take a similar approach to the village’s finances. I look at the village finances as if they were my own. Overseeing the finances for a village the size of Georgetown takes a conservative fiscal approach. We cannot waste or misappropriate the village finances. We do not have deficit spending! Village government is the most efficient financial form of all our government entities. We have to account for everything single dollar that is placed into our hands. Working with a team of professionals in our office assures that this is the case. We work for all of our residents to bring quality services to our homes and businesses.

Even though the mayor’s job is part-time, I apply full time hours to the position. It demands that time, and i give my time freely for my community!

What have you accomplished during your tenure to benefit village residents?

Many things have been accomplished since I became mayor.

• zoning for our community to ensure that property values are protected

• working with the Veteran’s Administration to keep our Veteran’s Clinic here in Georgetown

• creating TIF (tax increment financing) districts to help spur additional value to our community

• Transportation Enhancement Grant ($300,000) to beautify our courthouse square with underground wiring and new sidewalks

• created a Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) for the former hospital property and adjoining residential for improvements to their properties without increase their property tax obligations

• Helped oversee a $9.5 million dollar sewer plant construction operation to give our community greater sewage capacity for future growth

• currently working with Appalachian Regional Commission and others to secure fiber optic high speed internet service for our community

• Helped settle a lengthy litigation over water contracts

• Annexed many properties into the village (JVS, Georgetown Station Subdivision and others)

• Have appointed magistrates to mayor’s court, hired village solicitors

• Negotiated for the purchase of our current ladder truck for the fire department

• applied and received over $500,000 for improvement to the Gaslight Theatre and village office building through the State Capital Budget

• Continually meeting with state elected officials to make sure that our voices are heard at the state level

• helped negotiate electric contracts with American Municipal Power for our energy needs

• Overseeing the police department, fire department and EMS ensuring our public’s safety and well being

• oversaw the water main project that improves water quality and pressure for residents.

• Numerous paving projects have been completed while I have been in office

• Park enhancements have been implemented

• helped establish a Tree Commission for our community’s beautification

• Dedicated our historic past by supporting the Grant statue and Grant Park as well as celebrating our 200th birthday by appointing a tremendous chairperson to spearhead our activities this past summer

• Improvement to all of our infrastructure programs (electric substations, water lines, sewer lines

• Hiring of an economic development director to oversee and bring in jobs for our area

• Working as a collaborative with our local schools on joint projects

All of these and more have been accomplished with limited funding ( local government funds have been slashed by the state by 50% and the next year an additional 50%, inheritance tax has been eliminated, interest savings rates are at an all-time low)

What are the three biggest issues facing Georgetown and what is your plan to address them?

The three biggest issues facing this community are job creation (jobs with benefits), healthcare close to home and infrastructure (basic services)

The first step has been taken to identify our work force and to market ourselves through various government and quasi-government agencies to stimulate interest in our community’s viability, using incentives as well as showing the low cost of property, utilities and other infrastructure. That is the role of an economic team we have put together.

Healthcare is a top priority since our hospital closed down several years ago. We are in continuous contact with many healthcare organizations trying to secure an ER or Urgent Care facility for the largest community in Brown County.

Infrastructure improvement. We have put our best foot forward in addressing any short comings we may have with utilities. Our water rates as well as sewage rates are extremely competitive compared to other communities in are geographical area. By way of taking care of our own municipally run electric department we are able to pass savings on to our customers through lower electric bills. By negotiating with our electric partner, American Municipal Power, we are able to scour the market for the best price on electricity, to serve our customer base favorably.

This is but a small amount of involvement, as Mayor, I have been a part of with Village Government. I ask that all who are registered voters,come out to vote on November 5th and I hope that you will vote for experience and strong leadership! Please vote: Dale Cahall for Mayor