Letter to the Voters: Randy Smith, Commissioner Candidate

(EDITOR’S NOTE: The Meigs Independent Press does not participate in advertising for or endorsing candidates. The submissions from candidates are a service to the voters and the people of Meigs County. Candidates were invited to write an open letter to the voters. It is published as submitted, unedited.)

My name is Randy Smith. I am in my 2nd term as your county
commissioner. I am a lifelong resident of Meigs County and my children
represent the 5th generation of our family to call Meigs County their
home. I married my grade school sweetheart from Rutland Elementary,
Beverly (Stewart) Smith and together we raise our 4 children with the
same values we were raised with.

I always wanted a career in public service. After Graduating in 1997
from Meigs High School I became a police officer. A year later I would
begin my career with the county serving first as a welfare fraud
investigator and later a child support investigator for Job and Family
Services. I was first elected to the office of County Commissioner in 2012.

In 2010 this time obtaining a bachelor’s degree in Ministry. Over the
past 6 years I have been the Sr. Pastor of the Trinity Congregational
Church in Pomeroy.

I am one of the “obnoxiously proud” residents that defend Meigs County
as if it were a member of my family.

My desire to retain my seat and continue to serve is the same thing
that motivated me to run in 2012 and again in 2016.

✓ First is accountability. The concept of “the good old’ boys”
mentality was alive and well in Meigs County when I first ran. There
were appointed employees using your tax dollars to benefit themselves,
theft, and other things going on that were killing the budget at our
expense. By the end of my first term those employees were removed and replaced
by hard working people who share my vision for the county.

✓ Many of you I’m sure had the same thoughts I did. Why are we being
overlooked by the state? Why do things happening elsewhere seem to be
just out of our reach? Over these past few years those questions have
motivated me to make certain that Meigs County has a seat at every
table possible both with the state government and the nation. Last
year I received a presidential appointment to the Ohio County
Commissioners Association Board of Directors and I received it again
in 2020. A seat never held by a Meigs County Commissioner. Meigs
County became a member of the National Association of Counties under
my administration as well. Those two associations keep me in Columbus
and in D.C. more than I ever thought I would be, but the results have
been amazing.

Accomplishments so far during my administration:
✓ Provided the tax payers of Meigs County a balanced budget every year
while in office
✓ Returned to the tax payers 1 mill of their property taxes from the
former TB Clinic. A tax that was imposed for some 50 years.
✓ A partnership between the Meigs County Tourism and the Meigs County
Chamber of Commerce
✓ The institution of two criminal investigators (managed by the
prosecutor’s office) to work with Meigs County Children Services and
to be the lead on welfare fraud/child support cases.
✓ The annual Meigs County Clean-up Day
✓ Holzer Meigs Emergency Department
✓ The new Medflight/Meigs County EMS Base ✓ The Meigs County Emergency
Operations Center
✓ The new Meigs County K9 Adoption and Rescue Center
✓ Developments and continued expansion of the Meigs County Industrial
Park in Tuppers Plains
✓ Upgrades to the Meigs County Golf Course
✓ Multi-million-dollar repair funding for the Pomeroy Parking Lot
✓ Multi-million-dollar grant for the new Rutland sewer project
✓ Worked alongside developers for the construction and opening of the
Rutland Family Dollar
✓ Commitment to re-open a pool in Meigs County
✓ Expanding the Meigs County Park District to include the pool in
Syracuse, Camp Kiashuta, and the Meigs County Golf Course
✓ Presentation of multiple projects to the State of Ohio’s Capital
Budget process that support our veterans, our youth, our county
infrastructure, and our history
✓ Renewed partnership with the Athens/Meigs Farm Bureau who moved back
into Meigs County in 2019

✓ During my administration almost $1,500,000.00 have been allocated
through our community development block grant. These projects are
selected directly by the County Commissioners and have been awarded to
everything from neighborhood revitalization projects, fire
departments, parks, youth leagues, townships, and others.

I am a member of the following:
Ohio County Commissioners Association (CCAO) Board of Directors
Community Action Board
Family and Children First Council
CCAO Justice and Public Safety committee
CCAO Small County Affairs Committee
Area 14 Workforce Development Board, Chairman
2020 Count Meigs Census Board
Meigs County Save the Pool Committee

I am a member of the following groups:
Meigs County Ministerial Association
Pomeroy Racine Masonic Lodge
Star Grange
Meigs County Public Safety Chaplin Unit
Meigs County Pioneer and Historical Society

When I am not attending meetings or out on the road for the county you
will find me in the office. This job should never be a supplement to
someone’s retirement or their full-time job. This has to be the
fulltime job. The only way it works is when you are in the office to
be there for the residents of this county.

I am proud to be the only Republican County Commissioner Candidate to
be endorsed by both public and private sector unions. The Ohio
Patrolman’s Benevolence Association who represents our hardworking
Meigs County deputies, corrections officers, and communications
officers and the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 18.

As a person who is goal driven, let me share with you a few of the
goals that I have laid out to accomplish during my next administration:
• Continue to be a watch dog of the county budget
• PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION • Veterans Memorial Hospital demolition
• Getting a trade/vocational school in Meigs County
• The opening of a public pool in the county
• Continue to build on existing partnerships
• Look for new opportunity for job growth and economic development
• Work with our state and national leadership to increase access to
broadband in Meigs County

I feel like the relationships that I have formed with leaders in
Columbus and Washington DC are paramount to continue to see these
great things happen in Meigs County. These relationships can’t be
formed overnight. I have worked hard to form these partnerships so we
can continue to have a seat at the tables were decisions are being made.

I am humbled and grateful for the support that you have shown me in
the past and I will continue to work hard to Keep Meigs County Great.
I earnestly seek your continued support on March 17th in the
Republican Primary Election. My family and I can’t express our
gratitude enough.

Let’s be #obnoxiouslyproudofmeigscounty together!

-Randy Smith, Candidate for Meigs County Commissioner