District 5 supervisor candidates take aim at public safety, economic growth, infrastructure
Jul. 19—TUPELO — In the coming months, residents of Lee County's 5th District will elect a new leadership to represent them, and whomever they pick will have a say in the the county's future growth, infrastructure and safety.
A wide field of candidates is vying for the seat as 5th District supervisor on the county board as incumbent Billy Joe Holland has declined to run for reelection.
The Lee County Board of Supervisors comprises five seats, one for each district. As a policymaker, the supervisor's job is paramount to the county's health. The board levies taxes, approves bond issues and contracts, picks department heads, authorizes road maintenance and much more.
In 5th District, Republicans Dakota Gilland, Chris Gillentine, Barry Wayne Parker and Zachary "Bub" Rock will face each other in the Aug. 8 primary election for a chance to run against Democrat Steve Holland and independent Richard O. Wilson in the Nov. 7 general election.
The Daily Journal recently spoke with 5th District candidates about their platforms and plans should they be elected. Rock and Wilson declined to provide contact information to the media, and attempts to reach both for comment have been unsuccessful.
Gilland wants fresh perspectives on board
Gilland, 34, is the youngest candidate running for office in the county. A truck driver since 2018, this is his first attempt at public office, but he said he believes fresh energy is needed for the county and board.
"It's time for a change," he said. "I want to make the district better."
Road maintenance is Gilland's top concern. He said being a truck driver, he has an intimate knowledge of the road conditions in the county. He pointed to deteriorating roads and standing water formed by cluttered ditches.
"There are a lot of roads that I wouldn't want to take my bicycle down in our district," he said. "If we get a good two or three hours of rain, the roads are flooded. It used to not be like that."
If elected, he said he does not plan to use a county vehicle, deeming them unnecessary.
The Lee County jail is also something Gilland hopes to see some positive movement on over the next term, noting that it isn't just the jail itself that needs updating; the training facilities for corrections officers could also use an upgrade.
As it stands now, jail employees train at Itawamba Community College. Gilland believes that can be done in-house.
Gillentine urges focus on economic growth
Gillentine, 54, is the owner of Dago's Grocery in Richmond. He said he hopes to give back for the support he and his family have received as small business owners over the years.
"When you've been in business for over 30 years, you know you're doing something good," he said. "I think I need to extend my service to the people, and as a businessperson, I can bring good ideas to the county."
Gillentine also wants to focus on the county's economic growth, pointing to increasing property values as a sign of good health. With growing property values comes new businesses.
"You've got to figure out ways to keep your county growing and prosperous," he said.
With growth comes new tax dollars, allowing county officials to expand their services.
"Bring in more money, and you can do more stuff," Gillentine said.
Both transparency and communication are important to a healthy government, Gillentine said, pointing to the recent contract with Waste Management as an example of what he believes was a failure to be forthright with the public. He said he believes there wasn't enough public input before the board voted to dissolve Lee County Solid Waste in favor of contracting with Waste Management to handle garbage collection countywide.
Public safety paramount to Parker
Parker, 54, recently retired from the military after 37 years of service in the National Guard. He also works as the constituent liaison for veteran affairs in North Mississippi for Sen. Roger Wicker's office.
"After 37 years, I'm ready to continue my public service as the 5th District supervisor," he said.
One of Parker's top concerns currently is maintaining and building more early warning systems and storm shelters for residents in the event of tornadic activity. He said while campaigning, he has heard from multiple individuals who claimed the sound of storm sirens doesn't reach their homes.
That's dangerous, he said.
"I want more early warning systems for the county... Some of the rural areas don't have any alert system," he said. "I want to get more storm shelters. The Eggville Fire Department and Auburn Fire Department; both of them were at max capacity and turning people away during the last tornado."
Roads and infrastructure are also priorities. Parker said he was trained in heavy equipment and road building during his last deployment in 2018 through 2019, and he plans to use that experience to help him as supervisor, should he win the seat.
Holland hopes to bring breadth of knowledge to board
The lone Democrat running for the seat, Holland, 68, has decades of politicking under his belt.
Holland is the brother of the incumbent, Billy Joe Holland, and the son of the late Sadie Monts Holland, a former justice court judge and Nettleton mayor. He spent over three decades as State House Rep for the 16th district.
"Public service is a tradition in the Holland family," Holland said. "We've always had a strong commitment to public service in our family, elected or not elected.... I think what I can do is provide a lot of enlightened leadership to the board."
Holland is also the owner of Holland Funeral Directors and has been in the funeral business for over 50 years.
Like some of his fellow candidates, Holland believes the county board of supervisors should be more transparent in its decision-making. The board, he said, does too much business behind closed doors.
Infrastructure and road maintenance are also a priority. He said his experience in state governance brings with it skills in grant writing and procurement.
Although a priority, the jail isn't the only county-owned building on Holland's radar; he said he believes the old courthouse, currently home to the county's tax assessor and tax collector's offices, needs to be restored and the two offices relocated.
That, he said, would allow the building to be used for justice court hearings.
All candidates agree jail is a priority
A debate about the county's future cannot be complete without mentioning the Lee County Jail, which been a topic of debate among supervisors for years. There have been multiple solutions floated, but none have solidified into something tangible.
While Gilland said he does not have the answers on whether renovation of the current jail is preferable to construction of a new facility, he said he knows there is a definite need to do something. He said he toured the jail, and it was lacking in some aspects. He said he knows of at least one post that does not have a bathroom nearby, leading to officers having to leave their guard to use the bathroom.
"I don't think you will be able to remodel or fix any of (the jail's) problems unless you totally demolish the place," he said. "I get they did the crime, they did the time, but some of the stuff is inhumane, and I don't like how the jailers are in the predicament they're in. They have blind spots.... It is so out of date."
Gillentine believes the state of the county jail is unsafe for both employees and inmates, and while much of the discussion is on how much it will cost to fix the current jail versus building a new one, he said he believes the issue of safety is being overlooked.
He said looking for grants and working with the area legislators are important first steps in seeing action taken.
"If you have a jail that is unsafe to the employees or the inmates, then it has got to be addressed," he said. "How you address them, I do not know. I haven't looked at the budgeting.... Figuring out how to pay for the jail is an issue that everyone is going to have to come together on and bring forth some ideas."
Parker said a new jail is necessary for the county and believes it will ultimately be up to the citizens, through the ballot box, to decide how what to do.
He said there are options for bond issues and grants to help, but overall, he wants to see a vote from the residents of the county.
No matter what happens, he believes it needs to happen soon. The cost of the jail will only continue to rise the longer the county waits.
"Let the people decide it," he said. "It is a significant amount of money, so (voters) need to decide."
Holland said he would use his connections in state and federal government to garner funding for the construction of a new jail.
"I've visited the jail many times," he said. "Something's got to be done about the jail. There are plans out there. I just think there hasn't been the inertia."
