The State of Houston County
The State of Houston County
Where Houston County stands in 2023
The Current Houston County Commission
The current Houston County Commission consists of 5 members: 4 District Commissioners and the Chairman. From left to right: Curtis Harvey (District 1), Tracy Adams (District 2), Brandon Shoupe (Chairman), Ricky Herring (District 3), and James Ivey (District 4)
Curtis Harvey is the longest-serving member of the Commission. Commissioners Ricky Herring and James Ivey are also Sheriff’s Deputies with the Houston County Sheriff’s Department.
The Chairman
In Houston County, the Chairman is elected county-wide. This isn’t the case in all Alabama Counties–more on that later. I am the current Chairman after being sworn in on November 16th of 2022.
Counties are Much Different from Municipalities
No Alabama County is the Same
Each county in Alabama can have state laws that apply only to it. That’s why sales of alcohol and the game of bingo can be illegal in one county and legal in the next.
Some counties don’t have a Chairman of the Commission and instead have the Probate Judge chair the Commission. Some counties only have 3 Commissioners, some elect a Chair from among the Commission, some simply rotate the Chairmanship.
As previously stated, Houston County has 4 Commissioners and a Chairman. A Probate Judge, Revenue Commissioner, Coroner, and Sheriff are all independently elected by voters although the Commission establishes the budget for each.
Oddly enough, an Alabama Commission only has to do one thing: pass a budget. Theoretically, a Commission can pass a budget and go home for an entire year.
My Priority in 2023 and Beyond
I desire to further develop Houston County as a community that people can be proud of.
Developing a strong community that we take pride in is important because without it people will begin to leave. A dwindling population can lead to a death-spiral of economic conditions. We cannot allow this to happen because in the United States, we’ve historically made investments based on the assumption our economy will keep growing.
As you can see, we have a road we will resurface this year. Resurfacing the traditional way with asphalt will cost about $266,000. But the total property taxes paid by residents on that road is very low relative to the price. While we will likely use a less expensive method to keep our costs down, there is no way anyone considers the road fiscally sustainable. But because the road already exists it must be maintained, even though it doesn’t make economic sense to do so.
Making the System Work
The only way a system like this works is if there continues to be economic growth so that when the bill comes due again, it makes more economic sense.
Economic Development in Houston County
Growing an economy requires a more holistic approach than in years past. Gone are the employer-first, employer-only days of economic development. In today’s world, where jobs are more plentiful than workers, even during economic down times, we must focus more attention on growing a workforce.
An area with an abundance of skilled labor will have a much easier time recruiting employers. But to get to a point where an area has a large labor pool, you have to have an area where people desire to live. Therefore, local leaders must work to make their communities a more desirable place to live.
My Philosophy for Governing Houston County
When it comes to community improvement, counties are limited as to what they can do. But we can be a conduit for town, cities, and education systems as they strive for prosperity and improvement.
We still have to take care of our own infrastructure and departments, but we must also be a resource for towns, cities, and educators. That requires maintaining good relationships with everyone, but we are fairly good at doing that as long as the other party is willing to work with us in a constructive manner.
Final Bits and Bobs
