January 6, 2018
By: Dwayne Page
Eight people paid a call on the DeKalb County Election Commission Office Friday, the first day potential candidates could pick up qualifying petitions for the school board and municipal elections on August 2.
Smithville Mayor Jimmy Poss and Aldermen Jason Murphy and Gayla Hendrix obtained petitions. They plan to seek re-election to new four year terms in August.
Darrell Johnson got a petition for Mayor of Liberty. A Liberty mayor and five aldermen will be elected in August.
Incumbent School Board members Danny Parkerson in the 1st district, Jim Beshearse in the 3rd district, and Shaun Tubbs in the 7th district also got a petition and along with newcomer Alan Hayes of Liberty in the 2nd district. Five school board members will be elected in August.
Up for election on August 2nd will be school board seats in Districts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7. Those positions are currently held by Danny Parkerson in the 1st district, Jerry Wayne Johnson in the 2nd district, Jim Beshearse in the 3rd district, Kate Miller in the 4th district, and Shaun Tubbs in the 7th district.
City seats up for grabs on August 2, pending any resignations/vacancies, are: In Smithville the Mayor and two aldermen seats currently held by Mayor Jimmy Poss and Aldermen Jason Murphy and Gayla Hendrix; in Dowelltown three aldermen seats (Brad Driver, Keith Farler, and Ron Griffith were elected to those positions in 2014); in Liberty the Mayor and five aldermen seats currently held by Mayor Dwight Mathis and Aldermen Dwayne Blair, Jason Ray, Howard Reynolds, Jr., J.D. Bratten, and Todd Dodd and in Alexandria the Mayor and three aldermen seats now held by Mayor Bennett Armstrong and Aldermen Matt Boss, Danny Parkerson, and Eddie Blair. Another alderman will be elected to fill a two year unexpired term. Mac Willoughby currently holds that position after the recent resignation of Kelly Pyburn.
Qualifying petitions for these races must be returned by Noon April 5.
In addition, candidates interested in running for the 17th Tennessee Senatorial District and State Houses in Districts 40 and 46 have the same qualifying deadline. Those positions are currently held by State Senator Mark Pody and State Representative Terri Lynn Weaver in district 40. The Wilson County Commission will convene January 10 to appoint a successor to Pody as State Representative of district 46 who will serve until the general election in November. The state primaries for these offices will be August 2.