Meet your local candidates

Local candidates running for office include Beth Camp for District 131 State Representative, Rebekah Hanson and Pam Thompson for Pike County Clerk of Superior Court; Marcia Callaway Ingram for Magistrate Judge; Virginia ‘˜Ginny’ Blakeney and Brent Taylor for Pike County Probate Judge; Jimmy Thomas for sheriff; Jason Proctor and Homer Gibbins for District 3 commissioner; James Jenkins and Tricia Gwyn for District 4 commissioner, Briar Johnson for commission chairman; Donna Chapman for tax commissioner; Denise Burrell and Marci Hanson for the District 3 school board seat; Marcie Bradberry and Chris Childress for the District 4 school board seat; Emily O’Steen for the District 5 school board seat; and Terrell Moody for coroner. Republican Beth Camp, who is the current District 4 school board member for Pike qualified to run for the District 131 Representative seat as did Republican Kenny Coggins of Thomaston and Democrat Chris Benton, also of Thomaston. Pike County’s Ken Pullin has decided not to run for re-election for the District 131 seat. For District 16 senator, incumbent Republican Marty Harbin has qualified as well as Democrat Cinquez Jester of Griffin. Incumbent Scott Ballard qualified as a Griffin Judicial Court judge as did Judge W. Fletcher Sams.Nearly 14,000 absentee applications were mailed to local residents, according to Pike election supervisor Lynn Vickers. ’Applications are due back by June 5 but the sooner they are returned, the quicker the vendor can send out the ballot to ensure votes get back to be counted,’ she said. The voter registration deadline is May 11 and the primary runoff will be held Aug. 11. Early in-person voting will run May 18 through June 5 with Saturday voting set for May 30. Pike County Probate Judge candidates:Ginny BlakeneyI began my career with Pike County in May of 2014, where I have worked hard to earn the trust and respect of our community. My passion to serve the citizens is deeply embedded into my daily tasks and is evident in my work ethic and ‘extra mile’ approach for conducting county business. I have experience with streamlining services, facilitating strong service delivery, and I know the absolute importance of transparency and accountability to the citizens who employ me. If honesty and trustworthiness matter to you then I am your candidate for this job. I will use my Bachelors of Science in Human Services to oversee an orderly, unbiased, and compassionate court that empowers you. My commitment to the people of Pike County is one of utmost professionalism and ethical conduct in all matters, for all people.The many duties of Probate Judge demand full-time service, training, dedication, integrity, and common sense. My vision for the Pike County Probate Office is to keep expenses to a minimum, be prompt and courteous, prioritize sincere service, and to establish and maintain respectful working relationships with the local law enforcement, attorney’s offices, and the public. My current reputation as your local civil servant is founded on hard work, high morale, and quick availability to my colleagues and fellow citizens. I consider it an honor to serve our community with respect, sincerity, and dignity in every situation and I will work faithfully to ensure that your matters are handled with the highest care. Brent TaylorI am the candidate with probate and legal experience. I have served as a paralegal for our Pike County Administrator/Conservator (Eugene Dabbs) for almost 12 years. Mr. Dabbs is appointed by our Probate Judge to carry out estates and guardianships when no one else is eligible. During this time, I have gained experience in the probate process from start to finish, including reading case laws and understanding them as they apply to probate law. I have assisted many families who were faced with settling their loved one’s estate and affairs during a very difficult period in their life. I have assisted with guardianships of adult and minor wards of the court, managing their income and expenses which provided me valuable insight and capability in completing court mandated reports. My knowledge and experience will help with a smooth transition from our current Probate Judge who carries many years of experience. I am a member of the steering committee for The Compassionate Friends of Central Georgia, a self-help support group for bereaved parents and families who have lost a child, I am a member of Oak Hill Baptist Church where I serve on the bereavement missions committee and I serve as Vice Chair of the Pike County Board of Appeals. I also serve on the Paralegal Advisory Board for Southern Crescent Technical College and have worked on numerous boards and committees in Pike County over the past 20 years including SPLOST committee, Pike Middle PTO officer and SlowExposures. Pike County Superior Court Clerk candidates:Rebekah HansonI am Rebekah Hanson and I am asking for your vote for Clerk of Superior Court. My candidacy qualifications include an associate degree in Criminal Justice/Court Administration and Georgia Real Estate Commission Licensed Realtor. My educational background and professional training provides the foundation and knowledge to serve as Clerk of Superior Court. I will be committed to a sound conservative fiscal policy and manage the clerk’s office in a responsible manner for the citizens of Pike. As a proven leader in the Pike community, I will utilize my management experience to ensure proper court scheduling and document preparation. As a licensed real estate agent, I understand the value of proficiency and ease of use with regard to document review and permanent recording for the public and professionals who access records. I will be committed to excellence for the citizens of Pike. I have dedicated my life to my faith in Jesus Christ, my family and my community. I am a member of Harvest Time Revival Church, married to John Hanson and have daughters Elizabeth, Georgia and Audrey Hanson. I serve as a Pike County Arts Council Board member and am founder/director of the Pike Junior Players and I am also a Pike 4-H volunteer. As your Clerk of Superior Court, I will focus on leadership, customer service and progress to move Pike forward. Our county is growing and as the need for additional services expands, I will work to utilize technology and common sense principles to meet the challenges of the future. Please vote to elect Rebekah Hanson as Clerk of Superior Court. Find me on Facebook at Hansonforclerk or go to Hansonforclerk.com.Pam ThompsonUpon the retirement of Clerk, Carolyn Williams, I was appointed Clerk of Superior Court of Pike County.I have worked in the office for 19 years and was trained by a clerk with 30 plus years of experience. I would love to continue my service to the citizens of Pike County as your clerk.I was born in Barnesville, grew up in Griffin and graduated from Griffin High School. My husband, Tim Thompson, was a contractor in the area after retiring from the ministry and we had been married for 43 years when he passed away in 2016. We have five children, three of whom live in Pike County, and 10 grandchildren. Except for the 16 years we pastored in other areas in Georgia, I have lived in this area all of my life. A lot of my extended family live in Pike County and the surrounding counties. I love living in a small town and watching my grandchildren grow up. My family and I enjoy attending Mt. View Baptist Church together. It has been a joy to live here for the past 21 years, I have met so many wonderful people and made lasting friendships working in the clerk’s office. It would be a pleasure to meet you and I am always available at the courthouse. I look forward to seeing what the future holds for Pike County and would love to be a small part of it.I would appreciate your vote on June 9, 2020. District 3 Board of Commission candidates:Homer GibbinsI am Homer Gibbins, a 50-year-old father of seven who wants to help our Pike County families. My parents raised me to be the change I want to see in this world. I am a visionary man who works very hard to keep my wife at home with our children. I am running for office so I can help do what I can for the families of Pike County. We need to fix roads in our county. I don’t have political experience, but neither did president Trump. I believe what the Bible says ‘where there is NO VISION the people perish.’ So I want to bring a new perspective to our county. I believe in working within a budget, I – like many – don’t mind paying taxes but I want to see the money appropriated for the best interest of the whole county. Please look after our elderly neighbors as we strive to get back to our lives. Just like the story in the Bible of the good says samaritan Jesus said ‘Go and do likewise.’ We all have different perspectives, we can bring our experiences collectively together making a brighter, and better future for our families. God bless you Pike County.Jason ProctorMy name is Jason Proctor. I am running for re-election of District 3 County Commissioner. I have lived in the county for 35 years. I am married and graduated from Pike County High School in 1997. I co-own a family business that has been in the county since it was established in 1994. I’m currently serving my first term. During my short time in office, I led the action for the Second Amendment Sanctuary status. Most weekends I ride the roads in my district and report back to the county manager any issues I find so he can pass along to Public Works and they can be addressed. I have been working closely with both to try and find a solution for our road conditions. These are just two examples of the many issues I have been working on. Before I was elected I served on the planning commission and have kept in close contact with the director and other members of this board. Therefore I am current on the issues we face in this county.I live here, work here, shop here, and contribute to many organizations in the community. I am asking for your vote so I may continue the work that I have started. With your help we will Keep Pike Great. Please contact me at jproctor@pikecoga.com for more info or with any concerns.District 4 Board of Commission candidates:Tricia GwynI am a Republican candidate for the District 4 commissioner seat. I have been a resident of Pike County for almost 15 years. I am married to Rusty Gwyn and we have 3 beautiful daughters. I currently work alongside my husband at his company, General Machine Diecron, Inc that is located in Pike County and I have been an agent at McLeRoy Realty for 15 years. My desire is to create a strong board of commissioners who work closely, and who will allow all of Pike to grow in a positive manner. I want to sit at the table with the school board and help resolve the issues that growth has placed before them. I want all forms of Pike leadership to come together annually to talk about each of their issues and priorities, and then work on ideas to resolve them. I want to find the most effective ways to reach these resolutions and to seek savings that could ease our current budget.I want to involve the citizens of the fourth district and keep them informed, via social media, emails or phone calls. Topics such as current board agendas, rezoning applications, and other items they want answers for. I want to see the community conversations be about resolutions and being united on preserving Pike County as the wonderful place we all cherish. I want to have an open-door policy where people can communicate with me about their ideas and concerns within our district and engage them in the discussion to help plan for the future of our area. I want to be your county commissioner and I want your vote! Email issues that matter to you to me at PCGADistrict4@gmail.com. What you have to say matters to me!James JenkinsMy family and I have lived in Pike County for 29 years. My wife and I raised 12 children in this wonderful county that we love so much. We are members of God’s family and Church of Joy.I would like to thank all of District 4 constituents who have allowed me to represent them for the last 7 years. I feel our group of commissioners have moved Pike County forward in many ways to prepare the county for the growth we are experiencing. One area we still need to work on is our roads and the county has a road plan to achieve what our budget will allow. I would like to ask for your vote so we can continue to move forward and keep Pike County a place we can all be proud to call home.When elected I promised to vote against any tax increase, and I have kept my promise. I also promised to listen to the constituents in District 4 which I have done and followed up with any request by phone and or email. I will continue work for you the next 4 years in the same way. District 3 board of education candidates:Denise BurrellI am Denise Burrell and I serve as District 5 Board of Education member. My husband Richard and I have lived in Pike County for 35 years and raised our two children in Pike. We have two adult children; our daughter is an occupational therapist and our son is a physician assistant in an orthopedic firm. We also have five grandchildren. As we raised our children, we always stressed that a good education leads to a good life. My husband and I are charter members at Life Springs United Methodist church and I serve on several committees. Richard and I were both educators. My degrees include an English Education from UGA, a master’s in English Ed from Georgia State, and a master’s and specialist in leadership from West Georgia. I have been a teacher, an assistant principal, principal, a career tech director and deputy superintendent. I am an educator. I know curriculum, I know instruction, l know professional learning, I know testing, I know school improvement, and I know Title 1. I worked closely with the board of education as deputy superintendent. I know how the board works, I know how decisions are made, and I know decisions are made that best impact teachers. My position is to listen to recommendations from those who work in our system, to ask questions and clarification before I cast my vote. I will continue to vote for what is best for our students, staff and our school system. Marci HansonMarci Hanson has worked for Piedmont Healthcare for 23 years and currently serves as the coordinator for student placement. She covers eight hospitals and handles more than 6,000 students annually, serving as the liaison between Piedmont Healthcare facilities and more than 200 high schools, colleges and universities. She is a graduate of the UGA with a Bachelor of Science in Education degree. Marci serves on the executive board for Three Rivers Area Health Education Center that serves 28 counties, including Pike. Marci also serves on advisory boards for local school districts, colleges and universities, such as Southern Crescent Tech, Gordon State College, Fayette County School System, Coweta’s Central Education Center and West Georgia Tech.Marci is proud to call Pike home for more than 20 years and wouldn’t choose anywhere else to raise her family. She is married to Don Hanson who is a special education teacher at PCHS and the head baseball coach. She has three children, Dylan, Cooper and Marissa. Dylan is a 2018 graduate from PCHS and currently serves in the U.S. Army as a Combat Medic. Cooper is in the tenth grade at PCHS and Marissa is in eithth grade at PCMS.Through her work and partnerships, Marci has been able to help create incredible educational opportunities for all types of students throughout the state. She is passionate about bridging the gap between education and industry and creating strong relationships throughout. This passion for providing excellent opportunities for all students and fully supporting our fantastic teachers and staff has driven her to run for the Pike Board of Education. Thank you for your support! District 4 board of education candidates:Marcie BradberryCitizens of Concord and Molena, I want to introduce myself as your candidate for Pike County School Board District 4.My qualifications for school board include former high school teacher and district administrative staff with experience in federal programs and title funding. I have volunteered on many community boards and currently serve on the Southern Crescent Technical College Culinary Arts Board, assisting in raising more than $60,000 in scholarship funds. I also serve on the Thomaston Community Christmas Kitchen Board, feeding approximately 3,000 people Christmas dinner each year and was formerly president of the Pike County FFA Alumni.I am a proud resident of Pike County, married to Jamie Bradberry, and a mother to my two beautiful daughters Kelli and Kara. Kara is a 2017 PCHS Graduate and Gordon College Student. Kelli and her husband Wyett have blessed me with my first granddaughter. I am a small business owner, chef and restaurateur. I am active in my church and hold fast to my faith. I am a Sunday school teacher and family history center director for Pike, Upson, Spalding and Lamar counties. I am a strong believer in service to others and being actively involved in my community.As a former teacher and school administration staff member, I hope my experience and passion for working with students and my leadership and management background will have a positive impact on Pike County Schools.I humbly ask for your support and Vote for Pike County School Board District 4. Find me on Facebook at mbradberryforPikeGABOE or contact me by email at Bradberry.marcie@gmail.com.Chris ChildressMy name is Chris Childress and I am seeking the school board District 4 seat. I am a rooted Pike County resident, raised in Molena and Hollonville, and a 1998 Pike graduate. I worked many years in the electrical field, gaining considerable knowledge in data system infrastructure. I earned degrees from Gordon State College in Political Science and History as well as a Juris Doctorate from Mercer Law. I have a law practice in Zebulon, serve as vice president of the Pike Kiwanis, chair the PCPRA, and have spent over a decade coaching kids. With two children in the school system and two more starting school in the next couple years, I have a vested interest in the success of the Pike County school system.I measure school success by way of student development and by how the school interacts with the local community. I believe strong work ethic, good character, and perseverance are required to achieve success. Additionally, I believe contracting with local businesses for school projects and partnering with local clubs lends to a stronger community. I intend to utilize my life, work, volunteer, and educational experience to promote a school system that is engaged with its community and produces students with a ‘˜go-getter’ mentality.I will continue to advocate for student achievement and sincerely appreciate your vote on June 9.  Please contact me with any questions you may have at chris@childressjustice.com.