Residents hear from local candidates

Area voters arrived at Cutts Restaurant bright and early to hear from local candidates running for public office during the Aug. 23 Peanuts and Politics meeting.

The Enterprise Chamber of Commerce welcomed both municipal candidates, as well as candidates for the Nov. 6 Coffee County general election.

Enterprise Chamber of Commerce Director Phil Thomas said the event provides a great opportunity for the community to meet and hear from the candidates.

Only two sitting Enterprise City Council members are facing opposition in the districts. Only residents in Districts 2 and 3 will vote during the Aug. 28 municipal election.

District 3 residents will vote for either incumbent Kirk Donaldson or Viki Davis.

In District 2, Jim Reeves is challenging incumbent Tommy Johnson Jr.

The unopposed District 1 councilmember, William "Bill" Cooper, will serve a sixth term on the city council.

District 4's Jones Wallace "Al" Miller is also unopposed.

In District 5, councilmember Paul Russell did not seek re-election and will be replaced by Rhett Marques, who ran for the seat unopposed.

Enterprise Mayor Kenneth Boswell, who has been mayor for nearly 10 years, is also unopposed in the election and will serve another term.

Incumbent District 2 councilmember Johnson spoke on the varying projects completed to benefit the city while serving on the council, including the construction of the new Enterprise Civic Center, Splashpad, renovations to city hall and improvements to the city water and sewer system.

In the next term, if elected, Johnson said he hopes to continue that forward progress and improvements with the eventual four-laning of Highway 167, construction of a new farmer's market and continuing upgrades to the sewer system and street resurfacing.

District 2 candidate Reeves said he decided to run for office because he hopes to improve communication lines between city officials and the community and increase community involvement in local government.

"We all want Enterprise to be the best," Reeves said, adding he would use his experience as a business owner and manager to work toward that goal.

District 3 incumbent Kirk Donaldson said in order to be successful a city must have a strong infrastructure in place.

During the past four years, Donaldson said that is exactly what he and fellow councilmembers have been working on with water and sewer system improvements.

Donaldson said it also takes establishing good relationships.

"Grants and monies do not just float into Enterprise," Donaldson said, adding it takes getting out and meeting with constituents and actively searching for opportunities to improve the quality of life for the residents of Enterprise.

If re-elected, Donaldson said he intends to continue to work toward growth and build on the close relationship the area holds with Fort Rucker.

Candidate Davis, said her more than 30 years of experience in the financial industry and active role in the community make her the ideal candidate for the District 3 seat.

As a member of the community for 20 years, Davis said she has been active in both the business and civic communities including work with the Enterprise Rotary Club on the playground and Splashpad at Johnny Henderson Park.

As the spouse of a retired military soldier, Davis said she knows the vital role Fort Rucker plays in the community and would work to continue growing that relationship.

"I vow to be active and available to the community," Davis said. "Together we can continue to make Enterprise the 'City of Progress.'"

In the Coffee County Nov. 6 general election, District 5 candidates Jimmy Jones and Eugene Yager addressed the room on why they would be the best candidate for a seat on the county commission.

Jones said you'd be hard pressed to find someone who has dedicated more time into the community than himself.

Jones has been a volunteer in the Enterprise and Coffee County community for 30 years, he said.

Jones has served on several local boards including two terms on the Enterprise City School Board.

"I have been dedicated to the people of this county, and I hope we can continue to build Enterprise and Coffee County into one of the best regions in this country," Jones said. "I have always put Enterprise and Coffee County first."

Opponent Eugene Yager has been in the restaurant business since 1970. He is currently working to open a Moe's restaurant in Enterprise, as well as a pizza restaurant that combined will bring about 70 jobs into the community.

He said his years of experience in the business community provide a great background for managing funds and bringing jobs into the community.

"I'm not running for office. I'm applying for the opportunity to represent the people of District 5," Yager said.

Boswell took a moment during the meeting to thank the residents for their continued support in the efforts he and councilmembers have made to improve the welfare of the community.

"I am as committed and excited as the first day I was elected mayor," Boswell said.

Residents will vote Aug. 28 at the M.N. Jug Brown Recreation Center, at 421 East Lee St., from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.