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Candidates gear up for Election 2006
On the county level, the offices of Washington County sheriff, coroner and the school board District 5 seat will be decided. Sheriff Richard Stringer, who beat out four others for the Democratic nomination for sheriff, will face independent candidate Donald "Duck" Beech. Stringer defeated McIntosh Police Chief Mike Barnett by a 953-vote margin in a runoff for the nomination July 18. His past law enforcement experience includes working as a part-time police officer for the Citronelle Police Department for 25 years. If elected to the office, Tuesday, Stringer said he hopes to implement some changes, such as adding some new programs to combat illegal drug activities and decreasing response time to calls received by the department. Beech, a native of Hobson who resides in Chatom, is an Independent candidate challenging Stringer. A 1969 graduate of Washington County High School, he served six years in the U.S. Army, which included a tour in Vietnam in the early 1970s.
Choosing to run as an Independent was a no-brainer for Beech, who said he did not want to be known as "the Republican or Democrat sheriff," but simply as "the sheriff of Washington County." As sheriff, he said he wants to bring respect back to the department, be more involved in the schools, concentrate on the everincreasing drug problem and answer calls as fast as humanly possible. Motorists may have noticed that there have been no signs for Beech on the roadsides. He said he decided not to have signs put out because he feels they do nothing but litter the roadsides. Coroner Two are also vying for the coroner's position in Washington County. Shane Thornton is the Democratic nominee and is being challenged by Independent candidate Robbie Davidson of McIntosh.
Thornton's credentials for the position also include working as a safety coordinator for Ciba Specialty Chemicals in McIntosh. In that position it was his duty to investigate incidents and accidents at the plant. He has also worked with EMS for 15 years, 13 of those as a paramedic and has held a place on the E-911 Board for four years. Davidson has served as McIntosh Fire Chief for six years and has worked in the emergency medical field nearly all of his life. He has been a member of the McIntosh Volunteer Fire Department and Rescue Squad for the past 25 years. Davidson is currently employed as an emergency medical technician (EMT) and was recently awarded the Ronnie Brown EMS Award by the Washington County Firefighters Association. He attributes his love for being involved in emergency services to his mother, Marsha Davidson, who was a member of the first group of trained EMTs in Alabama when the certification program began in 1972.
Clatis Becton, the Washington County Board of Education District 5 incumbent is being challenged by Independent candidate Winston Waite. Becton, who retired from Millry High School after approximately 30 years in education, is finishing his first sixyear term on the board. During his time as a teacher he taught government and also drove a school bus. His challenger, Waite, is employed with Ciba Specialty Chemicals in McIntosh. He is also a member of the Alabama National Guard's 711th Signal Battalion, Company A, which is based in Chatom. A Vietnam veteran, Waite most recently served for a year in the current Iraq War. State races Two statewide races are also biggies on this Tuesday's ballot. The District 65 House of Representatives Republican Incumbent Nick Williams, of Sims Chapel, will face-off with young challenger Grove Hill attorney Marc Keahey, who defeated Jackson funeral home owner Wayne Lathan for the Democratic nomination this past June. Williams, an employee of Millry Communications, has served for nearly two years, after he defeated Gloria Dolbare, widow of Rep. Jeff Dolbare, and Wayne Lathan who waged an unsuccessful write-in campaign after being disqualified by the state Democratic Executive Committee for not filing required paperwork on time. Keahey is a newcomer to the political arena and defeated Lathan by more than 2,000 votes in a July 18 runoff election for the Democratic nomination. He recently returned home to practice law and serve as a Clarke County public defender. To his credit, Keahey has worked for State Rep. Seth Hammett (D-Andalusia) in Montgomery, where Hammett serves as Speaker of the House. State Senate, District 22 District 22 State Senator Pat Lindsey, the Democratic Incumbent, is facing some stiff competition from Republican challenger John McMillan. Democrat-held senate seats are being targeted because Republicans believe they can tilt the balance in that legislative chamber with just a few upset elections. Lindsey (D-Butler) is one of the most influential senators in the upper chamber and an ally of Sen. Lowell Barron (DFyffe), senate president pro tempore. He serves on many influential committees, which include chairman of the Economic Expansion and Trade Committee, deputy chairman of the Rules Committee and vice chairman of the Tourism and Marketing Committee. He also serves on the Confirmations, Energy and Natural Resources, Constitution Campaign Finance, Ethics and Elections, Finance and Taxation General Fund, Judiciary, Health and Local Legislation No. 3 committees. The GOP candidate, Mc- Millan most recently served a long stint as executive director of the Alabama Forestry Association. He retired from that position in Montgomery and returned to his native Baldwin County to take up residency to be eligible to run for the state senate seat.
In the past he has also served as a Baldwin County commissioner, a state representative and conservation director. He currently serves on the state personnel board.
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