It wasn’t long ago that every Friday and Saturday evening during a campaign season featured at least one political supper somewhere in Franklin County.
But last Friday’s fundraiser for the East Franklin Volunteer Fire Department marked only the second event this year to allow candidates a forum to share their message with voters.
The Spruce Pine Historical Society held a candidate supper earlier this month, and those are the only two events on the calendar before the June 5 primary election.
EFVFD board member William Bishop served as emcee for the evening. The list of candidates attending included Sen. Larry Stutts, Steve Lolley, Rep. Johnny Mack Morrow, Proncey Robertson, Ken Brackens, probate judge Barry Moore, Joe Mansell and Charles Adcox.
Franklin County revenue commissioner Veronica Stancil, who runs again in 2020, and circuit clerk Anita Scott (who is unopposed this year) also attended the event.
Bishop said the annual fire tax of $36, which was approved by East Franklin voters, has shown immediate benefits for the department.
“That fee has really helped this fire department and all others. We’re fortunate to have that revenue coming in to work with,” Bishop said.
Bishop said the department’s most immediate need was to replace a pump on one of its fire trucks.
Any additional funds remaining will be used to add fire hydrants in critical-need areas, he said.
Lolley, a Republican candidate for Senate District 6, spoke first. A former volunteer firefighter in Guin, Lolley heralded the job done by these men and women.
“To get up at 3 a.m., go respond to someone else’s house and then go to work later that day is real dedication,” Lolley said.
Morrow, who is vacating his seat in the Alabama House to run as the Democratic nominee for Senate District 6, talked about his roots in East Franklin.
“I can’t remember the first time I came into East Franklin. This is my home here,” Morrow said. “I was proud to support the funding bill for volunteer fire departments. Not all our legislators supported this in Montgomery. Some wanted to tie the bill up. I’ll let them speak as to why they chose to do that.”
Stutts, seeking a second term in the Alabama Senate, said he’s lived up to the promises he made when he ran in 2014.
“When I ran four years ago, I ran against a Franklin County native,” Stutts said. “I didn’t carry a lot of Franklin County, but I talked with the mayors and county commission and told all of them after the election that I’d do my very best to serve the entire district, and I’ve lived up to that. I’m here to help you. Call me at 256-412-9661 any time.”
East Franklin VFD chief Rodney Alexander asked Stutts why he was reluctant to get the fire bill through the Senate.
“I don’t know that I was reluctant,” Stutts said. “I signed it out of the Senate as soon as it got through. I appreciate what volunteer fire departments do, and it’s not correct to say I was reluctant. I supported it with no opposition at all.”
Stancil said her office has collected more than $19,000 for the East Franklin VFD so far from the annual fee and more than $100,000 county wide.
Brackens, a psychology professor at Northwest-Shoals Community College, is the Democratic nominee for House District 7, which serves East Franklin.
“My platform focuses on four quality-of-life issues—economic development, jobs, education and access to affordable health care,” Brackens said. “We have to look out for those less fortunate than us in some cases. If we do this, we’ll all be better off together.”
Robertson, the lone Republican candidate for House District 7 after Rep. Ken Johnson withdrew from the race, said he is the conservative Christian candidate in the race.
“My family taught me my conservative Christian values,” Robertson said. “I’m your conservative candidate, and I want you to know that. My conservative values drive who I am and who I will be in Montgomery.”
Mansell will face Moore in the Republican primary for probate judge on June 5 in what is the de facto election, with no Democratic candidate.
“There is a saying among firefighters to never leave anyone behind, and I’ll carry that into the office of probate judge,” Mansell said. “I’ll never leave the volunteer fire departments behind. Instead of doing fundraisers, they need to be spending time training, and that’s what I’ll support.”
Moore spoke about road and bridge improvements through ATRIP funding and economic growth during his time in office.
“We’ve seen industry grow in recent years. Industry is the lifeblood of Franklin County and something we need to move Franklin County forward,” Moore said. “We have to work together with our representatives and senators, the county commission and municipal leaders to move forward.”
Adcox, the Republican nominee for Franklin County Coroner, will face Democrat Elzie Malone in November. Adcox, a juvenile detention officer, said he sees first-hand the destruction caused by drugs.
“I see the result of our big drug epidemic, and as coroner I want to educate our kids about the drug problem,” Adcox said.
He also pledged to increase the coroner’s response time on calls.
“We will respond in a timely manner and get to the call, take care of the family, take care of the body and move on,” he added.
