NEWTON COUNTY – Candidates for commission seats District 1 and District 5 participated in the Kappa Koffeehouse Political Forum on Oct. 14.

The event hosted by the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity drew a crowd of around 150 patrons, as candidates discussed their intentions for office and overall vision of how they could best serve Newton County.

The forum was held at The Center on Washington Street and was moderated by Kappa Alpha Psi Elder J.B. Brockman.

District 5

Republican candidate LeAnne Long and Democratic candidate Tiijon DaCosta were the first of the two commissioner races to take the stage. After introductions of each candidate, the two took turns answering questions from the panelists from the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity.

Long began by addressing the issue of trust in local government. She mentioned that building back the trust between the community and the local government was key.

“Newton County is kind of in a mess right now,” Long said. “We’ve got trust issue problems…You have to get back the trust of the citizens in Newton County.”

Another main focus of Long’s campaign will be to “bring energy” back into District 5. She wants to keep the district engaged and active about all county matters.

Long mentioned she plans to follow through on both promises by communicating with her constituents and maintaining a transparent government.

DaCosta said that he plans to focus his campaign on improving communication if elected.

“One of my platforms is going to ensure community input such as this one [and] not just input on one side of the district,” DaCosta said.

Both candidates expressed the need to maintain the rural character of District 5, citing a need for a balance in growth. Similarly, when asked about the fractured relationships of those on the Newton County Board of Commissioners, both candidates expressed the need to work together with the other commissioners to provide more productive and meaningful meetings.

When looking at economic development, DaCosta told the audience members in attendance that he would identify the needs of the citizens to make the necessary moves for the district.

Long was candid in describing what feedback she received from District 5 residents, stating that those residents “want nothing.” However, she claimed the biggest challenge will be to provide a sense of balance in economic development while continuing to maintain the rural identity of the district.

District 1

Challenger/Democratic nominee Denise Williams and incumbent/Republican nominee Stan Edwards were third up during the Monday night event. 

Williams, who has been involved in county meetings for years as a citizen activist, said she decided to run this year to have a larger role in the local government.

Edwards mentioned his intentions for running are the same as it has been for his previous two terms, which is “having a say” in the county’s and District 1’s direction.

The District 1 commissioner added that he wants to look out more for the current residents.

“We have a tendency to look out into the future and see what we want to attract [and] make those people happy that don’t even live here yet,” Edwards said. “I think it’s time to take a hard look at the citizens that live here now and what they want as opposed to someone who may live here two years from now.”

Much like in District 5, Williams expressed the need for a more transparent government and a need to unite the Board of Commissioners. One of the specific ways she plans to maintain transparency is to work with the public information office by pushing more pertinent information on the county’s website and social media platforms.

Edwards shared a slightly different point of view, stating that meetings have smoothed over in recent months. He believed a part in that came in his role as acting chair for a few months.

“I try to bring a calming presence,” Edwards said.

The topic of growth was brought up once again during this portion of the forum. Williams suggested that an “infrastructure comprehensive plan” on a per-district basis was needed.

“I think that Newton County needs to look at per-district as the growth has taken place,” Williams said. “And from that point, we need to put an infrastructure comprehensive plan in place.”

Both candidates faced difficult questions toward the end of their time on stage.

Specifically, Williams was asked about her qualifications for the role. She responded by reading out her attendance record at county meetings over the past few years.

Edwards was asked if he had held a town hall that would accommodate the newer residents in District 1. He said he had not done so, citing low turnout at previous town halls during his previous terms. However, he insisted that he is available for any concerns via his social media, county email or by phone call.

How can you vote in this year’s election?

Early voting is open now until Nov. 1. 

​​A number of voting precincts in Newton County have been made available for early voters.

The Turner Lake recreation center banquet hall (Town precinct) located at 6185 Turner Lake Road in Covington will be open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. On Oct. 31 and Nov. 1, the polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Weekend voting is also open at this precinct on the following dates/times:

Saturday, Oct. 26: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The LifePointe Church of Nazarene (Covington Mills precinct) will be open Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the two week voting period. The church is located at 5133 Jackson Highway in Covington.

Also open will be the Prospect Church at Oak Hill (Downs precinct) located at 6752 Highway 212 in Covington from Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Election day will take place on Nov. 5, with polls open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.