AMERICUS — The candidates for the District 3 seat on the Sumter County Board of Commissioners (BOC), Valarie Grimes and Rick Davis, and the candidates for Southwestern Judicial Circuit District Attorney, Cecilia Cooper and Plez Hardin, spoke Friday at a Kiwanis political forum.

The BOC candidates were the first to address the Kiwanians at the GSW Golf & Conference Center.

Davis said his idea of a good county commissioner is not only to handle problems when they arise but to have the aptitude to anticipate future problems. He said he believes in strictly adhering to budgets. He said this philosophy is especially relevant for the BOC with the tough financial times Sumter County is facing.

Davis said he has already been thinking about simple ways the County government can save money. For instance, he claims Sumter can save $500,000 a year on fuel costs if each County vehicle would reduce its daily consumption only by two gallons.

Davis said, as a commissioner, he would be very careful of the taxpayers’ money. He said he is a strong supporter of economic growth and he would work diligently to bring quality jobs to Sumter County. He supports Georgia Southwestern State University (GSW) and South Georgia Technical College (SGTC) and he realizes how important their success is to the success of Sumter.

He suggested that Sumter County’s economy should cater to the U.S. aging population.

Grimes explained that her career in health care management has thoroughly prepared her for the tough decisions a county commissioner has to make. Grimes is a nurse.

She said she has succeeded in the aspect of providing quality health care to patients while adhering to tough budget constraints. She said she realizes how important the youth are to the health and well-being of Sumter.

She works closely with young people because she’s a health instructor at Americus-Sumter County High School South Campus. Grimes said everyone must do their part to help young people grow into positive, productive adults, and no one should pass the buck when it comes to our youth.

She is a proponent of more recreational programs for the youth in Sumter County. Grimes said she didn’t jump up and down when the BOC recently decided to raise the millage rate, but she also realizes we all must make some sacrifices to improve the quality of living in this county. Grimes said she is a homeowner.

Like Davis, Grimes said she would also be smart with the taxpayers’ money. She said Sumter County is a great community and poised for a bright future. Grimes explained her support and fondness of both SGTC and GSW, and she said it is important that young people are encouraged to attend these two institutions and not leave their home county of Sumter for other Georgia institutions.

Cooper, the incumbent, used her opportunity to talk about her vast experience over the seven years as the Southwestern Circuit District Attorney.

“My staff and I have closed 16,008 Superior Court cases over those years. That is an average of 3,202 cases per attorney. Most of those cases were closed with guilty pleas. I am proud to say that in those years we have never had a conviction reversed on appeal,” she said.

Cooper said her office is a resource for victims of crime through the victim-witness assistance program. She said her office’s criminal prosecutions have helped lead to the confiscation of hundreds of thousands of dollars in drug money. Cooper said this illegal money has been turned around to benefit society and victims of crime.

During her speech, she mentioned several times the competency and hard work of her 16-person staff.

Cooper pointed out that she has a reputation as a tough and fierce prosecutor, and she personally prosecutes all the murder cases in the Circuit. Cooper said a district attorney must be multi-skilled and work well under pressure.

She asks the voters to examine her record and work performance and her opponent’s record and work performance. Cooper believes this examination will definitely come out in her favor.

Hardin talked about his extensive education and his real-world work experience in many fields in law, pointing out that he once ran his own law firm. Hardin said he has spent months talking to the people of Sumter County about the District Attorney’s Office under the leadership of Cooper, and many of those people have told him it is time for a change.

Hardin said he has strong roots in this area of the state and he loves Sumter and the surrounding counties, but our streets have become more dangerous over the years, and this situation requires a strong, organized and fair district attorney.

Hardin said he fits this bill better than Cooper. He said Cooper’s leadership is lacking and her office isn’t a deterrent to criminals. He was an assistant public defender at the Southwestern Judicial Circuit Public Defender’s Office for two years before he relinquished that position to seek public office.

Hardin claims Cooper is on the verge of losing a $100,000 grant for the victim-witness assistance program.