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Rita Smart, who was elected as a Richmond city commissioner in 2008, hugs Commissioner Robert Blythe, in this November 2008, file photo. Smart is the first incumbent commissioner to file for the May 2010 primary election. A new candidate, Doug Parker, also has filed.
Smart first commissioner to file
Second new candidate surfaces
Commissioner Rita Smart is the first incumbent to file for the May 2010 primary election, and another new candidate also has filed for a seat on the commission.
Even though Smart said her personal life is busy, she is going to press on in hopes of receiving another term.
“I have plenty to do as a business owner and a member of a wonderful family, but I feel I owe it to the large number of voters who supported me in the past,” said Smart, who made her official campaign announcement Wednesday.
Smart received the majority (17.34 percent) of the votes cast for the 2008 city commission election, pushing long-time commissioner Kay Cosby Jones off the commission.
Smart, 60, is retired from the University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service and now operates The Bennett House Bed and Breakfast at 419 W. Main Street.
“Much progress has been made this year toward improved fiscal and management oversight for our city,” she said. “There is much that I cherish about Richmond’s past, but we must look to the future and take our place as one of the great cities of our commonwealth. We do that by sound fiscal management, a commitment to employee development, commitment to develop and abide by a comprehensive plan for the city and active participation by citizens and elected leaders in achieving these goals.”
One idea Smart would like to see flourish is a regular event called “Conversations with Commissioners.”
Doug Parker, 40, has been a Richmond resident for 20 years and was a part of the 2008 election for city commissioner.
Parker serves as the assistant director of facilities for the Lexington Clinic and is an Eastern Kentucky University graduate with a major in political science.
“I’ve always been interested in politics, especially at the local and state levels,” he said. “This is a good time to jump in. I think it’s wide open for anybody, so I took this opportunity to run.”
If elected, Parker said he would start with working on the city’s finances.
“The budget needs to be set in place,” he said. “We need to get back to a balanced budget.”
Oversight of all city departments and the capital projects therein should be a top priority of commissioners, Parker said.
Another issue Parker would like to address is making sure that all bids for city work are awarded fairly.
“I would like to see a policy put in place to where family (of city employees/government leaders) and friends of family are not allowed to bid contracts,” he said. “I think Richmond has ignored that over the past 20 years.”
Arthur G. Pace, 62, was the first city commission candidate to file on Monday, Dec. 14.
The following is a list of 2010 election candidates according to Wednesday’s roster from the Madison County Clerk’s Office:
• County attorney: T. Marcum “Marc” Robbins, Democrat
• County clerk: Francette Durbin, Democrat; Lisa A. Davis, Democrat; Joey Fritz, Democrat; Kenny Barger, Republican
• County judge/executive: Benny Biggs, Democrat; Kent Clark, Democrat; Troy Lane, Democrat
• County coroner: Jimmy Cornelison, Democrat
• Jailer: Doug Thomas, Democrat; Patrick Allan Begley, Democrat; Steve Gregg, Democrat
• Magistrate, 1st District: Larry L. Combs, Democrat; Greg Lakes, Republican
• Magistrate, 2nd District: Wayne S. Long, Democrat; Roger D. Barger, Republican
• Magistrate, 3rd District: Robert E. Murphy, Democrat; John C. Tudor, Democrat; Harold Botner, Democrat; Ralph Oliver Jr., Democrat
• Magistrate, 4th District: Bruce B. Begley, Democrat; Jack Marcum, Democrat; Mike Isaacs, Democrat; Cory Erdmann, Democrat; Greg King, Republican
• Property Valuation Administrator: Billy Ackerman, Democrat
• Richmond Mayor (Non-partisan): Jim Barnes
• Richmond City Commissioner (Non-partisan): Arthur G. Pace, Rita Smart, Doug Parker
• Sheriff: Nelson E. O’Donnell, Democrat
• Constable, 1st District: J.B. Marcum, Democrat
• Constable, 2nd District: James E. House, Democrat; David Kelley, Democrat, Steven Kelly, Republican
• Constable, 3rd District: Bruce Thomas, Democrat; Richard Williamson, Democrat; Bill Goosey, Democrat
• Constable, 4th District: John Wright, Democrat; Billy Mitchell Sparks, Democrat; Gary Payne, Democrat
Ronica Shannon can be reached at rshannon@richmondregister.com or 624-6608.
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Police arrest Richmond man for burglary
An Evansdale Avenue resident has been accused of stealing about $2,662 worth of items from a woman’s apartment, said Larry Brock, Richmond police chief.
The woman told police someone had entered her apartment during the overnight hours of Saturday. Entry was gained through an unlocked window, Brock said. -
Battlefield Park getting pistol belonging to Gen. Nelson’s killer
A pistol that belonged to the Union general who shot and killed Gen. William “Bull” Nelson, Union commander at the Battle of Richmond, is coming to Battlefield Park’s visitors center.
The pistol, a Colt .44, was carried later in the Civil War by Gen. Jefferson C. Davis of Indiana, who killed Nelson during an altercation in the lobby of the Galt House in Louisville after the August 1862 Battle of Richmond. -
BREAKING NEWS: Man sitting on tracks hit, killed by train
An unidentified white man was struck and killed by a train at about 11:19 p.m. on Wednesday.
The man’s body was discovered about a-half mile north of the CSX-owned tracks intersection with Four Mile Road said Larry Brock, Richmond police chief. The man appeared to have been sitting on the tracks in the area of Four Mile Road, Brock said.
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Man who fired ‘warning shots’ pleads guilty
A man accused of shooting at his ex-girlfriend after a physical fight between the two pleaded guilty to lesser charges Wednesday in Madison District Court.
Kevin Carter, 24, of Berea Road, had been charged with first-degree wanton endangerment, but as part of a plea agreement, he pleaded guilty to criminal attempt to commit fourth-degree assault, a Class A misdemeanor.
Had Carter been convicted of the original charge, he could have faced up to five years in prison. -
Republican party hosting open house
The Madison County Republican Party will be hosting an open house today from 5 to 7 p.m. at its new headquarters at 128 Big Hill Avenue (Wallingford Broadcasting building). Many of the local candidates will be available to meet the public and campaign items will be available.
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Increasing access
A rural health clinic soon will be able to serve more people, offer more services and operate longer hours because of grant funding received from Catholic Health Initiatives.
The $398,610 grant will be administered over a three-year period. The cost of the grant is mostly for salaries, according to Katie Heckman, community relations manager for St. Joseph — Berea. -
Emergency sirens to sound Saturday
The bi-monthly test of the Madison County siren, tone alert radio and local emergency notification system will be conducted Saturday, Sept. 4 at 12:20 p.m.
In the event of threatening weather, the test will be canceled.
The system is tested the first Saturday and the third Wednesday of each month.
Local Emergency Alert System radio stations include: WEKY, 1340 AM; WCBR, 1110 AM; WCYO, 100.7 FM; WEKU, 88.9 FM; WKXO, 1500 AM; WLFX, 106.7 FM; and WIRV, 1550 AM. -
Foothills, White House provide school supplies
Kentucky River Foothills and White House Clinic have teamed up to help provide free school supplies to children in Madison and Estill counties.
This is the first year for the program, which was created to help students in need be able to focus more on learning. -
Local SBA disaster loan centers to close
BEREA — The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will close its temporary Disaster Loan Outreach Center in Madison County on Thursday. Another center in Carter County also will close Thursday.
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Some not happy with cemetery conditions
Richmond Cemetery trustee chair Donald Roberts and his predecessor Tom Smith both acknowledged in a Richmond Register interview published that not everyone was happy with cemetery upkeep, but that much progress had been achieved in the nearly 11 years both had been on the board.
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Police arrest Richmond man for burglary
