Why did you decide to seek this office?

My first real job was during summer of 1968. (I was 14 years old) Working for Clayton Hays and Precinct 3, helping pave the Old Base Rd that ran in front of our farm. Clayton Hays and his men made such a big impact on my life that summer that it seems I have spent my whole life preparing for this Job.

Please identify a major issue dealing with the position you are seeking and your solutions or views about that issue. Please be as specific as possible.

Like it or not, one of the main duties of County Commissioner is overseeing the construction and maintenance of our roads. The Commissioner has to make the final decision on road maintenance and it is a priority to see to it that taxpayer money gets the best investment without waste. I will start a program of paving the most high maintenance roads in our precinct. As these roads will be paved the correct way it will cut down the cost of continuous maintenance. This will save money that can be used to pave more roads and the process continues. My goal is 10 miles of quality paved roads per year, maybe more if weather permits.

What experience qualifies you to serve in the position you seek?

I have been in business for 35 years. Specifically, the Road Construction Business. I owned and operated my own construction business for 10 years, and have worked in our family business, Top-Way Properties, here in Wise County for the past 25 years. I am well experienced in the matters of business (Insurance, budgets, taxes, contracts, bids, employee relations, etc). A large part of my work, outside of the office, was being responsible for road construction, road maintenance, and dirt work in general.

If elected, what will be your most important goal?

To have more friends when I leave office than I do now. To be well thought of by the people of Wise County. To be the "People's Commissioner"; someone who will listen when you have a problem. Someone who will come out and look at the problem and find a way to fix it. To do what's right for the People. If it's right for the People, it's right for the County.

Reader JP from Wise County asked the following question(s):

Being new to Wise County and a retired federal senior exective, you know I have to love the place to make it my home. My question is this: How will you interact and monitor the state maintenance roads to insure that the state keeps up and follows up on state actions? Seems to me that the Hwy. 380 project is a sad case of not meeting goals and appears to the state needs to step up and get it finished. How would you work this action with the state?

Welcome to Wise County, JP. Being a retired federal senior executive you surely must know about bureaucracies. The Texas Department of Transportation (TX DOT) is an entity / organization of the Texas Government; some would say a rogue organization with their own SIG's and Lobbyists in Austin. The Commissioners would like to have a say in TX DOT's actions, but they do not. As one Commissioner that I greatly admire recently told me "I wish we did have a say on 380. We would fire the whole bunch and start from scratch". I wish I had a better answer for you, JP, but that is the way it is. Any grandiose talk otherwise is simply that.

OK, last question, what formal training do you have in project management? Or construction management?

My formal education in construction management began in 1975 under the tutelage of Jerry Andrews, the premier project manager in Texas at that time. Under his guidance we began work on what was to become "Trophy Club"; just a large pasture on the north side of Hwy 114 at Roanoke. The plan was that after a time, I would take over an additional crew as the company grew in this part of N. Texas. However, within two years the company moved to Houston and I stayed in Wise Co. working for a Developer in Azle as construction manager. We planned and developed two Sub-Divisions over a period of 3 years. I owned and operated my own construction company and for the last 20+ years have worked with my brother at Top-Way here in Wise County. Over the years we have built numerous roads - both public and private - and three bridges, 2 private and 1 public. I was project manager over the construction of a "Wetlands" waste water treatment facility for the City of Newark; which, at that time, was one of only three of its type in the United States. It was a very interesting project to say the least, with very stringent final grade flow lines. The list goes on.

Reader B.C. from Precinct 1 asked the following question(s): What future provisions do you propose to adequately maintain current county accepted roads in driveable conditions eroded due to the heavy traffic from oil industry and continued county growth. How receptive are you to listening to without derogatory commentary issues presented by the "little old lady on the cul de sac"? What is your plan for working with existing neighborhoods that have sustained this damage? How receptive are you to working with county neighborhoods that have had their "road issues" stinted by the actions and viewpoints of past politicians?

Hi B.C. thank you for the question. Having been in the road construction business for 35 years, I know how very important the roads are to our residents. The secret to any road is drainage. If the drainage is not adequate the road will deteriorate. The ditches on my county road have not been used in years. The water can't get off the gravel and into the ditch. Every time it rains, water runs down the edge of the gravel and the binder is washed out of the rock and the road suffers. It's not going to be easy or quick, but it has to be done and we have to get started. Also, I plan to start paving the more "high maintenance" and costly roads with a good solid paved road. Done properly (and I won't accept anything less), the maintenance expense of that road will be cut nearly to zero for several years to come, freeing up money and time, to pave more roads. My goal the first year is 10 miles of quality new paved roads. More if the weather will allow it. Because we will have to re-establish drainage and keep all the roads maintained, much more than 10 miles that first year may not be feasible. Please understand that I will pave as many miles as can be paved, but I will not sacrifice quality for quantity. That is a waste of tax payer money.

Now, about the neighborhoods and most especially the "Little Old Lady on the cul-de-sac", that question is near and dear to my heart, and at the very core of my decision to run for commissioner. I could answer it here but it would sound like just so much "campaign hype" and I don't want it to look like that. Please call me during any work day on my cell phone (940-626-9217) and let's talk. Maybe go get a cup of coffee, and let me tell you what I would like to do. I would rather gain one new friend than win 100 votes with a long drawn out answer here.

Sincerely, John Peterson

Reader B.A. from Decatur asked the following question(s):

Question: I have asked one candidate already but while looking at the bio's of all of the candidates for my precinct, I am disappointed that only one mentions the problem we are having with the animal control situation in Wise County. I am sure that through your travels of the roads of Wise County you have witnessed the problem of animal cruelty and people dumping helpless dogs to fend for themselves. How do you think that Wise County got in the condition it is in currently and what will you do if anything to help solve this problem? How far up on your priority list is this problem?

Hi B.A.,

The way we got in this mess with the Animal Shelter is by ignoring a problem for way, too long. It was shameful the condition the old shelter. The Commissioners are now working to have a new shelter built and will probably have construction started before any new commissioners take office. In the mean time my family and I are not waiting for the county. My oldest daughter is taking in every stray cat she can find, and finding new homes for them. Working pretty hard at it but with very good success. And I personally have found permanent homes for over a dozen stray dogs in the last two years alone, and have been at it for several years. If everyone did something, anything, like we are, we would not have as big a problem as we do.

Sincerely, John Peterson