Scottown teacher to run for commission
Published 12:04 am Sunday, February 14, 2010
Add another name to the list of people seeking a Lawrence County Commission seat this year.
Justin Berry, 28, of Scottown, filed his petition last week to seek the Democratic nomination for the seat held now by fellow Democrat Doug Malone.
Berry is a teacher at Milton Middle School in Milton, W.Va. He said his top concerns are job creation and county finances.
“You look at the budget, different things, I have ideas that might help and do away with wasteful spending,” Berry said.
Berry said it did not seem sensible to him to sell off county assets such as the ambulance stations and then turn around and rent them.
“That’s taxpayers’ money,” he said. “I don’t think that the county was spending tax money in an efficient way.”
Berry said, if elected, he would quit his teaching job and devote his time to being a county commissioner.
“I feel I need to be in Ironton every day of the week. That’s a full-time job,” he said.
Berry said he is willing to look at all aspects of the county budget, even little things like cellular telephone bills, credit cards, to find ways to save money.
He and his wife, Ashley, have two daughters, Lakin, 3, and Emma Grace, who will be 2 in April.
Thus far, Berry and Malone are the only two candidates who have filed a petition to run in the Democratic primary. Fellow Democrat Bob Vaughn has picked up a petition but has not filed it yet.
Republican Paul Herrell has filed a petition to seek his party’s nomination.
Fellow Republican Gene Cox has picked up a petition but has not filed it yet.
The deadline to file to run in this year’s primary in Feb. 18.