CENTERVILLE — Five people are vying for two open seats on the Appanoose County Board of Supervisors this November.

John Arnold

Incumbent John Arnold believes the county’s main concern should be on the secondary roads department.

“One of the biggest problems we have is the declining funds of secondary roads to maintain our county’s infrastructure. Expenses are continuing to rise dramatically and revenues are not coming in as much. We need to find more money,” he said.

Arnold, a Republican from Centerville, believes raising the state gas tax would help give counties more money in their budgets.

Another area he would like to concentrate on is bringing new industry to the county.

“I would try to work with local businesses and organizations to attract more industry to the area,” he said.

Arnold is a Navy veteran with a degree in business administration and is a business owner.

Lee Hatfield

Candidate Lee Hatfield believes in a fiscally responsible local government.

“It seems to me that all county money should pass through the board of supervisors, so they should know something, but they never seem to,” he insists.

Hatfield, a Republican from Cincinnati, said he sees too much of the county’s budget going for Centerville projects and would like to focus more of the rural dollars on projects related to the county.

Hatfield has a bachelor’s degree in business with emphasis in accounting and a master’s degree in public administration. He has spent 24 of 26 years leading Marines as a sergeant major. In his last three years in the Marine Corps, he was responsible for 1,066 Marines, leading a majority of those soldiers into battle twice.

“I know a lot about welfare of my people, guarding their welfare, safety and well-being,” he said.

Jody McDanel