Al Selleck

Editor's Note: This candidate's responses were received before the submission deadline to be included in the Carroll County News' Voters Guide published on Feb. 17, but were not published because of a technical error.

n Why are you seeking this office, and what experience or perspective best prepares you to serve effectively?

“I am a 10-year resident of Holiday Island and I am seeking the position of Carroll County Justice of the Peace for District 1 to provide residents of our district with positive and financially responsible representation on the Carroll County Quorum Court. The Justices of the Peace serve to guide the Carroll County finances, ordinances, staffing, and structures. They have a fiduciary responsibility to Carroll County taxpayers to ensure they receive adequate value for their money.

“With over 40 years experience in retail management operations and budgeting plus eight years as treasurer on the Western Carroll County Ambulance Board, I feel I am the best candidate for the position. The Ambulance Board experience has provided me with knowledge of the Carroll County government, both the people and procedures involved.”

n What do you see as the most important issue facing your district right now, and what specific actions would you take to address it if elected?

“The most important issue facing Carroll County District 1 (and all of Carroll County) at this time is obtaining the best results from the limited funding available. Funding needs to be acquired from sources beyond residents tax dollars or sales tax dollars. Grants must continued to be sought through both state and national programs, both governmental and private, to maintain and improve county structures and roads.” n How do you approach budgeting, taxpayer dollars and long-term financial responsibility at the level of government you are seeking to serve?

“Budgeting taxpayers’ dollars and long-term finances to get the best results is always challenging. All areas of the county financials need to be considered while striving to get the best results either by trimming expenses or improving income. While serving on the Ambulance Board, we changed our regular checking account to a Money Market account, which greatly increased our interest income while keeping our ready reserve funds available. The additional income helped provide ambulance equipment, such as AEDs and Lucas machines, to the five fire departments in the district. Even small adjustments can add up to larger results.”