By Jon Watje
Staff Writer
Seven candidates filed for District 3 Canadian County Commissioner this week, five Republicans and two Democrats. The filing period for the special election was held from Monday, Jan. 25 to Wednesday, Jan. 27.
The Republicans in the race include El Reno’s Audre Knott, 40, of El Reno who filed at 8 a.m. Monday; El Reno’s Joshua Moore, 34, who filed at 8:10 a.m. Monday; Yukon’s Jack Stewart, 59, who filed at 12:33 p.m. Monday; El Reno’s Ray Melvin, 66, who filed at 10:49 a.m. Tuesday and Calumet’s Daniel Pugh, 58, who filed at 11:09 a.m. Wednesday.
The two Democrats who filed are Calumet’s John Morris, 47, who filed at 11:45 a.m. Monday and El Reno’s C.A. Wilkinson, 68, who filed at 1:06 p.m. Wednesday.
The office has been vacant since November 2009 after the death of Grant Hedrick Jr., who died in a car accident near Geary.
The primary election will be held Tuesday, March 2 and the general election will be held Tuesday, April 6.
Audre Knott
Knott has been employed with Canadian County for the past nine years. She currently serves as the 2nd deputy to the county commissioners, a position to which she promoted after serving for many years as the county's purchasing agent. Knott also currently serves as the recording secretary for the Canadian County Public Facilities Authority and the Canadian County Home Finance Authority.
The reality of the county jail's condition is a pressing issue Knott is prepared to meet head on in order to preserve the safety of county residents. She supports prospect of building a new county jail to be funded by sales tax.
“I feel strongly that a sales tax proposition is the only way to go,” Knott said. “Trying to get a sales tax increase approved will be challenging, but it makes more sense to me than increasing the ad valorem tax, which the federal government will automatically do if we do not find a solution and they are required to take over. I don't believe that homeowners and landowners should be taxed twice. With the rapid growth this county is experiencing, I'm confident we can support this with sales tax.”
Joshua Moore
Moore has worked for both District 3 and the Canadian County Sheriff’s Office. He worked for District 3 for four years and in the Sheriff’s Office four about 10 years as a deputy sheriff. He also served as a volunteer firefighter in Calumet.
Jack Stewart
Stewart graduated in Civil Engineering from Oklahoma State University and worked for the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) for 31 years.
“I decided to run because this job is just me, that’s the best way I can explain it,” Stewart said. “I am not a politician but from what the job entails, I know it is something I could do with my experience.”
Stewart moved to Canadian County in 1967 and lived in El Reno before moving to Yukon. He has experience working on construction projects in all three counties, including two projects for previous District 3 Canadian County Commissioner Grant Hedrick Jr.
“I was a maintenance administrator for several years and I had several other positions at ODOT,” he said. “Not only did I work with roads, but I was in charge of workers, equipment and budgets. The only difference I see with that is that was a civil service where this would be an elected office. That’s the only difference I can see.”
Ray Melvin
Melvin, of El Reno, said he wanted to join the race to have the opportunity to help his community.
“I wanted to do the county some good and I think I have the experience to do that,” Melvin said.
Melvin is retired from Caterpillar and worked with heavy equipment for 30 years. He also worked in the oilfield and overseas.
“Since I am retired, this is something I would make a full time job,” he said.
Daniel Pugh
Pugh, of Calumet, is semi-retired and works as a paint contractor.
“One of my main concerns are the roads, especially in the rural areas of the county,” Pugh said. “I saw this as an opportunity to address some of those issues.”
Pugh also addressed the current jail issue in the county.
“I think we should look into a modular pod construction technique,” he said. “It would cost considerably less, meet Federal guidelines and would be secure and economical.”
John Morris
Morris, of Calumet, has worked for District 3 for 27 years as a grader operator.
“Grant Hedrick was a great guy and I enjoyed working for him,” Morris said. “I saw this as an opportunity to serve the people of Canadian County.”
Morris is serving his third term on the Calumet Town Council.
C.A. Wilkinson
Wilkinson, of El Reno, spent much of his life as an Army officer, farmer, rancher and oil and financial consultant and his now semi retired. Wilkinson said he wants to work on improving the roads in Canadian County and also widen thoroughfares for farmers´ vehicles and also build a perimeter industrial road from U.S. 270 to the new gas plant being built about one mile east of the intersection of that highway and Highway 66.