Frequently Asked Questions

I’m running because I believe McCracken County is at an important point in its future, and I believe my experience in business and as Mayor has prepared me to serve the entire county.

As Mayor, I’ve seen what can happen when people work together, do their homework and stay focused on getting results. We’ve accomplished a great deal in Paducah through partnerships with the County, business community and other organizations. But there is more that can be done.

I’m proud of the work we’ve done in Paducah. Now I want to put that experience to work for everyone who calls McCracken County home.

I became an Independent because I believe the people of McCracken County should choose their next Judge Executive in the November General Election—not have that decision effectively made in a party primary.

My approach to leadership has never been about party labels. It’s about listening to people, bringing different viewpoints to the table and making decisions based on what is best for our community.

I call it people before politics. That’s the kind of leadership I want to bring to McCracken County.

I’ll start by listening.

Before developing major plans, I want to hear from the people who will be affected by them and the people who understand the issues firsthand. That includes citizens, community leaders, businesses, educators, first responders, healthcare providers and others and most importantly, my fellow County Commissioners, who represent three important but different constituencies.

Then we do the homework. We look at the facts, learn from other communities when appropriate and bring the right people together to develop a plan.

I don’t believe leadership means walking into the room with all the answers. It means knowing how to bring people together to find them.

That’s the approach I’ve used throughout my career, and it’s the approach I would bring to McCracken County.

Collaborative.

I don’t believe the best ideas always come from the person sitting at the head of the table. Good leadership means bringing the right people into the room, asking questions, listening to different viewpoints and giving people an opportunity to be heard before major decisions are made. Then, and only then should decisions be made.

Transparency is part of that. Citizens should know what their government is doing and have an opportunity to speak to the people they elected—even when what they have to say may be uncomfortable.

My job as Judge Executive would not be to have every answer. My job would be to bring people together to find the best answers for McCracken County.

By involving them and listening to them.

The Judge Executive has an important leadership role, but the Fiscal Court is a team. County Commissioners are elected by the people, too, and they should be involved in developing major initiatives, not simply asked to support a plan after it has already been developed.

My approach would be to bring commissioners into the conversation early, share information, ask questions, debate ideas and work toward solutions together.

We won’t always agree. Healthy disagreement can lead to better decisions when people are willing to listen to one another.

I don’t want to announce a plan. I want to build one.

I’ve always believed the City and County can accomplish more when we work together.

As Mayor, I’ve seen that firsthand. The City and County have partnered on major projects such as the outdoor sports complex and our new 911 system—projects that benefit people throughout our community.

As Judge Executive, I would continue looking for opportunities where collaboration makes sense. That could mean infrastructure, public safety, economic development, parks and recreation, or finding ways to share resources and avoid unnecessary duplication.

Collaboration doesn’t mean the City and County have to agree on everything, and it certainly doesn’t mean merger. It means sitting down together, identifying common goals and asking a simple question: What can we accomplish together that will better serve the people of McCracken County?

I’ve spent the past several years working from the City side of that table. As Judge Executive, I would bring that experience to the County side and work to strengthen that partnership.

We shouldn’t wait until challenges are on our doorstep to start planning for them.

My approach begins by listening—to citizens, businesses, educators, healthcare providers, first responders, developers, utilities and others who understand the issues firsthand. Then we need to look at housing, roads, sewer and utilities, public safety, schools, healthcare and other services together rather than as separate issues.

And we shouldn’t assume we have all the answers. Communities such as Bowling Green and Owensboro have experienced significant change and expansion. We should be willing to learn from what other communities have done well—and what they might do differently.

Listen. Learn. Do the homework. Then build the plan together. We have time. Let’s do it right the first time.

Every major decision should begin with a simple question: Is this a responsible use of the taxpayers’ money?

My business background taught me the importance of planning ahead, understanding the numbers and measuring results. Government should operate with that same sense of accountability.

As we consider infrastructure, public safety, services and other investments, I believe we need to distinguish between what we need, what we want and what will provide real longterm value to the people paying the bill.

Preparing for the future doesn’t mean writing a blank check. We can plan ahead and still protect taxpayers.

No. I have been very clear on this. I do not support City-County merger.

I traveled to Lexington-Fayette County to learn firsthand how a merged government operates because I believe leaders should do their homework before forming conclusions on important issues.

I did not go to Lexington to explore bringing merger to McCracken County. I went to better understand the realities of a government structure that has been discussed in our community for many years.

What I strongly support is collaboration. The City and County can remain separate governments while working together when it makes sense for taxpayers and the community.

No to merger. Yes to working together.

Yes.

One of my commitments when I ran for Mayor was greater transparency and giving citizens more opportunity to be heard. In 2023, the Paducah City Commission expanded public comment at our meetings.

I’ll be the first to admit that sometimes public comments can make elected officials uncomfortable. But that’s part of public service. The people who elect us should have an opportunity to tell us what they think.

If elected Judge Executive, I will work with the County Commissioners to restore an appropriate opportunity for public comment at Fiscal Court meetings, with reasonable rules to keep meetings orderly and productive. The Fiscal Court may be considering this currently and although this is long overdue, I applaud that change if they choose to do it.

I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished in Paducah, but very little of it was accomplished by one person.

We’ve made progress on Southside redevelopment, removed long-standing blighted properties, supported the new Barkley Regional Airport terminal, encouraged downtown investment through the establishment of Main Street as an independent organization, and worked with McCracken County on major projects including the outdoor sports complex and our community’s new 911 system.

What those projects have in common is partnership.

My experience as Mayor has reinforced something I learned during more than 40 years in business: leadership isn’t about taking all the credit. It’s about bringing smart people together, establishing a direction and getting things done.

That is the experience I would bring to the Judge Executive’s office.