The County Record

Willie Earl Gay, 79, of Dellwood died Saturday, October 20, 2012, at Jackson Hospital.
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Here are the final two questions in our interview with Calhoun County Sheriff candidates. Watch for more candidate interviews later this week!

4. The role of sheriff requires diverse responsibilities, ranging from operating 911, administering the civil process, running the county jail, plus maintaining law and order throughout the county. What specific experience or expertise do you have that has prepared you for these roles?

PONEY ADAMS: I have 31 years of administrative experience owning and operating my own business.

JIMMY BAGGETT: I have a little over 21 years combined law enforcement experience. I’ve worked in a criminal forensic unit in charge of some of the most violent criminals in the State of Florida. I’m in charge of ingress and degress of the buildings. I’m in charge of court orders. When different agencies throughout the State of Florida bring offenders in, I’m in charge of when they enter or leave that building, whether to another city or town, I have to make note of what they are wearing, what time they leave and return, transport, and all the details that must be entered in a database. I review all court orders and make sure they’re signed by the judges.

For eight and a half years, I’ve been Chief of Police for the Town of Altha. I’ve been in charge of criminal investigations, investigate traffic accidents, I’m E-Agent certified, Automatic Trans Management System certified, DAVIDS System (Driver And Vehicle Information Database) certified, and I’m certified in traffic crash reporting. I’ve also successfully completed several drug classes and been certified in how to properly maintain an evidence room and evidence logs. I maintain a budget for the Altha Police Department and I supervise other officers.

KEN FUTCH: The one thing that separates me from most of the candidates is my overall experience. Having been in law enforcement for nearly 30 years, I’ve had the opportunity to work in almost every aspect a Sheriff’s Office requires. This includes corrections, patrol, administration, investigations and, most recently, jail administrator. I am the one candidate that has a formal education as a graduate from a law enforcement management program at North Carolina State University.

EARL HUNT: I feel like I can work the budget because when I was a county commissioner, the board set all the budget and tried to fund their budget.

GLENN KIMBREL: I’ve got 35 years of experience. I started at the bottom and worked my way to the top and held all positions from the bottom to the top which is investigating crimes, managing patrol officers, and ultimately chief of police where I ran and fully managed a 16-member department which includes budgeting. I also managed the fire department for the city, animal control, code enforcement. I know that when you receive a budget at the beginning of the budget year, that budget has to last 12 months. You have to manage that budget on a weekly basis to make sure you have funds in the 12th month. And I have that experience.

TOMASI MATAUTIA: With my 23 years with the Department of Corrections, being in a supervisory position, I’m able to make decisions anytime an incident occurs, whether it’s minor or major. Being certified in law enforcement since 1992, I have worked under the latest sheriffs, Buddy Smith and David Tatum, as a reserve deputy. I believe the knowledge and experience I have learned from the law enforcement family would give me the ability serve the people of Calhoun County. Any complaint I can listen to and make decisions to better serve their needs and provide protection of the community.

ADAM TERRY: I’ve been at the Calhoun County Sheriff’s Office for 20 years. Although I have not been the administrator of the jail or administering the money, I have fleet maintenance experience, and that has to be within a budget and I always take care of that. I’ve been around this jail being run and I am certified in corrections and law enforcement. I do have a large amount of supervisory experience over the law enforcement division. As far as the administrative part, there are people in this agency that are highly qualified and very good at taking care of the administrative part of this business. I will have to rely on them to help me learn everything I need to know about the administrative part of the Sheriff’s Office.

5. What sets you apart from your opponents?

PONEY ADAMS: Common sense.

JIMMY BAGGETT: I was born and raised here in Calhoun County. My heart is of Calhoun County. I’m running because I don’t just work here in Calhoun County, I live here, also, and I want to make a positive impact on the citizens of Calhoun County and to be recognized as the best Sheriff’s Department that’s ever been in Calhoun County. That’s my goal.

KEN FUTCH: The biggest thing is the willingness to identify the need for change. As your sheriff, I find it necessary to recognize when things fall short of the expectations of the people. The Sheriff’s Office belongs to the community. With my experience and maturity, I will work hard to make this Sheriff’s Office something the people are proud of.

EARL HUNT: All of them can do the job, but I feel like I would be available. I think I can run the Sheriff’s Office and be available as much as anybody.

GLENN KIMBREL: Experience. I have been involved in investigating all types of criminal activities whether it be the theft of a child’s bicycle or a death investigation. I’ve spent many years investigating drug activity. Also, it goes back to experience - 35 years. I started as a volunteer and ended up as chief of police managing a 16-person department. I do realize a police department does not perform all the tasks a county sheriff’s office does. There will be things I have to learn if elected, but I’m familiar with the things I do need to learn and it won’t take me long to learn them, such as seizing of property for banks, levying on property, the sale of property on the courthouse steps. Those are things I have to learn about. But, again, it won’t take me long to learn.

TOMASI MATAUTIA: I’m a family man and a close leader in my family that helps guide and bring my family together. That will help me serve people with the honesty and compassion I have, the respect I have for people in this community. I believe I will be the better candidate to serve in the Sheriff’s Office where people in our community can be served and treated in a way everybody needs to be treated with respect, honesty and integrity. I would also like to bring our Sheriff’s Office to a high level of respect and integrity to the law enforcement community. The staff under my supervision will be able to communicate well and perform their duties in a way the community will be proud of.

ADAM TERRY: I’ve got 20 years experience and I have not been in an office. I have been out in the communities, working the road, answering calls. I’m very aware of what’s going on in our communities. I know the people, the people know me. That will enable me to have the confidence of the people from day one.

Our interview with County County sheriff candidates continues with question number 3.

3. What is something you think is not working at the Sheriff’s Office and what is your plan for improvement?

PONEY ADAMS: What is not working is the same stuff I’ve been going through for the past 23 years: Investigating old homicide cases. My plan is to do that - investigate old homicide cases.

JIMMY BAGGETT: If elected sheriff, I intend to make the sheriff’s department more accessible to the citizens. The sheriff’s department is going to be more accountable to the citizens. Every citizen of Calhoun County is going to be treated with dignity and respect. I intend to have an open door policy. I intend to have a sheriff’s web based site. This website will allow the citizens’ suggestions and concerns to be sent directly to my office. Those suggestions and concerns will be responded to within 48 hours. If a citizen or group of citizens want to speak to me personally, I will be available at all times.

KEN FUTCH: Currently, we have one position budgeted for drug investigations, part of which is paid through grants. Given it’s our number one issue as a community, I find it necessary to increase that number from one to possibly three. Given the current budget situations, rather than ask for new positions, I would simply realign some of my current staff to increase the overall effectiveness of our drug investigations.

EARL HUNT: I feel like we need to listen to concerns of the citizens more than what we’ve done. We need to listen to the citizens more.

GLENN KIMBREL: I think one of the biggest things I will be faced with if elected sheriff of Calhoun County is about providing calls for service on a timely basis. I intend to look through the system and see where most calls are originating from. That’s where I’m going to put my manpower. If we have more than one on duty, obviously I’m going to have them in separate areas of the county. That will improve response time when we do have a call for service.

TOMASI MATAUTIA: Leadership and training are main things I’ve observed that need to be improved so the staff and deputies can perform their duties and for better communication for serving the public.

ADAM TERRY: An area I would like to strengthen is our school resource program. I believe we need to step up the program to do more to prevent these children from getting on dope.