Note: This is the third of four pieces that will be published up until the November 2014 election, and will discuss some of the concerns and goals James Curtis Turner has for his district in Limestone County. He has made a point over the years of making himself familiar with what goes on in the county and how to make it run smoothly. He is a faithful attendee of County and Athens City Council meetings, asks lots of questions, is familiar with the budget, and is an excellent listener. He brings to the election season decades of experience dealing with critical functions in a nuclear plant, being responsible literally for the safety of the lives of millions.
District 3 in Limestone County is one of the most diverse, and, it is the most vulnerable to the seemingly relentless westward expansion of Madison and Huntsville. “We need to get people with a vision to keep us from becoming Madison,” he said. I asked, “How would you do that?” He responded, “The first thing to do to protect Athens Limestone County from Huntsville is to build a school, one that has curb appeal,” he said. He then added, “You have to be more attractive than the other side.” As we talked further, I understood that his strategy was effectively two pronged: upgrade by building because it is genuinely needed in order to accommodate forecasted population growth, and upgrade because it can function as a defensive measure. If everything is in your own back yard, the citizens in District 3 who live on County Line Road have no need to look in an easterly direction to get the best for their kids. He finished our conversation by saying (in reference to keeping Limestone County intact), “Talk is cheap, and time is running out.”
If James Curtis Turner sounds like someone you would like to have as part of the Limestone County Commission, then he would appreciate your vote in November.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
