3 challengers to face incumbent Madison Board of Commissioners chair, vice chair in '24

MARSHALL - After the filing period for the November 2024 county elections closed Dec. 15, the current Madison County Board of Commissioners chair and vice chair will be challenged by two newcomers.

Chair Matt Wechtel and Vice Chair Michael Garrison, both Republicans, have filed for candidacy, along with Tony Ponder, a Republican, and Judy Major and Barbara Zimmerman, both Democrats.

The five candidates will vie for two commissioner seats.

Garrison is the former chief of the Mars Hill Police Department.

In the 2020 election, both Garrison and Wechtel finished more than 1,300 votes ahead of their nearest Democratic challenger.

In that election, Garrison topped the vote in the four-way race for two commissioner seats.

Wechtel is the longest tenured commissioner on the current board, serving since 2015, and has served as chair since December 2022.

In an email to The News-Record & Sentinel, Wechtel, a Weaverville resident, said "it has been an honor to serve the taxpayers of Madison County for the past 8+ years."

"I have decided to file to run for another term as County Commissioner in order to finish what we've started," Wechtel said in the email. "We have made a tremendous amount of progress over the past year."

Wechtel highlighted a number of key areas he hopes to continue to build on, including the Marshall-Mars Hill Highway 213 water and sewer project, which Wechtel listed as a top goal for his tenure as chair in a News-Record article in January 2023.

Wechtel also pointed to the county 911 radio system overhaul, which is set to enter Phase 2 soon, in which it will choose between Motorola and Zetron for its simulcast VHF system overhaul.

"We are nearing completion of significant repairs to the Historic Madison County Courthouse and are in the beginning stages of designing a new County Courthouse (and more importantly, determining how it will be financed)," Wechtel said. "We will soon begin significant improvements at the Ag Extension Office and the County Fairgrounds (including covering the arena). Funding has been secured to build a beautiful Veterans Park. We have worked with the school system to make substantial improvements and we are currently working to make many more significant improvements countywide."

Wechtel said the county is also working on a number of economic development projects, and will begin working soon on a plan to expand the parks and recreation program.

"I am hopeful that the voters of Madison County will share our vision and give us the opportunity to see these projects through to conclusion," Wechtel said.

In a biographical background statement sent to The News-Record & Sentinel, Zimmerman said she was born and raised in Laurel and currently lives in Revere.

Zimmerman is a former teacher and spent nine years teaching in Madison County Schools, including conducting the Madison High chorus. Zimmerman served as the first president of the Madison County Arts Council.

She currently has served as board treasurer with the Laurel Community Center since 2018.

In her statement to The News Record, Zimmerman said a main reason she filed for candidacy is she hopes to provide more representation.

"I am running for commissioner because I think we need more balance in county government," Zimmerman said. "I am concerned that all five commissioners are currently from Mars Hill leaving the rest of the county under represented. Also, I think that women’s voices need to be heard and women’s concerns included in county decision making, not only on the Board of Commissioners but also on all the appointed government boards and committees. In my view, commissioners are primarily elected to work for the common good of all the people in providing better living conditions for the citizenry."

Karen Chandler Vilcinskas was the last woman to serve on the board. Vilcinskas served on the board from 2010 to 2014.

Zimmerman, who serves as director of The Great Madison County Litter Sweep, said she is a strong advocate for the environment.

"I will support efforts to protect our tremendous natural resources such as our pristine watersheds, forests and uncluttered ridgelines that make us the Jewel of the Blue Ridge," Zimmerman said.

"Examples of commissioners working for the common good include promoting clean non-polluting industry with jobs that pay a living wage, supporting public institutions such as schools, libraries and health departments, improving infrastructure at all levels, and problem-solving around issues as they arise such as lack of affordable housing and the ongoing opioid addiction crisis."

Major, 75, is a Mars Hill resident.

According to a background statement emailed to The News-Record & Sentinel, Major worked for 20 years at Mission Hospital and currently serves on the Hot Springs Health Program board.

Major also has a background in education, as she taught high school French for two years and later served as a substitute teacher with Buncombe County Schools.

Major was also thesubstance abuse educator and coordinator of Buncombe County's DWI Education and Treatment Program, according to her statement.

"For the past 45 years I have gained much satisfaction in serving the people of Western North Carolina in some capacity," Major said in a statement to The News-Record & Sentinel. "The first five of those years was focused exclusively on Madison County. I still have much to give and have decided that it's now time to put my energy back into my home county and add a woman's voice to our local Board of Commissioners."

Ponder is a retired realtor from Mars Hill who is an active member Madison County Genealogical Society.

Ponder ran for the Madison County Board of Education in 2022 but was not elected.

In The News-Record & Sentinel's candidate profile/questionnaire in April 2022, Ponder said his top priorities if elected to the school board were to institute a board policy that a child belongs to the parent and not the government, let parents have input on curriculum and school policy and ensure no controversial action is taken on behalf of any child without parental/guardian’s written permission.

More: School board candidates on issues Madison County School board candidates discuss their views ahead of May 17 primary

School board candidates

Four candidates will vie for two seats on the Madison County Board of Education. District 01 and District 02 will each have one seat open, with a Democrat and Republican squaring off in both contests.

In District 01, Kevin Barnette, a Mars Hill Democrat, the lone incumbent school board member, will square off against Tyler Coates, a Republican who lives in Marshall.

Barnette has served as a Mars Hill University football coach for more than 30 years. He lives in Mars Hill with his wife, Recy, and the couple have three children.

Barnette, 60, is a pastor at Mount Olive Baptist Church and has served on the school board since 2020, when he became the first Black resident elected to a public office in Madison County.

"It is an honor to run for a school board position in Madison County again!" Barnette said in a message to The News-Record & Sentinel.

Coates, 35, is a native of the Grapevine community. He has worked 13 years with Duke Energy.

Coates and his wife, Lynsey, have two children.

In a statement to The News-Record, Coates listed three reasons why he is running to serve on the local school board.

"The three reasons I am running for board of education are: the next generation of parents that have kids in our public school systems need to be part of the decisions that are being made to influence and mold our kids for the future," Coates said.

Coates also listed increased representation from residents with varied backgrounds as another reason he is running for school board. "There needs to be members on the board of education that aren't just retired school administrators. A contrast and variety of career backgrounds on the board will bring different ideas and opinions from a new perspective and viewpoint, not only in the classroom but athletics and the daily operations of the school systems.

"I simply want to make Madison County Schools great! Born and raised in the county, I want to give back to the community and I feel my Conservative Christian beliefs will translate to be the necessary gatekeeper that this county needs for our children," Coates said.

Coates pointed to a Bible passage Psalm 127, which reads, "Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord."

Republican John Bratz and Democrat Tina Harris will vie for one seat in District 02.

In a statement to The News-Record & Sentinel, Bratz said he is running for school board because "he believes that our children are this world’s greatest and most precious gifts."

"Keeping a safe, fun and healthy learning environment is essential in preserving and improving the quality of our public school system for current and future students," Bratz said.

Bratz lives in Marshall with his wife, Tanya, and two children, ages 7 and 9.

"Having two kids currently in the Madison County School system, I have a personal interest in and commitment to improving the quality and environment of our schools," Bratz said. "I believe that a collection of individuals with a variety of backgrounds, cultures and experiences is what makes a great team. Our schools should resonate with the students of our community, and the school board should reflect the demographics of this community.

"With our children as my ultimate focus, I believe I can use my unique business and life experience to work with students, parents, teachers, district staff and local legislature to accomplish the school board’s goals and help create stronger ties between the school board and the students and the parents of this community, as well as county and community organizations."

Bratz added that he's excited for the opportunity to learn more from local parents.

"I look forward to meeting and talking with students, parents and other community members to learn about their personal experiences and concerns with Madison County Schools so that I can use this opportunity to advocate for others, be a liaison between them and the schools, and advocate for long-term change and success," he said.

Johnny Casey has covered Madison County for The Citizen Times and The News-Record & Sentinel for nearly three years, including earning a first-place award in beat reporting in the 2023 North Carolina Press Association awards. He can be reached at 828-210-6071 or jcasey@citizentimes.com.

This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: 3 challengers to face incumbent Madison commission chair, vice chair