White County Commission Q4 Candidate Responses

The Main Street Journal – Sparta has been listening to the community. Over the past several weeks, readers have submitted questions they want answered ahead of the 2026 election—and we’ve taken those directly to your County Commission candidates.

Here is your fourth question, and answers from those candidates who chose to respond.

What are the top 3 most important issues/problems that you feel are necessary for the County to solve?

BRYAN COLE: First, taxes. We must be fiscally responsible and ensure taxpayer dollars are being used efficiently. I will work to relieve the burden on county taxpayers by cutting waste, prioritizing essential services, and making smart financial decisions that prevent unnecessary increases. Our goal should be to provide quality services while keeping taxes as low and fair as possible.

Second, jobs. We need to support economic development that brings quality job opportunities to our county. That means working with local businesses, encouraging new investment, and creating an environment where companies want to locate and expand here.

Third, our dog shelter. This is both a public safety and community responsibility issue. We need to ensure our shelter is properly funded, well-managed, and equipped to handle the needs of animals in our county while also promoting adoption and responsible pet ownership.

Focusing on these three areas – tax relief, job growth, and improving our animal shelter – will help strengthen our county for everyone.

ANDY DAVIS: First is managing growth the right way. Folks are finding out what we’ve always known-that White County is an amazing place to live. We’re seeing more folks move in, which can be a good thing, but it puts pressure on our roads, schools, water, and emergency services. It also drives up the price of land. We’ve got to plan ahead so we don’t lose what makes this county special while we grow.

Second is supporting our local economy, especially agriculture and small business. Farming is still a backbone of this county, and we need to protect that. At the same time, we need to help small businesses grow and bring in good jobs that let our kids stay here and make a living without having to leave for Nashville or Knoxville.

Third is trust and communication. A lot of folks feel like decisions get made without them knowing about it. That’s got to change. People here expect honesty and straight answers. As Commissioner I’ll make sure folks know what’s going on and feel like they’ve got a say in it.

If we stay focused on growth, jobs, and trust, we’ll keep White County a place we’re proud to call home, not just today but for the next generation.

ERICK DILDINE: That’s a big question, but to me it comes down to three main areas: responsible growth, financial accountability, and taking care of our core services.

First is responsible growth. White County is growing, and that can be a good thing—but only if we manage it the right way. We need to make sure we’re protecting what makes this place special while also planning for the future. That means being smart about development, infrastructure, and land use so we’re not trading long-term quality of life for short-term gain.

Second is financial accountability. Every dollar the county spends comes from the people, and families are already feeling the pressure of rising costs. We’ve got to do a better job of managing what we have—cutting waste, asking hard questions, and making sure we’re getting the best value for our money. I believe we should always look at every option before ever considering putting more burden on taxpayers.

Third is strengthening and supporting our essential services. Things like emergency services, fire departments, road maintenance, and even areas like animal control all directly impact daily life in our county. These services need to be reliable, properly supported, and run efficiently so people can depend on them when it matters most.

At the end of the day, these issues all tie together. If we grow the right way, manage our money responsibly, and take care of the services people rely on, we can keep White County a place where families want to live and raise their kids. That’s the focus I’ll bring as a commissioner.

DERRICK HUTCHINGS: #1 Investing in our fire services. We haven’t purchased new equipment (trucks) in over 20 years and many of our volunteers are using equipment that is on the verge of being outdated.

#2 Parks & Recreation. We need to expand the County Complex as it was originally intended when purchased. Build a soccer field, pickleball courts and other amenities the community can use and be proud of. The youth of our community are our future; this is an investment in them, as well as a place where adults can play sports. We need to be holding tournaments to bring in sales tax dollars from outside the county.

#3 Water and road infrastructure. Our community has grown drastically over the last couple of years. We are starting to see the need to upgrade water lines to handle the demand, along with more vehicles on the road, which will shorten the current road life.

JAVIER ORTIZ: 1. Infrastructure and roads – Safe, well-maintained roads are essential

2. Responsible growth – Managing growth without losing our small-town values

3. Community support and economic opportunity – Supporting families, small businesses, and local organizations

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