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Tandy Dunn

Hood Richardson

Jerry Langley

John Rebholz

Johnny Rodman

Randy Walker

Tandy Dunn 

Residence: Washington 

Highest level of education: Masters of Science 

Occupation: Director of Health, Safety & Environmental Affairs

Political affiliation: Republican 

Personal statement: 

As I have moved across our great county one of the things I keep hearing  is that our county taxes need to be reduced.  Many of our older citizens just don’t have the money to pay their annual property tax bill and it would be a great benefit if something could be done to lower it.

So just how should we go about dropping the tax rate?  First and foremost, the county should stop spending our tax dollars on things we just do not need.  The current push is for the county to get into affordable housing.  I oppose using your tax dollars to build somebody else a house. That is not the county’s responsibility and we should stay out of it completely. By the way, an affordable home is around $220.000.  Can you afford that? Imagine your tax dollars buying a $220,000 home for someone else.

A new jail is another thing that keeps being brought up.  The current jail passes State inspection every year.  There is part of the basement in the courthouse that is being used for storage.  Plans originally called for this to be renovated to provide more space for such things as a nurse’s office and medical segregation.  That was an acceptable project that would have cost less than two million and could have been funded out of COVID money. 

The County has to keep a certain amount of money in a reserve fund to pay for any emergencies or to ensure it has money to pay bills.  It is projected that there will be almost SEVEN MILLION dollars in EXCESS this year.  But if we allow this money to be wasted on unnecessary projects it will be gone. Which would you rather have, a nice new un-needed jail expansion, a home for someone else, or a tax break?

We need to get back to the basics, stop wasteful spending and conduct the business of the county in public. If elected I will do that. Remember, you can only vote for one person in the commissioner race. I would appreciate your vote and support.

Hood Richardson 

Residence: Washington 

Highest level of education: Bachelor of Science 

Occupation: Engineer, Surveyor 

Political affiliation: Republican 

Personal statement:

To use my experience and training in our capitalist form of government.  Many candidates for all offices cannot distinguish between Capitalism, Socialism and Communism. To keep government and government services  limited to those intended by our founding fathers. To make government, elected officials decisions and employees decisions as open to the public as possible. To guard against appointed and hired government officials exceeding their authority.  To ensure that government officials actually do their job.

Jerry Langley 

Residence: Washington 

Highest level of education: PhD in Biblical Studies 

Occupation: Retired/Pastor 

Political affiliation: Democrat 

Personal statement:

I have served twenty-four years in this office. I would like to continue to serve as we rebuild our infrastructure and do the things necessary to enhance Beaufort County. I have spent my time as a commissioner as well as my work history serving the community. It is important to have good schools and a strong community college. I believe in the employees of the county and the work they do. I always strive to keep them happy as the county is only as good as its employees. I like to think of being the voice of reason on the board of commissioners as well as one who looks beyond making money to address the least of them. It is my desire to strive to ensure that everyone who wants a job can find one as well as making a living wage. I feel it is important to invest in education, security for the citizens, health care for all those who are in need and to make Beaufort County attractive to others so that we will return to growing our county to then reinvest in our county. In closing I will say that being a commissioner is about serving the people not the people serving the commissioners.

John Rebholz 

Residence: Chocowinity

Highest level of education: Bachelors 

Occupation: Retired Regional Manager for Automobile Company and Retired Small Business Consultant

Political affiliation: Republican 

Personal statement:

I am seeking re-election because I believe in making Beaufort County an even better place to work, play, and—most importantly—live. Since 2010, we’ve seen a population decline of over 6%, and as the saying goes, “You’re either moving forward, or you’re falling behind. There is no standing still.” I am fighting to keep us moving forward.

There are several important initiatives we’ve made good progress on, but they need to be seen through to completion:

• Workforce Development: Our local industries—particularly in the skilled trades—need a well-trained workforce. We’re building those connections, but we must continue developing programs that prepare workers for careers as welders, electricians, and  other critical roles.

• Affordable Housing: The backbone of our community—teachers, police officers, emergency responders, and skilled tradespeople—need housing that meets their  income. We must focus on creating more affordable housing options for young professionals and essential workers alike.

• High-Speed Internet Access: Expanding high-speed internet throughout Beaufort County is critical for our future. With more people working from home, reliable internet is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. This is also key to improving education and telemedicine services, which depend on fast, reliable connections.

• Supporting First Responders: I will continue to stand by our first responders—the police, emergency personnel, and firefighters—ensuring they have the support and resources needed to do their jobs effectively, without any efforts to undermine their critical work.

I believe my record demonstrates that I am a problem solver. As a fiscally conservative leader, I work hard to make sure your tax dollars are spent wisely. Despite the challenges of 22% inflation over the past four years, we managed to cut property taxes by 1.5% by expanding our tax base. This progress needs to continue.

Beaufort County is a gem, and with the right leadership, we can help it truly shine. I ask for your vote to continue moving forward and making Beaufort County Strong.

Johnny Rodman 

Residence: Washington 

Highest level of education: Graduated from East Carolina University with a B.S. in Urban & Regional Planning, Attended UNC School of Government

Occupation: Retired – with 30 years of experience in Community Development from Beaufort County & the City of Washington

Political affiliation: Democrat 

Personal statement:

I am seeking election to the Beaufort County Board of Commissioners because I love Beaufort County and its residents and have the experience and the skills to serve on their behalf. I grew up in Washington, attended public schools, and my wife, Janet, and I have raised two wonderful sons here. Janet and I have both spent our careers in service to people in the community – me, as an urban planner and my wife, as a public school teacher. We know that Beaufort County is a delightful place to live but there is much we can do to improve the lives and opportunities for those of us who live here. Our county leaders have important decisions ahead of us regarding our public schools, our county jail, economic development and environmental protection. Our current Commissioners, rather than lobbing personal attacks against each other, need to work together to address these issues. Thanks to my time and knowledge in local government I know how important cooperation is rather than infighting to make political points. I know how government should work in order to be both effective and fiscally responsible in making decisions about the issues before us and I am willing to work in cooperation with other leaders in service to our community.  The people of Beaufort County should elect me because of my proven leadership and knowledge of and love for Beaufort County.

Randy Walker 

Residence: Washington 

Highest level of education: Graduated from ECU School of Business 

Occupation: Self-Employed 

Political affiliation: Republican 

Personal statement:

Even though I am at the end of my first four year term, I have 20 some years of experience of attending Commissioner meetings.  I used to videotape the commissioner meetings. It would be a shame not to use that knowledge of the past to advance Beaufort County for the future.

During my tenure as Commissioner, I supported fiber cable for internet, Beaufort Promise for tuition at BCCC, the expansion of trash facilities on the north and south side of the river, the addition of SROs from the Sheriff’s Department, the merger of Eastern Elementary and John Cotton Tayloe schools and as always to support police, fire, EMS and dispatchers here in Beaufort County.

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