Unlike the long ballots in West Jefferson and Lansing, there isn’t a lot of competition this year for seats on the Jefferson Board on Aldermen. Voters will select representatives to fill three four-year spots of the board, and there are three candidates: Gwen Ashley, Bluferd Eldreth and Mark Johnston. All three are also currently members of the Board of Aldermen.

Despite the lack of competition, Ashe Mountain Times still asked each candidate several questions regarding the upcoming election so voters can determine whether they’d like to vote for each candidate or write in the name of their favorite cartoon character. Here are their answers.

Why do you want to continue to represent the town on the Town Board of Aldermen?

Ashley: I am interested in representing the town of Jefferson as a member of the Board of Aldermen because I feel that it is an asset to the Board to have a woman's voice.

Eldreth: I’ve been serving for a while and I just want to continue to serve, like I’ve been serving, to the best of my ability.

Johnston: I’ve been an alderman – this will be my second term – and it’s a way of giving back to the community in which I grew up in myself. It was always good to me and I just like giving back to the community.

As an alderman, what do you think you can bring to the town board?

Johnston: Being a lifelong resident; knowing the people to Jefferson; and the ability to work well with the other members of the board.

Eldreth: As alderman: I think I can continue to serve in a good, honest way with integrity.

Ashley: I feel I can be a new voice for the Board.

What do you see as the most important issues facing the town currently, and how do you think these problems should be addressed?

Ashley: Of course, the most important issues facing this board are the continuance of excellent services that we have been able to provide and to keep the tax rate as low as we have been able to do.

Eldreth: I think the big thing for the town is the economic situation, and we need to keep everything intact as much as we can, have a good solid budget, keep taxes as low as possible and give the best service we can.

Johnston: We’re just lucky our town doesn’t seem to have any major problems we’re facing, outside of the fact that jobs would be nice for the community, for Jefferson and Ashe County alike. More jobs are what we need at this point. Offering incentives to companies that would like to relocate here and marketing our people would probably be the best ways.

What do you like about the town as it is right now?

Ashley: I have always been proud of Jefferson and having served in an interim position on the Board, I have been made aware of the excellent town government that the citizens of Jefferson enjoy.

Eldreth: I think the town of Jefferson is an exceptional small town because we keep everything pretty well in order and we have good employees, a good town manager. That makes it work well for me. The aldermen work well together, too.

Johnston: Being a small town, the closeness of the people, the group of people the town has– it’s like a family. It’s a great group of people.

6. What do you think you have accomplished in your previous terms?

Johnston: I’m proud that we’ve doubled our sewer plant capacity. Also the fact that the town of Jefferson – we’ve been reaching out to some of these areas that have been having water problems – either lack of water or their water is not meeting the quality standards for drinking. We’ve laid some water lines and got some people good town water.

Eldreth: I’ve served more than 20 years on the board, and I think we’ve accomplished many good things. The water plant – we built it during my service. We’ve improved water and sewer to the town, and we’ve built sidewalks. We have a little park down by the hospital. We’ve done a lot of things that have kept the town looking good and progressing along.

Ashley: Being an appointee to fill the unexpired term of a member who moved from the Town of Jefferson, I am still in a learning mode. But I can honestly say that I am proud to be associated with our mayor, the other members of the Board of Aldermen and the staff, and to learn just what an exceptionally fine town government that we provide for the citizens of Jefferson.

None of the candidates had a closing statement.