By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
A former business executive and a retired dentist face off on the Republican primary ballot Tuesday for Buchanan County Presiding Commissioner.
Retired Xerox executive Al Purcell of St. Joseph says he entered the race, because he believes he can make a difference.
“I’m not saying that from an ego aspect,” Purcell tells host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “Based upon my background, my experience, operating as a citizen within our community and at the state level, I’m convinced with the experience and the connections that I’ve made over these years that I can clearly make a difference and help our community.”
Purcell says it will take creativity and innovation for the county to turn around its population decline.
“Think bold and be able to put people to the table and then reach out and talk about this as a destination and how do we build this particular asset here?”
Purcell faces Scott Nelson on the primary ballot after recently retiring as a St. Joseph dentist.
Nelson claims public safety as his number one priority, stating he has always respected law enforcement.
“Officers are passionate about their job,” Nelson tells Birr during his time on the KFEQ Hotline. “But their main goal; two: to keep us safe and to get back home after their shift. So, I want to get them every possible tool that they need to keep them safe so they can keep us safe.”
Nelson says he learned to serve people in his profession and learned to spend carefully running his office.
“Tax payers and their money, how it’s being spent, it needs to be looked at real carefully,” Nelson says.
The winner of the Republican primary will face Democrat Andrew Gibson in November.