Ed. Note: This is the third article in a series spotlighting County Commission candidates. This week, Jay Wright, District 4.
Jay Wright is one of three candidates seeking the District 4 seat on the Baldwin County Board of Commissioners, and like his opponents, he is a rookie politician.
Wright, Carol Ballew, and Andrew Strickland are vying for the seat being vacated by Henry Craig, who opted not to seek re-election this year. All three qualified as Republicans, and the winner will have no Democratic opposition in November.
“I have never held a public office and cannot in any way be considered part of the establishment,” Wright said in a recent interview. However, he adds, “I have, since high school, had an interest in the political arena.”
The owner of Wright Heating, Cooling, and Electrical, Wright is a lifelong Baldwin County resident.
“We have now had a total of seven generations of my family live in Baldwin,” he said, adding he graduated from GMC and enlisted in the U.S. Army. Wright served in the 75th Ranger Regiment and the 82nd Airborne Division before receiving an honorable discharge in 2001.
He took over the family business from his father in 2007 and said it has grown by almost 700 percent since then, and roughly 400 percent since the start of 2020. After he and his wife Amy raised two sons, Wright said he decided about two years ago to get more involved in the community.
“I began going to county commission meetings to watch and learn the process,” he said. “I have read the entire county commissioners handbook and fully understand the duties and responsibilities of a commissioner.”
As to why he wants to be a county commissioner, Wright pointed to his background and different areas of service.
“From running a service business that specializes in customer satisfaction to many different volunteer roles that I have served in over the years, being a servant leader is in my genes,” he said.
“I believe that my business leadership and organizational skills set me far ahead of the competition in this race. I am a very busy but also very devoted citizen of this county, with above-average time management skills.”
Wright emphasized he also has “extensive experience in business finance, which is extremely valuable in government leadership positions.”
Regarding Baldwin County Airport, Wright said he fully supports airport growth, as he considers it essential to promote continued economic growth. Still, he recognizes that with its growth, it remains “essential” to make certain the airport is able to co-exist peacefully within the neighborhood in which it sits.
“I think that we should involve the people of the neighborhood more in the process,” Wright said. “But we also have a limited amount of space to grow (the airport) and must do so wisely.”
Wright is the lone candidate of the three to state unequivocally that a planning and zoning process is needed in Baldwin County, calling a formal planning and zoning committee “a necessity to ensure equitable cohabitation between residents and businesses. I would vote for it.”
The County Commission hopeful also said Baldwin County has an asset at Walter B. Williams Park that should not be overlooked. He said a revitalized ballpark could attract thousands of visitors every weekend for softball, baseball, and pickleball tournaments.
“Those visitors bring sales tax dollars with them,” Wright said. “The park is also an investment in our own youth, as it is a proven fact that kids who are actively involved in sports are much more likely to become responsible and successful citizens.”
Recognizing the county has a system in place for the use of TSPLOST proceeds in resurfacing roads, Wright explained he wants to also ensure that money is spent on resurfacing roads from a previously published list. He recognizes there may some heavily traveled roads addressed first, but then the county needs to “start with the worst roads and work our way down the list,” singling out Log Cabin Road as particularly needing immediate attention.
Wright recognized most of the county’s water and sewer issues are those within the City of Milledgeville, but added he wants to continue seeking funds for improvements to and expansion of the county system.
He also offered an idea not discussed openly in the recent past.
“I would also like to explore the possibility of forming a water and sewer authority that is a joint venture between the county and the city so that we can ensure that everyone receives quality services,” Wright said.
He also suggested the county should consider using a different garbage collection company and county-wide signage to discourage littering, along with an education campaign against litter.
Wright acknowledged he has outlined projects and goals that cost money and said there are ways to deal with that.
“I have listed out a lot of goals for us to work toward,” he affirmed. “I would never advocate for raising taxes, and many of these items can be accomplished by aggressively pursuing state and federal grant opportunities.
“Baldwin County’s property tax rate is lower than 70% of the rest of the state, and I would like to see it stay that way,” the candidate added. “We must work to make our county operations as efficient as possible to reduce overhead expenses and also be fully transparent in our spending.
“In the event that we had to raise taxes, I would personally make sure that our citizens are seeing the results of that increase.”