Johnny Westmoreland is seeking another term as a Baldwin County commissioner, but he has to make the same effort as in previous elections for less time in office.
Westmoreland faces two Republican challengers for his District 5 seat on the Board of Commissioners in the May 21 Republican Primary as he goes for a fourth term in office. Should he prevail, however, his next term will expire in two years, as the County Commission requested local legislation establishing staggered terms for Baldwin County, starting with this year’s elections.
Commissioners elected in Districts 1 and 2 this year will serve four-year terms, while those elected in Districts 3, 4, and 5 will expire in 2026, when candidates for those seats will run for four years.
Westmoreland, current chairman of the Commission, said the staggered terms were the right choice to make.
“There was the possibility of all five commissioners being voted out of office simultaneously,” he explained. “By staggering the election, it assures that the county will have at least two knowledgeable commissioners remaining to continue the ongoing business of the county.”
Unlike some candidates, Westmoreland has not been a lifelong resident of the county; he and his wife have been Baldwin County residents for 20 years.
“In 2004, my wife, Janice, and I moved to Baldwin County to live a life of leisure, fishing and enjoying lake living,” he recalled.
In 2012, Westmoreland decided to get involved with the Board of Commissioners.
“In 2012, Bubba Williams, District 5 commissioner at the time, announced he would not be seeking another term,” he said. “This action opened the opportunity for me to seek the vacant position. In 2012, I was elected to the first of my three terms.”
The Westmorelands have been active in the Republican Party at the local, district, state, and even national levels. Janice was an alternate at one Republican National Convention and a delegate to the one that was curtailed by COVID-19.
The commissioner wasted no words in his question-and-answer interview for this article.
For example, Westmoreland was informed that his two opponents advocated term limits for commissioners.
“Term limits: every four years, we go before our constituents for re-election," he said.
Westmoreland would not elaborate on future County Commission plans.
“I am running for a two-year term to get the commission on a staggered election cycle,” he said. “However, at this time, I am not prepared to say if I will or will not seek another term.”
When asked about Baldwin County adopting a more formal planning and zoning process with an advisory board and more specific regulations, the current board chairman was again brief and to the point.
“It’s definitely worth discussing, but the map is sufficient at this time.”
The animal control shelter and department have been criticized in this campaign, and Westmoreland briefly offered two points.
“We have a state-of-the-art shelter that I am very proud of,” he said, but acknowledged, “we do have a staffing issue. It is hard to find individuals that want to work in this field.”
The three-term commissioner was asked what projects or accomplishments he would tout.
“Construction of the new government building,” he began. “This building has given the people of Baldwin County a single location to do all county government-related business under one roof without worrying about parking.
“Repurposing of the “old jail” into a state-of-the-art animal shelter,” he listed next before switching to infrastructure.
“Replacing 18 miles of water lines and the installation of new water meters throughout the county, and resurfacing approximately 35 miles of roads using Local Maintenance Improvement Grants (LMIG) funds,” the commissioner highlighted.
Westmoreland was reminded that other County Commission candidates talked about more transparency and accountability in the local government.
He replied, "The Baldwin County Board of Commissioners has gone above and beyond to keep the public informed.”
Westmoreland stated that meetings are advertised in front of the building, on the website, on Facebook, and in the monthly newsletter.
“In 2018, the county started its own newsletter,” Westmoreland pointed out. “The newsletter highlights the county’s accomplishments in the areas listed above ... We post our project progress on our Facebook page monthly. When we moved to our new facility, we began posting meeting dates in front of the government building,” said Westmoreland. “Besides these measures, staff and commissioners attend several monthly meetings throughout the county like in Oconee Heights and the Coopers area.”
The chairman was asked what he has to offer Baldwin County in the next two years and why should voters choose him over his two opponents.
“As stated earlier, Baldwin County is my home,” he answered. “I am not running for fortune or fame; I am running to represent Baldwin County on local, regional, and state issues to ensure that we continue working toward becoming a safer, stronger, and more vibrant community.”