Four candidates seek District 1 seat

Editor’s Note: Getting to know your candidate will be a regular feature informing you about our local candidates leading to the March primary.

This week’s featured candidates are seeking the local office of county commissioner in District 1, an office that is currently held by Stratt Byars who will vacate the position in order to run for probate judge.
William Bishop, Chris Fretwell and Billy Wilson will face off in the democratic primary election on March 13. The winner of that race will face republican candidate Chris Wallace in the general election in November.
William Bishop is no stranger to his community even though this is his first venture into politics. He was born and raised in Franklin County and lived in the area his entire life except for the period of time when he was in the military.
“I love the people of Franklin County and how they work together to make the county a better place to live,” he said.
He said he decided to run for the office of county commissioner because he wants to serve his friends and neighbors and work to make Franklin County a better place.
“My main goal is to bring industry to Franklin County in order to generate jobs, which will generate more revenue,” Bishop said. “We need this revenue so we can fix the roads in the county.”
Bishop is a retired computer technician for AAMCO but he said his experience running his own business as a contractor and homebuilder would prove beneficial if he was elected.
“I have experience working with people and keeping my business afloat,” he said. “This kind of experience is needed as a county commissioner because we’re in charge setting the budgets and making sure we keep the county organized and that we use what money we have to keep the county going.”
Bishop also said his status as a retiree would ensure that he would always be available to attend to the county’s needs.
“Since I’m retired, I’ll be available 24/7 if someone needs my service,” he said. “I can travel county-wide to get problems fixed and I can work with the road crews or whoever I need to work with to make improvements where they need to be made.”
Bishop is married to Barbara Turner Bishop. They have one son, William E. Bishop, Jr., who is the technology director at the Haleyville Center of Technology and is married to Leah Hardin Bishop who is a special education teacher at Lynn Elementary School. Bishop has two granddaughters, Aleah, 12, and Allie, 6. He also has two sisters, Mary Mills and Doris Bishop.
He has spent most of his time for the past nine months helping the Mennonite Disaster Relief teams rebuild houses in Phil Campbell and East Franklin and he has served as co-chairman of the Franklin County Alabama Tornado Disaster Relief Fund Committee that has distributed over $120,000 to tornado victims in Franklin County. Because of his service in the rebuilding efforts, Bishop was given the county’s Humanitarian Award for 2011.
“I just want to do the right thing and always be honest and if I’m elected, that’s what the people of Franklin County will always get from me,” Bishop said. “I will appreciate their vote and support on March 13.”
Chris Fretwell is also a Franklin County native who has lived in the area all his life.
“I love this area and I am proud to call it my home,” he said.
“I decided to run because I want to see my foster children live and go to school in an area where they will have the best opportunities and a place they can be proud of as well.”
He said he is taking his first step into politics in order to see Franklin County grow and also because he can relate to the people in the county.
“This is my first step into the world of elected officials but I see that as an asset,” he said. “I can relate to the workers who just want to see the fruits of their labors. I can relate to those who have given to their jobs most of their lives and who are now retired because I see that situation with my parents. We all just want to see our tax dollars used efficiently and wisely.”
Fretwell said he understood the importance of the capacity he would serve in if elected as a commissioner and would take his position seriously.
“Being a county commissioner is important because they are responsible for making the county a success or failure and they are responsible for ensuring that this county positively progresses into the future,” he said. “They must make strides to make this county into a county where businesses and families want to come, which in turn will help to boost the economy. This achievement, of course, gives the county the much needed revenue to complete the ultimate task of paving roads, which must be done.”
Fretwell said his experience owning a small business has prepared him to be a commissioner.
“Owning my own business allowed me to know the ends and outs of managing and maintaining a business,” he said. “I am a self-starting, highly motivated man and I have worked most of my life for the public in one form or another.”
“I worked many years for my father in the public domain, and through that I learned the value of a hard-day’s work and I met and interacted with hardworking individuals who just want to be treated well.”
If elected, Fretwell said he would be most concerned about bringing more jobs into the area and creating a good working environment in the county.
“We have several buildings in the county that are empty, and that fact is unacceptable. If elected, I will try to bring industry and businesses into these buildings. If I see companies interested in our county, I will go myself and speak with these companies and see what can be done to bring these companies into our county.
“We need industries to take advantage of these resources, and we need businessmen and women in Franklin County to feel confident enough in their county to open their own businesses.”
Fretwell has been married to his wife, Tracey, for eight years and he said they have been blessed with the opportunity to be foster parents since 2009. His parents are Ray and Betty Fretwell. He has one sister, Tina Fretwell, and two nephews, Adam and Alex McCluskey.
He has worked at FMI/G&G Steel in Russellville for 16 years and his wife is a teacher for Franklin County Schools. He is also a member of the Russellville and Spruce Pine Masonic Lodges.
“I want the readers to know that I will work hard for this county, not only for District 1 but for the entire county and I will be here for you no matter what district you live in,” he said. “As your commissioner I will do the best job that I can and will always put the people of this county first.”
Chris Wallace grew up in Virginia but has felt like Franklin County was his home ever since he first started spending his summers visiting his grandparents in Spruce Pine as a boy.
He moved to Franklin County after he graduated high school and has lived in the area for 26 years.
“I want to make Franklin County a better place to live and work,” he said. “This office puts you in the position to help people in Franklin County by being able to work on improving our roads and infrastructure, and that is what I want to do.”
Wallace is also a small business owner who operates a small construction company.
“I have been self-employed for more than 20 years and with my business experience, I also know how to work within a budget and still get things accomplished with quality materials and workmanship,” Wallace said.
“I have always enjoyed meeting new people and working with them and I know I will be able to work with the other commissioners who are elected to achieve positive progress for the people of Franklin County.”
Wallace said he is also attune to the needs of Franklin County’s citizens and will see that those needs are met.
“I travel the roads of Franklin County on a daily basis and I know the shape they are in and the needs we have for improvement,” he said.
Wallace has been married to his wife, Cheri Slate Wallace, for 20 years, and they have two children, Slate, 13, and Julianna, 10. He is a member of North Highlands Church of Christ, the Cotton Flat Cruisers car club and the Belgreen Bass Masters. He is also a cattle farmer and a member of the Alabama Cattleman’s Association.
“If elected, I will work to help manage the tax payers’ money and get the most out of it.”
Billy Wilson is a resident of Franklin County who is proud to have lived and served in the area his entire life.
“One of the reasons I wanted to run for office is to make sure Franklin County continues to be a great place to live and work,” he said. “This is my home and I truly care about the county and its citizens.”
Wilson has previously served on the Franklin County School Board where he was a member for six years.
“During my time on the school board, I dealt with two superintendents and five board members and I proved that I am able to get along with people and make good decisions to do what is right for the county,” he said. “I never missed a board meeting, which shows that I will be dedicated in my service and I will take my position seriously.”
Wilson said he wanted to make sure the county was run with efficiency while still keeping the citizens of the county in mind.
“The county commission has a hand in the county’s finances but I will always think before I vote on anything because this is the people’s county, not the commission’s county,” he said.
“I won’t vote for anything that would bring a hardship on the senior citizens in the area or those on a fixed income. I will also make it a priority to support our schools and to make sure these rural roads get fixed.”
Wilson said he would do whatever needed to be done to secure more revenue for the county so these projects could take place.
“I think it’s important to get more industry in Franklin County and show them all the assets we have, like our great schools,” he said. “I also think we need to explore other options such as funding at the state level if possible.
“I went to Montgomery when Wallace was the governor to get water out in East Franklin. I would be willing to go wherever I needed to go to make sure Franklin County has the resources it needs.”
Wilson is married to Joan Murphy Wilson and they have three children, Robin Wilson, Janna Flannagan and Greg Wilson. He also has two grandchildren that he said are his pride and joy – Corey Flannagan, who was a standout baseball player at Russellville, and Mollie Flannagan, who was a cheerleader and a singer at Russellville.
He played sports and graduated from Phil Campbell High School and he retired from working at Reynolds after 37 years.
“I hope to be a commissioner the people of Franklin County can be proud of and if the people elect me, I’ll work as if I’m running for office every week. I’ll always give it my best and do what’s right.”