Hall County Commissioner Jeff Stowe will seek another four-year term representing District 4, which includes more than 80 percent of Gainesville.
“I want to thank my family for all of their support for the last three years and continued support to allow me to continue my commitment to Hall County to help make it the best place to work, play and live,” Stowe said Thursday in a statement to The Times.
Stowe, 48, was first elected in 2012, beating out incumbent Commissioner Ashley Bell.
The married father of four children is an insurance salesman and vice president of the Paragon Environmental & Public Risk Division at The Norton Agency real estate firm in Gainesville. He attends First United Methodist Church.
Stowe said he’s made it a priority in his first term to improve county government’s relationship with local cities.
Fights over tax revenue and service delivery have sometimes soured communication between county and municipal officials over the years.
“To that end, we have partnered recently with Flowery Branch on a major road resurfacing project and intersection improvements on McEver Road,” Stowe said. “We also partnered with Gainesville on a Bandalong system, or litter trap, that was installed on Flat Creek to help improve the quality of water that enters Lake Lanier.”
Beautification of exits along Interstate 985 and Ga. 365, spearheaded by Stowe himself, have also brought local governments together, he said.
Stowe also touted his role in shrinking the county’s employee health care costs, particularly with the opening of a clinic and pharmacy to serve workers.
“In the first year not only did it save our employees $250,000 plus and also saved the county an additional $325,000,” he said.
Stowe also said he was proud of the county’s re-entry program for criminal offenders to help them transition back to life outside the bars.
And capital spending projects, such as the new correctional facility and Sheriff’s Office scheduled for completion later this year, have come in under budget.
“This is just a short list of things that we have accomplished during the last three years all while lowering the millage rate from 6.25 mills when I first took office to the current rate of 5.735 — and increasing our fund balance from $14 million to over $23 million,” Stowe said. “I hope the citizens are as proud of our accomplishments as we are, and I ask for your support in the May primary.”