Meet the Candidates: Candidate Forum Held at Red Roof Pavilion
- Terri Carter
- Aug 4
- 6 min read
A candidate forum was held on July 17th at the Red Roof Pavilion, giving Franklin County residents an opportunity to meet with and ask questions of the candidates running for a seat in the upcoming municipality elections throughout the county. The upcoming ballot includes three councilmen seats for the city of Cowan, the mayor’s seat for the city of Cowan, two aldermen seats for the city of Decherd, two aldermen seats for the town of Estill Springs, two aldermen seats for the town of Huntland, the mayor’s seat for the town of Huntland, and three councilmen seats for the city of Winchester. Also on the ballot is a retail package store referendum for the town of Huntland.
The event was hosted and organized by the Franklin County GOP Republican Party and their chairman, Roger Vetitoe. Each candidate running in the election, whether Republican or Democrat, challenger or incumbent, was invited to attend. Those in attendance included Tim Wright, Steve Cagley, David Eldridge Jr., Douglas Freund, and Lydia Curtis Johnson, all who are running for a Winchester City Council seat, and Harry Evans Allen III, who is running for the mayoral seat in Huntland.
Also in attendance of the event were State Representative Iris Rudder, State Senator Janice Bowling, Field Representative for Congressmen Scott DesJarlais Amy Dennis, Franklin County Mayor Chris Guess, Winchester Mayor Sean Crabtree, and field representative from Senator Haggerty’s office, Brittany Montgomery.
Introducing the candidate panel was GOP Republican Party Chairman Roger Vetitoe. Each candidate was allowed five minutes to speak, and the floor was open to questioning after each candidate’s speech.
Harry Allen III was the first to introduce himself and is running for the mayor’s seat in Huntland. With a background in management of public funds, Allen hopes to use those skills to help solve some of the issues in Huntland and help the town with further progression.
The next person to speak was Steve Cagley, who is running for city council in Winchester. Cagley stated that he is involved with Cumberland Presbyterian Church and directs their early learning preschool, has been an ambassador for the Chamber of Commerce, is a graduate of the Franklin County Leadership Program, works with the Franklin County Friends of the Library nonprofit, along with United Way, the Multi-County Cancer Support Network, and Project Graduation with Franklin County High School. He has previously served on the city council and said that he is eager to continue his service to his community.
The next Winchester City Council candidate to speak was David Eldridge. Eldridge is currently serving out an unexpired term for the council since a former member moved and has been filling that council seat since March of this year. Eldridge has also been a Franklin County Commissioner since 2010. He worked for 35 years at AEDC in management, along with many assignments as an instructor for various courses. Eldridge stated that his approach will include tenacity, respect, accountability, and grace, while keeping the best interest of the citizens as the core focus.
Douglas Freund was the next candidate to address the crowd. Freund is a United States Army veteran and is the current commander of the D.A.V. Chapter 71, a life member of the VFW, a Multi-County Cancer Support Network board member, and has volunteered for the local warming centers and with building wheelchair ramps for disabled veterans. Freund stated that he has attended many council meetings as a citizen and, as a council member, he will always be engaged, remain available to his all of his constituents, and will be the voice for the people. Fiscal responsibility and accountability will be his main focus.
Current Winchester City Council member who is up for re-election, Lydia Curtis Johnson, spoke next. Johnson is a lifelong resident of Franklin County, comes from a military family, and is a supporter of the United States Military. She has worked for the county clerk’s office and worked for the registered deeds office for 33 years, where she ran and was elected for register of deeds for 20 years, worked in title and escrow for seven years, and currently serves on the Winchester City Council and the Franklin County Commission, serving on several boards throughout the commission. Johnson stated that she will continue to do what she can for the citizens of Winchester and encouraged them to reach out with any comments or concerns.
The last Winchester City Council candidate to speak was Tim Wright. Wright stated that while he has not been a long-time resident of Franklin County, it didn’t take him long to fall in love with the area and community once he and his wife moved here. He had set his hopes on running for Winchester City Council before officially moving to the city and ran two years ago in the last election, losing out by only 7 votes. Wright said that he wanted to sit on the city council because he wants to be a part of the city and he has refused to give up. He stated that he is a Christian, a devoted husband to his wife, Felicia, and has a long history of being an active volunteer in the community. He has served as President of the Winchester Noon Rotary, is a member of the Kiwanis Club and the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce, is a reserve deputy for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and works as a pontoon boat tour guide for Tims Ford State Park.
Some primary concerns that came from the attending crowd were in regard to the city’s infrastructure, the current development and growth, and what it would take to bring more businesses to the county. Many of the candidates, along with Winchester Mayor Sean Crabtree, gave similar answers to what is happening and how the community and city should move forward.
Each recognized the charm and importance of keeping the area rural, while also acknowledging the incoming growth and development, and how it could affect the infrastructure. The candidates and mayor mentioned the upcoming infrastructure work that is about to begin throughout the community, noting that it was an important part of being able to support the growth. The city and the community are planning to prepare and brace for the growth, and the upcoming infrastructure job is one of the first steps in the process.
Current councilmember Johnson stated that the special census that was recently held throughout the community also played an important role in the growth. The candidates and mayor recognized that while they can’t stop the growth or the population from getting bigger, they can make necessary adjustments and take the necessary steps to somewhat control and prepare for it. However, it was also acknowledged that growth of this magnitude takes time.
Candidates, council members, and the Winchester mayor recognize and are taking the necessary steps to coordinate the infrastructure improvements with the growth. While wanting to maintain the community’s original rural charm, they each acknowledged that growth is also necessary for increasing tax base, bringing in more money, and keeping the tax burden light on the Winchester and county taxpayers.
As the city’s election season gains momentum, the candidate forum offered voters a timely opportunity to hear directly from those seeking public office. From policy priorities to personal values, each candidate brought their own perspective to the stage, contributing to a night of civic engagement and thoughtful dialogue. With Election Day approaching, community members now carry not only a clearer understanding of who’s on the ballot—but a renewed sense of how their voices, and their votes, might help shape the future of the Franklin County community.
