PHOTO: (Tyler Pruett | Southern Torch)
By Staff Reports
FORT PAYNE, Ala. — DeKalb County Commission President Ricky Harcrow is announcing his candidacy for reelection. Mr. Harcrow is a resident of Ider and grew up in Rainsville. He has been married for forty four years to Susan Rosser Harcrow of Birmingham and they have two children. Son Jackson Harcrow and his wife Leeah of Arab and daughter Sarah Harcrow Jenkins and husband Joel of Lafayette, Georgia and five grandchildren.
He is the son of the late Jack and Zelma Tumlin Harcrow of Rainsville. He is a graduate of Plainview High School, attended Northeast State Community College and Jacksonville State University. He worked for the Tennessee Valley Authority from 1976 until 1996 in the electrical division of the Nuclear and Hydro systems and has served as city councilman and Mayor, elected three terms to the County Commission district one and two terms President of the Commission.
Mr. Harcrow says, “Qualifications are so important for any job and this one is no different. To add to my time in office it has been my privilege to be chosen by county commissioners statewide as President of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama. I presently serve on the legislative Conference for all 67 Counties in Alabama, a representative from Alabama for the Rural Action Caucus for the National Association of counties in Washington, DC and appointed, with other officials, by the State Treasurer on the advisory board of the Alabama Trust Fund. As President of the Association of County Commissions of Alabama (ACCA) I had the privilege of helping to pass, in 2013, the Alabama Rural Transportation Initiative Program (ARTIP ONE). This provided funding, state wide, for some major collector roadways and bridge construction in every county that qualified. At this time details are in progress for an ARTIP TWO program also which we hope will come to a culmination in the next two years. We appreciate the work of our state representatives and the working relationship we have with them which is foundational to our functions.
“We have gone through some of the most difficult times in our recent history," said Harcrow. "The Devastating tornados of 2011, the recession and other things combined affected government in every way from the federal government down to state, county and cities."
"During all of this we have maintained a balanced budget, kept every service in place and worked closely with every office holder without regard to partisan politics. We have worked with the board of education and law enforcement departments and help to provide officers in our schools for the protection of our children and teachers," he stated.
“Our commission has worked in harmony with one another and with every office holder to provide the best we can with the revenue we have been allotted and we intend to continue in that avenue," said Harcrow. "A good working relationship with office holders has been and will continue to be a top priority. All our Audits have been in order without exception."
"Of course as it is with every county and city there is never enough to do what is actually needed, however, our county is as financially sound as any county in the state with the resources that we have allotted to us. This is because our administrator and capable staff, who work together with us, are experienced and efficient in what they do. We have worked closely with and helped provide avenues for our municipalities and many county residents to install community storm shelters if they desired to do so, provided a severe weather warning system and over 400 individual storm shelters have been approved and installed through the state EMA with the assistance of our local EMA," Harcrow said.
“It has been a privilege for me to serve the county where I have lived all my life, reared my family and where my family has lived for generations and I take this opportunity to ask again for your support," said Harcrow.
