Candidate Profile: Tony Montcalm, Douglas County Board District 4

DOUGLASVILLE, GA —Four candidates are running to represent District 4 on the Douglas County Board of Commissioners in the May 24 General Primary Election.

Patch asked candidates to answer questions about their campaigns and will be publishing candidate profiles as the primary draws near.

Tony Montcalm is running for Douglas County Board District 4.

Name: Tony Montcalm

Campaign website: Tony 4 Douglas

City of residence: Winston

Office sought: Douglas County Board of Commissioners District 4

Party affiliation: Democrat

Education: I majored in philosophy and political science at Geogia State before earning my degree from Fort Valley State University, an HBCU.

Occupation: I'm the communications manager for Tanner Health System, a nonprofit health system based in Carrollton, for almost 17 years.

Family: My wife, Ashley, is a board-certified nurse practitioner working in women's health. My daughter, Ellie, will be attending Douglas County High in the fall and my son, Charlie, attends Mason Creek Elementary. (I went to Winston, Fairplay and Alexander myself.)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government? Both of my parents spent their careers in Douglas County government. My mother worked for the clerk of courts' office and then probate court right out of high school; my father was a tax appraiser for the board of assessors for 40 years after he served two tours in Vietnam with the Marine Corps.

Previous public office, appointive or elective: None. But I wrote a lot about those who have.

Age: 41

Why are you seeking this office? Because I know how county government works, and I'm invested in this district. My mother, my grandparents, their parents, their parents' parents ... My family has lived here since the 1830s. I grew up at the old courthouse on Broad Street and covered county government as a reporter for the Sentinel, the Times-Georgian and as an editor for the Paulding Neighbor. I've seen a lot of what works well in county government — and a lot of what doesn't.

Please complete this statement: The single most pressing issue facing my constituents is ___, and this is what I intend to do about it. Our biggest concern at this moment is infrastructure — repairing, improving and paving roads and expanding access to reliable high-speed internet. Some parts of Douglas County have Google data centers; parts of District 4 are dark. Our parks need improvements, we definitely need a senior center and there’s a case to be made for another fire station (just because your neighborhood is low-density and it’s a country mile to your nearest neighbor doesn’t mean a fire truck or ambulance will reach you any faster if it’s miles and miles away). We have to catch up to the rest of the county AND build ahead for the growth to come — and we don’t have long to do it.

What are the major differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post? I’m from here. All my 40 years are in Douglas County. I’m living on land that’s been in my family for four generations, and my children will inherit this and make the fifth. I’m looking five years ahead, 20 years ahead, 50 years ahead because I know I’m trying to leave their home better than I found it.

If you are challenging an incumbent, in what way has the current officeholder failed the community? I'm not, but I was going to when I began planning this race several years ago. We're all tired of leadership that focuses more on fear and insults than rallying people to a vision. It takes work to get people on board with a purpose, enlist their support and work alongside them, even if they may never vote for you. I'm a Democrat, but even the guy with the "Let's Go Brandon" yard sign and the Trump bumper sticker on his truck would like to get the concession stand fixed at the park where his kid plays ball. That's how we move forward with the Fourth: together.

What other issues do you intend to address during your campaign? We must improve our senior services. Those 65 and older are one of the fastest growing demographics in our region — and God willing, one day we’ll join them. We need a senior center in District 4. We need dial-a-ride transportation, parks and rec programming and sensible, affordable housing options. The goal of caring for an aging population should be empowering people to live as independently as possible for as long as possible. Providing a place where people can socialize, giving them access to the transportation to get there and making sure there’s resources nearby to help them stay active mentally and physically is a start.

Another issue is land conservation. I want to see the county do more to support its farms. We could work with the UGA Extension Service to better market and promote our growers and the markets where they sell. Farms are one of a community’s greatest assets; they pay taxes, grow food, improve our environment and use precious few county resources. If we don’t want to lose the rural character of much of District 4, we have to keep our farms sustainable.

Better pay for first responders is also on my agenda. Our communities are safer when there’s a deputy’s cruiser parked down the block or an EMT-trained firefighter next door. Better pay is essential to recruiting the best of us to these careers, retaining them — and making sure they can afford to live in the communities they serve.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job? I've been a staff writer, senior staff writer, editor, and now I'm a communications manager with a nonprofit regional health system where I'm responsible for five hospitals and about 40 organization-owned clinics.

What is the best advice anyone ever gave you? My grandmother: "The most valuable thing you'll ever own is your name. Your reputation matters. Be honest, be true and don't give people a reason to doubt you."

Is there anything else you would like voters to know about yourself and your positions? We’re behind the rest of the county, and we must catch up and build ahead. Growth is coming — to District 4 and across the county lines. It’s inevitable. But we can soften the blow if we’re prepared. Time is running out.