Dear Powell County: James Anderson is the best choice for judge-executive

I’m using my blog today to share a guest column my cousin Chris Nolan submitted to the Clay City Times in support of James Anderson for Powell County judge-executive. I’m asking my Powell County friends to take a few minutes to read (or perhaps re-read) what Chris has to say, then help share the message by posting the link on your own Facebook page, blog, Twitter account, skywriting message or whatever form of social media you have available.

I’ve known James since the mid-1980s and really got the chance to bond with him as we both sat on the end of the bench for the Powell County freshman and junior varsity basketball teams when we were freshmen and sophomores. At that time, much of our talks focused on one of three things: 1. how much we hated sitting on the bench; 2. which cheerleaders were the prettiest; 3. which schools’ locker rooms were the best.

Later, when James and I were both at the University of Kentucky, we had more time to talk about bigger items (although cheerleaders still factored in plenty), and I started to realize that James had the potential to one day be one of Powell County’s leaders.

Now, he has that chance, and I’m hoping you will agree with what Chris has to say below and will do your part in encouraging everyone you know to go out Tuesday, Nov. 8, and support Powell County’s future by voting for James Anderson.

Thanks for your time and, I hope, your support. Now, here’s what Chris had to say:

A Clay City Times Guest Column by Chris Nolan
I grew up here, played sports here, went to school here. And like too many of your friends and family, I left here.

After graduating from the University of Kentucky with a degree in accounting, I stayed in Lexington because it offered a better opportunity for a rewarding economic future. Many friends and family remain, and I will always be a lifelong stakeholder, mainly because I know how much potential this place has.

To reach that potential, though, Powell County needs the right leader at the right time.

That time is now.

That leader is James Anderson.

I have always been a registered Republican, and this move across party lines comes at a crucial time for Powell County, as it needs a sound leader and heartfelt decision-maker who has integrity, trust, accountability, character, values and loyalty, not just for his own political party but for all of Powell County. This county needs someone who can assess any situation, evaluate it and make the best decision for the greatest number of people within the resources available.

Powell County needs someone with the courage to stand up for what is right and what needs to be done to achieve true progress in the community instead of offering excuses to the general public. Powell County needs a young, ambitious leader who is focused on the long-term well being of everyone rather than short-term personal gains.

More importantly, Powell County needs someone who wants the position to represent everyone and not just a few, someone who is eager to accept the authority given to him by the people.

Powell County needs James Anderson.

I have known James Anderson almost all my life, and I have always viewed his family like part of my own. Our friendship has been invaluable, with a bond as strong today as it has ever been. I have seen firsthand how James exhibits the qualities necessary to make a successful judge-executive. Even as teenagers, I saw a work ethic, trust and integrity few possessed, and it has only gotten stronger as we have gotten older.

James and I both had the utmost respect for his late uncle Floyd Anderson, and we embraced every chance we had to talk with him and soak up some of his wisdom and advice. I see pieces of Floyd’s influence daily in the way James conducts himself, the way he develops (and achieves) goals, the way he remains loyal and dependable, the way he makes his decisions and the way he follows through with his commitments.

Those characteristics are exactly why James Anderson will make a successful political leader. It’s sad that in today’s world, the term “political leader” inspires a negative connotation, but it happens because so few people can live up to the ideals associated with positive leadership. Unlike others, James has resisted the traps and temptations that come with seeking office and remains 100 percent committed to working for the greater good for all of Powell County, not just special interest groups or wealthy donors. James Anderson answers to no one person; he answers to everyone in Powell County.

James will be committed to reviving Powell County and making it a better place for his family and ours, fully utilizing its resources to do so. James also knows that the best resource for doing so is the people of Powell County. James will encourage unity from all parts of the county to align collaborative efforts to create an organizational strategy and core values. He will exhaust every effort to retain the best resources for the county while creating new opportunities.

Those opportunities will help ensure that future generations will stay in Powell County. James made the decision to invest in his family’s future as a permanent resident in Powell County, and he wants to build a better future not only for them but for your family, as well. The future of Powell County is part of his daily livelihood.

As the election nears, I ask the people of Powell County to choose a leader who can be trusted to give his whole-hearted effort to make this a better place in which to live and work. Help choose a leader who will make sure the best and brightest have more opportunities to stay within this region and continue to make it better.

My address says Lexington, but my heart will always belong to Powell County.

And that’s exactly why I’m asking you to vote for my friend James Anderson for Powell County’s next judge-executive.

Respectfully,
Chris Nolan,
Lexington, Ky.