I, J. Patrick Lee, take this opportunity to announce my candidacy on the Republican ticket for the office of District 4 Supervisor, Pearl River County.

I am the son of Steve and Nancy Lee. I am married to the former Wendy Palmer, daughter of Larry and Lana Palmer. We have two children: a son, Cade, 8 years old and a daughter, Payton, 5 years old. My family are members of Union Baptist Church in the Caesar community. I am a life-long resident of this community, where I continue to reside with my family.

My son Cade attends Pearl River Central Elementary School with Payton soon to follow. My children are one of the reasons I have chosen to run for this office. I believe supervisors must take an active part in supporting and providing a progressive and safe learning environment for our children. More focus must be placed on providing state-of-the-art facilities for our children’s education.

As a graduate of the Mississippi State Fire Academy, I have been employed with the Picayune Fire Department for 12 years. This experience has made clear the importance of quality protection and safety for the residents of Pearl River County. High on my list of priorities will be support of law enforcement personnel and volunteer fire departments within our county. It is imperative that they be recognized for the vital role they play and contribution they make to the safety and well being of our citizens. With the rising cost of insurance premiums, we must support the efforts volunteer firefighters make in reducing their fire ratings which in turn lower homeowner and business premiums.

When not fulfilling my firefighting duties, I am partnered with Larry Palmer, my father-in-law, in construction. Working in this capacity, I have felt the wrath of building permit and utility authority fees along with the loss of ability to do what I choose on my much-taxed property. As a family man as well as a businessman, I am concerned about the rapid growth and spiraling controls, fair and unfair, which have been imposed upon our citizens. I believe that county supervisors are paramount in leading the county to efficient, safe, practical, fair and equitable governing.

Following Hurricane Katrina, I was one of many who spent the first hours, nights and days clearing the main roadways and assuring that all citizens whom I could reach were safe as well as supplying them with any emergency supplies available. I learned during those firs,t hard and treacherous days that we had to depend on our own strengths. Pearl River County is changing. We must continue to rely on our strengths to make this new growth a positive trend into our future. I am determined to see that this county remains a friendly, family oriented community as well as one with a rich Christian-based heritage. I intend to connect in a personal way and make every concerted effort to see that political persuasions and political agendas do not become issues in the leadership roles in this county.

My parents taught me valuable work ethics from an early age. Anyone who knows me knows that I continue to exert these hard work ethics. I wan to assure myself as well as our citizens that our hard earned tax dollars are being spent efficiently. As your supervisor, I will hold myself personally responsible for seeing that these tax dollars are being spent in an efficient and wise manner. I firmly believe that there are monies which can be saved and redirected to areas of need without raising tax dollars. I believe that there are tax dollars owed to Pearl River County which should be collected fairly and tax dollars which are being spent with little or no supervision or accountability.

Anyone who chooses to support me in this campaign can rest assured that I will do the best job I can do with no political persuasions or interferences. My only agenda is to be a voice and a vote for you. Let your voice be heard: vote for me, J. Patrick Lee, on Aug. 7.