Polls open Tuesday at 7 p.m. for the general primary and nonpartisan elections.

Questionnaires were sent to candidates and responses from county commission District 1 hopefuls, incumbent Marion Stevens and challenger Larry Baker, were received.

Following are the questions and their answers:

More development is coming to the eastern portion of the county, be it residential or industrial and commercial. What can and should the county do to foster it and what can and should be done to protect the existing residents and environment? What kind of balance can be struck and how can the county play a role?

Stevens:

We must keep the citizens of that area informed. We must work diligently on our infrastructure. I am not in favor of any smokestack industry. We must continue to seek infrastructure for water and sewage. We must plan now not to install many more septic systems. It will take working with my fellow commissioners and other county leaders to bring this to fruition.

Baker:

As the county grows, development is crucial. For residential, we need a wastewater facility on the eastern end. This helps with the environment by reducing the need for septic systems. On the industrial side, jobs are important as people need to work to provide for their families.

Liberty County’s property taxes are viewed as some of the highest in the state. While the FLOST proceeds have not been accumulated yet in significant amounts to ease property taxes, what can the county do to either not add to the burden or the lessen the burden on county property owners?

Stevens:

Be good stewards of the taxpayers’ funds, but yet work to improve the quality of life of our citizens, continue to support SPLOST and T-SPLOST to fund county projects. This will keep them from being funded by property taxes. Continue to seek funds from our state government and federal government.

Baker:

Eliminate frivolous spending by adopting a needs-based budget. We’re blessed to have SPLOST and TSPLOST to help fund capital projects; a needs list is far better than a wants list.

What other issues do you see as pertinent to District 1 residents that the county can address?

Baker:

We need to prioritize the list of road projects (paving dirt roads and resurfacing paved roads) and increase police presence in the unincorporated areas of Liberty County.