Behind the Ballot, part two (Page 1 of 1)

A peek at the daily lives of county commission candidates in a two-part series to examine how their experiences and backgrounds might influence their politics

In the July 10 issue we brought you profiles of the Democratic and Independent Knox County Commission candidates. Now we present the Republican candidates, and one Independent write-in. The premise of Part Two is the same: We spent time with the Republican candidates, learning about their backgrounds, jobs and other experiences, and how those experiences have shaped their politics and opinions. We also asked the usual questions of why they chose to run for office and what they want to accomplish if elected.

We’ve also included a brief question-and-answer session with Gary Drinnen from Knox Accountability, and a list of other items you’ll see on the ballot.

Early voting began July 18 and continues through Aug. 2. Visit our community calendar or www.knoxvotes.org to find a list of early voting sites in Knox County. On the same site, you’ll also find voting locations for the Aug. 7 voting day. We hope you use both issues when making your voting decisions. If you misplaced or missed Part One of this feature, you can still get a copy by contacting our office at 522-8684, e-mailing slade@knoxvoice.com or reading it online at www.knoxvoice.com.

ALBERT BAAH

1ST DISTRICT, SEAT A
OPPONENT: SAMUEL MCKENZIE, JOHN SPELLING

“I am an American citizen because I have faith in freedom and justice.”

EDUCATION: University of Tennessee, B.A. in Art
DAY JOB: Owner of American Exchange used-car lot, painter
OTHER ACTIVITIES: Supporter of Boys & Girls Clubs of Knox County

Motivation for candidacy in county commission race:
“I believe that we all should give back to our community and help make the community better. Wherever you are, you can help. I honestly believe that this county needs change. It needs help. I believe each of us can help. I want people to realize that they are part of the community and not just a few people make decisions to affect their daily lives.”

What is the most important issue Knox County faces?
“The biggest issue is we’ve had too many people in this government who have sat there for so long and they’ve become so complacent. They think that they control everybody and so they don’t take any responsibility. They think they can do whatever they want...”

What is the most important issue for the 1st District?
“To me, the 1st District is an underprivileged district. Our schools are not on par with schools in other parts of the county. To me, education is so important. When it comes to education, we should sacrifice as much as we can, because I believe that if people are educated then they have the right tools to be assimilated into society with less crime.”

Albert O. Baah tells visitors to his home in Holston Hills that they’re welcome back anytime. His neighbors’ children play in the backyard overlooking the Tennessee River. Neighbors, friends and his own now-grown children often visit as well.

Ghana native Baah owns American Exchange, a used-car lot he opened in downtown Knoxville 28 years ago. The business is successful, he says, but it’s not his passion — it just pays the bills. What satisfies Baah is painting — the subject he came to the University of Tennessee to study in 1976. He has a small studio in his garage.

“When I was in college I sold [the paintings],” Baah says. “Now I just do them for myself. I want to enjoy them. I want other people to enjoy them.”

Baah paints subjects he says are of great importance to him. Hanging on one wall is a scene of Market Square in downtown Knoxville. A painting in the sunlit walkway of his home — which connects the older, refurbished part of his house with a newer section — depicts a colorful, seemingly endless tunnel. To Baah, the painting symbolizes a person’s path through life and how the journey is never complete.

“I don’t go out bar-hopping or drinking,” Baah says. “If I wake up at three in the morning, I just come down here and paint for a while.”

Baah did much of the renovation work on his historic East Knoxville house himself, excavating the area and then designing the addition and an overhang for the entrance.

“You came out here and I would be on the Bobcat,” he says. “This country gives you that option. Other countries, you can’t do that, you can’t learn about those kinds of things. Sometimes I see people who condemn the U.S.A. You can do that and that’s why this country is better than others. You have that freedom of speech. People criticize the country, but I wish they’d been somewhere else to compare what [other countries] have with what they’re criticizing. To me, the worst part of this country is better than the best part of most countries.”

Baah lived in Ghana until he started college at UT. He still has relatives and friends there, but though he returns for visits, he considers Knoxville his home. He says he decided to run for office partially because he was sick of the controversy surrounding Knox County government, but mostly because he wants to give back to a community that has provided him so much happiness and success:

“I am proud to be an American. I am proud to be in Knoxville. I’m proud to be in East Knoxville. Anything I can do to make it better, I’m going to do that.”

Though he aligns himself with the Republican Party, Baah says he doesn’t think partisanship is important when electing an official, and he’s quick to mention that, as commissioner, he wouldn’t be concerned with anything but his constituents’ concerns.

“I’ve heard people say, ‘So-and-so is going to win this race because he’s a Democrat.’ So what about being a Democrat or a Republican? It’s about being an American,” he says. “The country comes first, before the parties, and I strongly believe in that.”

John Spellings (INDEPENDENT)

1ST DISTRICT, SEAT A

OPPONENT: SAMUEL MCKENZIE, ALBERT O. BAAH

“Even though I couldn’t get on the ballot, I wanted to give people another choice.”

EDUCATION: University of Tennessee, B.A. in History
DAY JOB: Insurance agent at Amica Insurance
OTHER ACTIVITIES: Former member of Reformed University Fellowship at UT

Motivation for candidacy in county commission race:
“After the primary, I took a look at the field; I’d hoped there would be an independent candidate [in the 1st District] and there wasn’t one. After looking at the list, I realized they were requiring you sign up [to run] in November. The extremes of Republican and Democratic had not done enough to solve the problems on commission. I feel like people need an Independent candidate.”

What is the most important issue Knox County faces?
“There’s been great turmoil on commission and with the makeup of the county government. I think what is needed is a new voice.”

What is the most important issue for the 1st District?
“In the 1st District, I think we need to look at issues of public safety. One of the things I’m pushing is more police officers on foot and not just driving around. Making sure the community knows who their police officers are and that [the officers] know the community well.”

Thoughts on the proposed charter amendments:

“A number are very interesting and I would probably support a number of them. I think the idea of letting the people vote on them is right. I don’t agree with how the commission put up a lot of roadblocks in getting them on the ballot.”

John Cullin Spellings, at 25 years old, is the youngest person seeking county commission candidacy. Nashville-born Spellings graduated from UT in 2005, the same year candidate Dave Wright’s granddaughter turned 1 and candidate Ruthie Stone Kuhlman’s daughter married.

But Spellings doesn’t think his lack of experience, in politics or life, is unfavorable. He thinks it’s one of the positive things he brings to the commission table.

“I don’t come into this with the longest resumé or greatest connections. I’m the youngest candidate, but I do think I can offer a new direction and new voice,” says Spellings.

Spellings is the only candidate seriously seeking office who isn’t on the ballot; when he decided to run in April, it was too late to be added. He started his campaign with a slogan of “Write in Spellings, Write out nepotism.”

Since then, he’s been blogging on his Web site, offering promises of “no new taxes,” swearing to never support red light cameras in Knox County, going door-to-door and generally spreading the word about his candidacy. He feels he’s been well-received during that time, and cites a recent win in a straw poll on local Web site Political Knoxville against opponents incumbent Samuel McKenzie and Republican candidate Albert O. Baah.

Another thing setting Spellings apart from other candidates: He’s the only candidate who resides downtown. Spellings says he’s focused on downtown revitalization and that he chose to buy a condominium because of how much he loves the location, even though he works in West Knoxville. He moved here in 2001 to attend UT, fell in love with the area, married and decided to stay.

“I actually prefer Knoxville over Nashville,” he says. “I have a lot of family and friends in Nashville and Nashville is a lot bigger, a lot faster and more expensive, but I like Knoxville because of the smaller size. It has a better downtown than Nashville and there’s more potential to have a much higher quality of life here. I think [Knoxville] has a lot of potential to be a better city than Nashville.”

Spellings works as an insurance salesperson for Amica Insurance, a nationwide company dealing in auto, home and life insurance. He’s worked there for slightly less than a year and previously worked at Starbucks Coffee on Cumberland Avenue. The insurance job has taught him much about working with people, Spellings says, as he regularly must assess a person’s problems and needs and find an amicable solution.

Does Spellings see a political future beyond commission if elected? He says he isn’t certain at this time, but is seeking office to become more involved with his community, not to gain personal notoriety.

“I still have a lot of years,” he says. “I just want to be involved however I can serve. If that means continuing to run as an Independent, I’ll do it.”

Charles Bolus

2ND DISTRICT, SEAT B
OPPONENT: AMY BROYLES

EDUCATION: Lincoln Memorial University, M.A. in Education Administration
DAY JOB: Assistant Principal of Gresham Middle School
OTHER ACTIVITIES: Unknown

Charles “Chuck” Bolus was one of the commissioners appointed Jan. 31, 2007, commonly called “Black Wednesday,” during a commission meeting to fill term-limited seats. Bolus had previously served as campaign treasurer for commissioner Scott Moore, then-chairman.  After Bolus’ appointment, the brand-new commissioner was immediately sworn in to appoint Lee Tramel, an employee of the sheriff’s office — one of the more controversial events of the day filled with ensuing controversies.

He was removed from the seat Oct. 5, 2007, after lawsuits filed by the News Sentinel and citizens found the appointment process violated the state’s Open Meetings Act.

During his time on commission, Bolus voted to pass the FY 2007-08 budget, which included the voter-approved addition of the Knox County Sheriff’s Office pension plan.

Bolus was appointed assistant principal of Gresham Middle School in 2000.

Bolus ran unopposed in the Republican primary. He did not return Knoxville Voice phone calls before press time.

Ruthie S. Kuhlman