My Personal Vision for the role of Commissioner

The Board of Commissioners exists to:

Foster a secure environment in which economic and recreational opportunities are available to the residents and visitors of Gilmer County

This Mission is generally accomplished by:

• Demonstrating responsible financial management to provide necessary services while minimizing the tax burden on our citizens
• Encouraging additional business investment from new and existing companies to build a strong local economy that provides jobs for our residents
• Developing and nurturing open communication and cooperation between all segments of our community, both public and private
• Supporting a well-staffed, trained, and equipped public safety department and judicial system
• Maintaining a county road system to provide safe, reliable transportation
• Providing recreation and leisure opportunities for all demographic groups of our community
• Promoting the community to the tourist market
• Overseeing land use to ensure a balance in which property values are maintained while the county remains productive

It is my belief that some of these goals and strategies are best accomplished through a collaborative effort with other community stakeholders from the private and public sectors. Others are accomplished simply by understanding the mission and needs of the various County Departments and then seeing that they have the leadership and financial resources to carry out that mission. There should be no need to micro-manage departments once the mission is clear and the resources have been provided. Simply let people do their jobs and hold them accountable for the results.

I am a Christian, a follower of Jesus Christ. After going through a four year graduate degree in Biblical Studies, I am completely convinced of the truth of Scripture. I approach every aspect of life from a biblical worldview. How will this play out if I were to be elected to the Commissioner’s office, you might ask?
I think that is a fair question…

• First, I am thankful to live in a nation that supports religious liberty. I value my own freedom in deciding what I do or do not believe. The flip side of this liberty is that I respect the freedom of others to make their own decisions about what they do or do not believe. The result is that I will share my faith freely with anyone who asks. Scripture says “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.” (1Pe 3:15 NIV) You can rest assured, however, that I will never, in public or private life, try to impose my beliefs upon anyone else.
• Second, Jesus himself said the two greatest commandments were to love God with all our hearts and to love others as ourselves. Furthermore, he said to treat others the way we want to be treated. These are the fundamental guiding principles of my life. They guide my private life, the way I conduct myself in business, and if elected, the way I would conduct myself as your Commissioner. In practical terms, this means that my decisions would be made considering the needs and perspectives of all the citizens of Gilmer County, regardless of their station in life or whether they happen to support me as a candidate.
• Third, I recognize that as a fallible human being, I do not have all the answers, but I know who does. With this in mind, I follow the example of Solomon when he was made king of Israel. His prayer is recorded in 1 Kings 3:9 “Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong.” (1Ki 3:9 NIV) This is my prayer for myself first as a candidate, and hopefully as your Commissioner. I would encourage you to join me in this prayer for your leaders if you are a person of faith.

Thank you for considering me as a candidate for Commissioner of this great county. I am very optimistic about our future. In fact, with the right leadership, I believe our brightest days are yet to come!

Well, I made it to the runoff. I want to thank everyone for the tremendous level of support and encouragement that has been heaped upon me throughout this primary race. I will be taking the campaign up a notch or two over the next 60 days until the runoff on July 22. I would appreciate it immensely if you would talk me up to your family, friends, and co-workers. If any of them wants to talk to me personally, I will be happy to arrange a time to do just that. Lets work together to make our wonderful community the very best it can be.

One of the greatest undeveloped resources in Gilmer County is the River Corridor formed by the Cartecay, Ellijay, and Coosawattee Rivers. At the center of every recent successful urban renewal project in the Southeast is the development of the river corridor with a mixture of trails, greenspace areas, and mixed use residential/commercial development. While the Cartecay is currently used as an outdoor recreational asset, the space within Ellijay proper, which could be an incredible resource for the community, is in many cases an eyesore.

This fact is on the minds of several of the citizens or our community. Hardly a day goes by when someone in our shop mentions the unrealized potential of this natural resource “diamond in the rough.” The River Corridor is on the minds of several organized groups as well. The Leadership Gilmer class of 2013 adopted the River Corridor/Greenspace development as their area of emphasis. The Catalyst Group, which began its work last spring, identified the River Corridor/Greenspace development as one of three initiatives worthy of immediate investigation and possible investment. Additionally, a citizen’s group tasked with evaluating community opportunities for the upcoming Comprehensive Plan also identified the River Corridor development as an area worthy of serious consideration.

Data from home buyer surveys support the notion of investing in community greenspace areas as well. In a May, 2013 study by the National Association of Home Builders, trails and greenspace areas were the number one community resource requested by folks looking for a place to build. Sixty percent of those surveyed listed trails and greenspace as desirable amenities in the search for a community in which to build. In a recent study on the Silver Comet trail in west Georgia, economists say that for every one dollar invested in the trail, $4.64 of measurable economic development had already occurred.

Our community is nestled at the heart of the Chattahoochee National Forest and has access to literally hundreds of miles of backcountry trails, but not much in the way of frontcountry trails suitable for families with young children or senior citizens. Strategic investment in the River Corridor and Greenspace Trails has the potential to dramatically improve the quality of life of current residents and potential residential and commercial investors alike.

Education:

·         BBA in Management Science from University of Georgia, Terry School of Business in 1979

·         MDIV in Biblical Studies  from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary in 2004

·         Graduate of “Leadership Gilmer,” class of 2008

·         Graduate of “Regional Economic & Leadership Development,” from the Georgia Academy for Economic Development in 2012

Career Experience:

·         1979-2002 Independent Manufacturer’s Representative in the Furniture Industry. This position involved initiating and maintaining business relationships between various Southeastern Manufacturers and Retailers.

·         2003-2009 Director, Gilmer Christian Learning Center. This position involved administration of the non-profit organization as well as student interaction both inside the classroom and out.

·         2009-Present: Owner/Operator, along with my wife Shirley, North Georgia Mountain Outfitters, an outdoor outfitter to serve the needs of the hiking and paddling community.

Hello everyone, my name is Travis Crouch and I am a candidate for Gilmer Post 2 Commissioner. Let me begin by introducing myself. I am a healthy 55 year old lifelong resident of the great state of Georgia. I have been married to Shirley, the love of my life for the past 33 years. Our only daughter, Whitney Crouch has been a staff writer for the Times Courier for the past 4 years. We first bought property here in Gilmer back in 1989 and we built a second home there a couple of years later. We have hiked the trails and paddled the streams of Gilmer County for the past 30 years and have been fortunate enough to call Gilmer our full time home for the past twelve. I approach life from a Christian worldview, and my family worships at Cornerstone Baptist Church in Cherrylog. We love the outdoors, and Shirley and I own and operate North Georgia Mountain Outfitters, a local shop serving the hiking, backpacking, and paddling community. Check back in the weeks ahead. I will be introducing myself more fully along with my dreams for our wonderful community. For now, however, let me just say welcome, I’m glad you’re here. Til next time, Travis