Election 2010: Stoetzel Will Serve If Re-elected Commissioner

KEVIN HALPERN, Courier Co-Editor


Whether it's been as a state trooper, a sheriff, or a county commissioner, Bob Stoetzel has always answered the call to serve the people of Cannon County.

And Stoetzel now says he will continue to do so if he is re-elected to his current Fifth District seat on the Cannon County Commission.

Stoetzel, who qualified to run by the April 1 filing deadline, announced his withdrawal from the race a few months ago because of an anticipated move outside the Fifth District.

However, due to a slow economy and saturated local real estate market, it appears it may be quite some time before the Stoetzels are able to sell their current home. (EDITOR'S NOTE: Stoetzel's wife Teresa is the Advertising Director for the Cannon Courier).

Despite Stoetzel's announced withdrawal, it came after the ballot for the August 5 election had already been finalized, so his name remains on the ballot.

Others in the race for the two Fifth District seats are Kevin Mooneyham, who was appointed in January to fill the seat vacated when Brad Hall moved, Gregory Fauls and James H. (Jim) Jones.

"If the people, who know I am moving before my time is up, vote me in, of course I would serve," Stoetzel said. "I did not give a withdrawal to the election administrator (Stanley Dobson) when he said my name would remain on the ballot."

Stoetzel said he began to have second thoughts about withdrawing when it began to appear it would be difficult to sell his home given the current real estate environment.

"I believe the market is down and my house will not be sold anytime soon," he said. "I believe I still have something to offer to the welfare of Cannon County."

Fifth District voters may force Stoetzel to reconsider his decision, depending on the outcome of the election.

"My constituents have told me on a daily basis that they had voted for me already in early voting," Stoetzel said. "I have had many people when meeting on the street ask me to reconsider."

Stoetzel said there are still goals he would like to see accomplished for Cannon County should he remain a commissioner following the election.

"As I am only one vote out of ten the option of getting any one thing done alone is impossible," he said. "However, I would love to see the next new commissioners commit themselves to charging ahead on finding different options on raising funds for the county by seeking the idea that bringing a business to Cannon County would be beneficial for any company because of our workforce that we have always had in this community."

One of the causes Stoetzel has championed as commissioner is finding or creating another facility for Cannon County's court system.

"A project that I instilled in the commissioners last year at the opening of the fiscal year of the commission was to look at building a judicial building to take all the judiciary offices out of the courthouse," Stoetzel said. "The courthouse should be used in the every day business of serving the local residents and welcoming the ones who would like to settle here. The court and all of its related offices should be away from Main Street."