Local candidates introduce platforms: clerk, register of deeds, commission and school-board hopefuls speak

A series of local candidates used the Polk County forum to present platforms and priorities for low-profile but operational offices that affect residents’ daily interactions with government.

Angela Davis, running for clerk and courts, described deep family roots in Polk County and a business-management background. “I’m ready to work for Polk County. I’m ready to get down and get to business and fulfill the needs of the clerk office,” Davis said.

Bose Wford, the incumbent register of deeds running unopposed, summarized office modernization efforts including e-filing that cut the office’s paper budget by roughly 60 percent and a complimentary fraud-alert email system that notifies users when documents bearing their names are recorded. “Anytime anything’s recorded with your name on it… you will get an email,” Wford said, encouraging residents to sign up on the county website.

County commission candidate Keon Mickens emphasized jobs and infrastructure to attract industry, citing a local quarry and talks with potential manufacturing investors. School-board candidate Tony Gins framed his campaign around accountability, alleging waste and nepotism in the school central office and saying he would push for independent review of spending.

Why it matters: these offices—clerk, register of deeds, commission and the school board—handle records, capital decisions and local oversight; small administrative changes such as e-filing and fraud alerts can affect residents’ access and transparency.

What to watch: whether Wford’s e-filing and fraud-alert enrollment reach broader public awareness and if commission and school-board campaigns translate into specific proposals for capital funding or staffing changes.