The following questions were submitted by the Bulletin to the candidates for Brown County judge in the March 1 Republican Party Primary elections. These are challenger Terry Blevins’ responses.
Please give a summary of your background and bio.
I spent most of my life in Brown County and have been in business for myself since the mid 90’s. I opened, grew, managed and eventually sold The Paint & Body Shop (Across from Gomez Restaurant). I opened Brownwood Fitness Center (with a partner) and managed, grew and eventually sold that business. A partner and I opened Jetblast Oilfield services which eventually I sold my half and the business moved to San Angelo. I also opened an oilfield equipment rentals company (with the same partner as with Jetblast). During the time when The Paint & Body Shop was open, so was the Gym and I started my adjusting career in which I flourished and began managing major catastrophes around the country for months at a time and then when returning home, went back to work at my body shop and gym. Many irons in the fire at the same time. I sold the businesses over the past decade to concentrate on the insurance industry career in which I now hold the degree of AIC (Associates in Claims) and the very high designation of EGA (Executive General Adjuster). An EGA is responsible to manage large, complex insurance claims working with numerous General Adjusters, attorneys, public adjusters, general contractors, mitigation companies and field adjusters in handling multi-million dollar losses. Many of these result in mediation with attorneys, public adjusters, contractors, code enforcement and numerous others in order to bring the claimants back to pre-loss condition within the parameters of their policies.
Please state your reason for seeking office, or if you are incumbent, why you are seeking re-election.
We have over and over witnessed the failures of local, state and federal government to simply do the right thing. We have seen wastefulness with our tax dollars repeatedly. We have seen inefficient use of our hard-earned money habitually. We have even seen lavish spending when economical disbursement would have been more prudent. We need change and choices which is part of why I am offering my service. Many people throughout the country have forgotten that the duty of any elected official is to Serve the people… Public Service … I want to cultivate a return to the past when citizens served the community and politics was not a career path. I’ve been one to complain for too long and it is time for me to serve instead of simply complain.
Please state why you believe you are most qualified for the office.
I have decades of business experience. Multiple businesses at the same time for many of those years. The County Judge has many management responsibilities that go well beyond the title of “Judge”. The business of Brown County needs a business leader and I am and have been for years.
One of the primary functions of the County Judge is head of emergency management. I have been working nearly 15 years in the insurance industry and as previously mentioned, managed large catastrophes around the country with hundreds of adjusters, quality control, supervisors and others to bring tens of thousands of insurance claims to resolution.
Being a Judge is nothing more than conflict resolution or mediation. I have worked in numerous mediation situations during my career in the insurance company where an umpire, lawyers, witnesses, claimants, and others were involved in a dispute. I have been instrumental in mediating very large and complex claims.
Please state your goals if elected or re-elected, and if you are an incumbent, include your most important accomplishments.
The County Court needs to be opened back up to relieve some of the pressure and back-log of cases pending at the County Court at Law (Judge Moss). When elected to the County Judge position, the state of Texas trains newly elected judges to be able to handle the cases presented.
I also want to more closely work with the budget for accuracy, efficiency and transparency. The tax dollars need to be very closely monitored. People are very tired of the high taxes and need to get the most out of every dollar spent by the county just as everybody wants to get the most out of every dollar they spend at the grocery store, mall or elsewhere.
Elected officials need to be available to the public for which they serve and I will be available to the public for whom I will faithfully serve.
What do you believe are the most pressing issues for the county?
County Court needs to be opened back up.Tax dollars need to be closely guarded and more wisely spent.
There are areas of technology that need to be addressed that could help create, long term, more efficient use of manpower, money and resources.
What is your view of whether the county should offer a tax break for wind or solar industries?
No. Each of the School districts have the option of making their own deals with these organizations but these multi-billion dollar companies should have a good enough business plan put together that the county tax rate for their venture should not break them. When they get a big tax break it creates animosity for the average citizen and local business owner when we don’t get a break which means we are paying our “fair share” based upon percentages whereas big business takes those breaks and pass them on to share holders around the world.
https://www.brownwoodtx.com/story/news/2022/02/11/county-judge-terry-blevins/6762256001/
