Murray candidates push down stretch

As first cousins, Bruce Reed and Greg Hogan grew up in the same family circles and each said they never found reason to quarrel or get into a fight with each other.

But in less than 10 days one will triumph over the other in a political struggle for the Murray County sole commissioner seat, a prize that comes with an almost $100,000 a year salary.

Hogan tried and faltered in the last race for the post in 2008, besting sitting commissioner Jim Welch in the Democratic primary but losing to Republican David Ridley in the general election. Ridley resigned in March in the shadow of a sexual harassment lawsuit, and the special election runoff will determine who completes the last 18 months of the four-year term.

Another election in 2012 — for a full four-year term — will kick off with qualifying next April when candidates declare their party and then prepare for a July primary. The final voting will line up with the general election in November.

But first things first.

Reed and Hogan finished one-two in the 15-candidate field last month during the nonpartisan bout, with 856 and 558 votes, respectively. Both say they’ve been approaching the other 12 men and one woman and asking for their votes, but thus far have been holding the responses from the former candidates close to the vest.

As have the vanquished. Only one of the former candidates responded to a request for announcing an endorsement, and it was noncommittal.

“I consider both men friends,” said Steve Noland, a former member of the five-man commission board of the late 1990s who finished in fifth place in the election last month. “I encourage all registered voters to research both candidates’ qualifications, ask questions (and) then make their choice as I plan to do.”

Supporters speak up

Other citizens were not as guarded.

“I’ve known both these young men, and I have nothing bad to say about either one of them,” said retiree Harold Tankersley. “But I would pick Bruce Reed. I’ve known his family, he’s a good Christian man and supports our veterans. All of these things together leads me to support him.”

Local builder Curtis Love also supports Reed, whose family owns a lumber company.

“I’ve known Bruce since high school,” he said. “He’s an excellent person to work with, and if he ever tells you he’ll do something, he does it. He’s prompt about bringing materials out (to job sites), and he’s always kept his price what he said. I know he doesn’t have experience, but everybody needs a starting place.”

Donna Blankenship, who works in the cosmetology department at North Murray High School, said she’s known Reed for almost 15 years.

“We used to be neighbors, and our kids went to school together,” she said. “He’s a family person, very approachable. That’s what I like about him. He really cares about Murray County, and I like his ideas about bringing revenue in by getting people to come visit and see our natural beauty. He’d be a good person to do that.”

Reed’s sister, Maria Bradley, is serving as his campaign manager. She said her brother has been busy knocking on doors and talking to people as his primary strategy, and Reed’s wife, Renee, said they were attending a luncheon in town on Friday.

Reed opted out of a Murray County Tea Party Patriots forum Thursday night in Chatsworth that Hogan attended, saying in an email before the meeting he had “already attended two forums during this campaign and feel I have already covered the issues at hand. There are only a few days left for me to try to see as many people as possible and I will work diligently to do so.”

Longtime Eton City Councilwoman Joan Dooley said Hogan helped bring about growth in the town.

“I’ve known him for a long time, but really got to know him on the council when he was elected mayor,” she said. “We had our differences at times but we worked through them. It wasn’t about him or me or another council member but what was best for the city. We always worked together to try and get new businesses to come in, and Greg helped get sewer into the city.”

Dooley said Hogan “learned a lot” while in office.

“Greg has leadership qualities, and I think the time he spent as mayor could help him as commissioner,” she said.

Early days

Reed graduated Murray County High in 1979, and Hogan graduated the school two years later. Neither attended college or technical schools, but went to work after high school.

Hogan actually worked for the county for three years after graduating, then was employed by the old Diamond Carpets in construction.

“I always wanted to be in business for myself, and in 1984 or ’85 Steve Pless told me about the forestry business and hauling their products. My family had owned a sawmill at one time, so I bought a tractor-trailer and got started.”

He owns Greg Hogan Trucking and started Hogan’s Tire and Lube in Eton in 2006. Hogan was elected mayor of Eton in 2004 but resigned in 2008 to run for commissioner.

“Eton grew when I was mayor,” he said. “I’ve worked with legislators in getting grants, and it’s my belief that experience goes a long way in government. I’m not afraid to go to Atlanta and meet with legislators or meet with people from DCA (state Department of Community Affairs) or RDC (Regional Development Center, now called the Northwest Georgia Regional Commission).”

Hogan said he’s serving as his own campaign manager.

Reed began working at 411 Chevron, now known as Shotsy’s Gas Station in Ramhurst, after high school.

“My job responsibilities included general management of day-to-day operations, inventory, personnel, marketing, advertising and overseeing the budget,” he said.

In 1982 Reed went to work at the family business, Reed Lumber Co., where he works today.

“It was a lot different (then) than it is today,” he said. “In the early years we harvested our own timber and milled it into lumber, mulch and shavings to be sold off the yard. Today (we) have developed into a retail lumber and building supply with all lumber being bought from other distributors and sold at our location here in Chatsworth.”

Reed said he attends professional learning seminars for marketing and advertising hardware and lumber “on a regular basis.”

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