Cantrell says he has management experience

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Donald Cantrell

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July 23, 2012

Cantrell says he has management experience

Charles Oliver charlesoliver@daltoncitizen.com The Dalton Daily Citizen Mon Jul 23, 2012, 01:50 PM EDT

Donald Cantrell says he has always been interested in politics but never considered running for office before last year.

“We had those 15 candidates running for (Murray County sole) commissioner, and it just sparked something in me. I told people I’m going to run for something next year,” he said. “I love politics, but I’m not from a political family.”

Cantrell, 52, faces incumbent Murray County Clerk of Superior Court Connie Gallman Reed in the July 31 Democratic primary. Kim Dailey and Donna Flood are running in the Republican primary for that post.

Cantrell, a Murray County native, said he first looked at running for an open part-time post in Magistrate Court but eventually decided to run for clerk.

“I have nothing against (Reed). This is just something I wanted to do. I’ve looked at the office and what it does, and I feel like it’s something I’m qualified to do, and it’s something I want to do,” Cantrell said.

A graduate of Murray County High School, Cantrell has been a preacher and pastor for 32 years and currently serves as pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in Dalton. He says he has also served as a department manager at Diamond Carpet Mills and Beaulieu Group.

“I’ve managed departments with 150 to 200 people and million dollar budgets. I am well versed in leadership,” he said. “I’ve always been a bi-vocational minister. I know how to deal with people. I know how to manage people, and I know how to manage budgets. And that’s what that job requires.”

Cantrell said if elected being clerk would be his primary job.

Cantrell said he would place employees of the clerk’s office under the county merit system, which would give them an avenue of appeal if they believe they have been unfairly disciplined or fired.

“I’ve done some research on that. I think it would be in their best interest and the county’s best interest. And it’s only fair that they have the same rights as other county employees,” he said.

Cantrell says he would like to “streamline” some of the office procedures.

“I’ve heard of jury notices being sent to the wrong address. We’ve got computer systems in place, so we should be able to check with the tax commissioner’s office, for example, to make sure we have the right address and not waste the county’s money mailing stuff out,” he said. “But I don’t anticipate making any extreme changes.”

Cantrell and his wife Denise have one adult daughter.

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