Butch Broome
Age: 51
Family: Married 27 years; two sons ages 24 and 19, one grandchild
Work experience: Self employed/business owner for 33 years; currently semi-retired
Educational background: Attended University of South Carolina
Civic activities: Past president Richmond Hill Recreation, board member RHRA, RH Christmas Parade Committee, Friends of Fort McAllister State Park, past chapter chairman Ducks Unlimited, original committee member Seafood Festival, president RH Gridiron Club, past member Richmond Hill Rotary Club, past VP Calvary Day School Booster Club, past pnstructor Junior Achievement, co-founder Southeast Georgia Youth Football.
Political experience: None
Age: 51
Family: Married 27 years; two sons ages 24 and 19, one grandchild
Work experience: Self employed/business owner for 33 years; currently semi-retired
Educational background: Attended University of South Carolina
Civic activities: Past president Richmond Hill Recreation, board member RHRA, RH Christmas Parade Committee, Friends of Fort McAllister State Park, past chapter chairman Ducks Unlimited, original committee member Seafood Festival, president RH Gridiron Club, past member Richmond Hill Rotary Club, past VP Calvary Day School Booster Club, past pnstructor Junior Achievement, co-founder Southeast Georgia Youth Football.
Political experience: None
To Butch Broome, it seems like a natural step for him to run for the soon-to-be vacated District 4 seat on the Bryan County Board of Commissioners.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve been very involved in the community for the past 15 years,” he said. “I just feel like it’s a natural progression for me to do this.”
Broome, the Republican nominee for the seat, said he only waited two days to announce his candidacy after Commissioner Toby Roberts said this spring he was stepping down from his 20-year tenure on the board. Broome wanted to run for the seat prior to this year but admitted that challenging the long-time incumbent would be “a tough nut to crack.”
If elected, Broome said he would work to bring the county’s infrastructure up to speed with the recent population surge.
“In 2000, the county exploded with developments,” he said, “[But we] didn’t get roads.”
The county also needs to attract more industries to ease the property tax burden off of homeowners, Broome said. Something also has to be done to help senior citizens pay their property taxes. Broome says that neighboring counties have a bill that freezes the tax base for seniors, but Bryan County does not.
“We got to figure out what we can be able to do for our senior citizens,” he said.
Broome has been a small business owner since he moved here 15 years ago, when he jumped at the chance to run a new branch of TruGreen ChemLawn nearby. Since then, he’s owned a few businesses in the area and is currently the owner of Fish Tales restaurant in South Bryan, though he describes himself as semi-retired.
It’s his 33 years as a business owner that will help him understand numbers and finances in Bryan County government, Broome said. He also believes his involvement in civic organizations makes him a qualified candidate, and it also introduced him to many people in the community.
“I’ve had a very good diplomatic relationship with everyone I’ve dealt with,” he said.
Broome said he just wants to do a good job on the board and do right by his constituents.
“You do what’s right, you do what’s fair,” he said. “It’s not about what I want; it’s about what the majority wants.”
“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I’ve been very involved in the community for the past 15 years,” he said. “I just feel like it’s a natural progression for me to do this.”
Broome, the Republican nominee for the seat, said he only waited two days to announce his candidacy after Commissioner Toby Roberts said this spring he was stepping down from his 20-year tenure on the board. Broome wanted to run for the seat prior to this year but admitted that challenging the long-time incumbent would be “a tough nut to crack.”
If elected, Broome said he would work to bring the county’s infrastructure up to speed with the recent population surge.
“In 2000, the county exploded with developments,” he said, “[But we] didn’t get roads.”
The county also needs to attract more industries to ease the property tax burden off of homeowners, Broome said. Something also has to be done to help senior citizens pay their property taxes. Broome says that neighboring counties have a bill that freezes the tax base for seniors, but Bryan County does not.
“We got to figure out what we can be able to do for our senior citizens,” he said.
Broome has been a small business owner since he moved here 15 years ago, when he jumped at the chance to run a new branch of TruGreen ChemLawn nearby. Since then, he’s owned a few businesses in the area and is currently the owner of Fish Tales restaurant in South Bryan, though he describes himself as semi-retired.
It’s his 33 years as a business owner that will help him understand numbers and finances in Bryan County government, Broome said. He also believes his involvement in civic organizations makes him a qualified candidate, and it also introduced him to many people in the community.
“I’ve had a very good diplomatic relationship with everyone I’ve dealt with,” he said.
Broome said he just wants to do a good job on the board and do right by his constituents.
“You do what’s right, you do what’s fair,” he said. “It’s not about what I want; it’s about what the majority wants.”