County Commissioner Survey: Keeping Davidson County Healthy
As public health funding shrinks and rates of disease, infection and drug use climb, the question of how to protect community health is front and center for local voters. In the second installment of our series on the Davidson County Board of Commissioners race, Sidney Briggs asked the candidates: "Public health is being rapidly defunded, while rates of diseases, infection, and drug usage are rising. How do you plan to keep Davidson County healthy?" The candidates' answers are printed below in alphabetical order. Robbie Beasley and Dwight Cornelison did not respond.
Felicia Dreher: My position: Emphasize prevention, access, community partnerships, and individual responsibility. Public health is a shared concern, and Davidson County faces challenges involving substance use, infectious diseases, mental health, and access to care. I believe the county should focus on practical solutions while respecting individual liberty and recognizing the limits of local government.
As a commissioner, I would:
Support preventative health services: Evaluate the county health department's programs and prioritize services with demonstrated public health benefits.
Address substance abuse: Encourage partnerships among healthcare providers, treatment facilities, nonprofits, and community organizations to expand access to recovery services.
Improve mental health access: Explore partnerships that help residents connect with affordable counseling, crisis intervention, and treatment. I would also recommend every public servant that goes out into our communities be equipped with Narcan and the knowledge on how to use it. Narcan saves lives as an opioid receptor antagonist. If administered to a person that is overdosing, it may save their life.
Promote education: Support factual public education about infectious diseases, drug risks, prevention, and available community resources.
Demand accountability: Evaluate public health expenditures based on measurable outcomes, effectiveness, and responsible use of taxpayer funds.
I believe people should have access to reliable health information and opportunities to make informed decisions about their own well-being. Our government has a role in protecting public health, but its programs must be transparent, effective, and respectful of individual rights.
Tonya Lanier: We have/had an excellent Health Department. We should give this Department what they need to compete with the growing changes. Let the experts learn, grow and share. We should listen to the people who know the most.
Matt Mizell: County government's role in public health should be practical and built around prevention and partnerships rather than creating excessive and costly bureaucracy. Davidson County already has the infrastructure in place through our Health Department, the Board of Health, and the Opioid Committee. If outside funding declines, of course we should protect these core functions first and carefully evaluate programs based on results rather replacing every lost dollar with local property taxes. Substance misuse remains one of our most serious challenges here and across the state. I support a balanced approach that includes law enforcement against traffickers, treatment for people seeking recovery, overdose prevention, drug-court, and partnerships with community organizations already doing this work. We have already established key partnerships with the long-term goal of building wrap-around services for individuals in need. On a personal note to everyone working through recovery—and to those who have overcome that dark siege—I stand with you and I applaud you. We have but one life to live, and every life is worth living free from substance abuse and free from bondage. I indeed want us to be a community that refuses to abandon people in their darkest moments.
Chuck Slipetsky: Again, the issue is money plus the additional burden of public re-education. If money is not raised and spent logically and appropriately, this is one of the things that gets cut or dries up. The re-education refers to the present federal government that is making medical decisions for us that is not based on medical knowledge but hearsay. Research has shown over and over the effectiveness and safety of the various vaccines that when used would reduce the need for more serious healthcare. I would encourage the availability of free school lunches and work to establish the financing of them. I have personally been hungry as a kid and I am still affected by it today at my senior age. Illegal drugs are another problem with the county sitting on millions of dollars allocated for this from the state and federal governments and has not spend most of it. Meanwhile, there are dedicated non-profit organizations asking for very meager amounts but are refused. One organization asked for only a grant of $5000 dollars and was refused. This organization is run by a man who lost a son to the epidemic. I will spend the money we have earmarked for this.
Dexter Short: Keeping Davidson County Healthy-I think our Health Department should actively promote good health practices and encourage immunizations for those who are willing to be vaccinated against communicable disease. Lastly, we need effective drug rehabilitation programs, which hopefully the funds received from the opioid settlement can finance.
Andrea Tate: Keeping Davidson County healthy requires prevention, access to care, and strong partnerships across the community. Public health challenges cannot be solved by one agency alone. County departments, healthcare providers, nonprofits, schools, law enforcement, and community organizations all have a role. Substance use and mental health concerns are especially important because they affect individuals, families, workplaces, and public safety. I would support partnerships that connect people with treatment, recovery resources, prevention programs, and follow-up support. Davidson Medical Ministries already works to improve access to healthcare and connect residents with community resources, and organizations like that are important partners in addressing local health needs. My background in human services has shown me that early intervention matters. People often need help before a situation becomes a crisis. Transportation, affordability, and knowing where to go for services can all become barriers to care. As a County Commissioner, I would listen to public health professionals, review available data, and ask where county resources can have the greatest impact. I would also look for opportunities to strengthen coordination among existing programs rather than duplicate services. A healthier Davidson County requires practical prevention, better access, strong community partnerships, and accountability for how public dollars are used to improve health outcomes.
