I am James Hodshon, the Democratic candidate for 1st District commissioner of Camden County. I currently live in Linn Creek and work at Culver’s Restaurant in Osage Beach.

I have lived in Camden County since 1988 and I am raising a family. My wife works at Dollar General and my daughter attends eighth grade at Camdenton Middle School.

Why am I running? To be a strong representation for all of Camden County.

The people of this county are looking for the type of representation that is.

1. solid;

2. responsible;

3. accountable;

4. dependable.

A commissioner must be one who has the people’s interest at heart, not to see what personal interest they want to achieve.

I believe that I can be that commissioner for you, one who is dependable, accountable and responsible to the people of Camden County.

The job of commissioner is not one to be taken lightly, it is a 24/7 responsibility. It is a job that takes a lot of time and hard work to get it done and done right the first time.

I want my door always open to the people of the county.

A commissioner should be held accountable for how and where your tax dollars go – this is your hard-earned money.

I want to be a commissioner you can trust and be upfront with you  – the people of this county and its revenue. The people should have access to how, where and when their taxes are used and the purpose it was used for.

One of the issues a commissioner has to face is planning and zoning.

Our county has become one of the fastest growing counties in the state.

This growth is due to the rapid growth of the Lake of the Ozarks area. Also included in this rapid growth is the increase of condos and lake homes and many developments on Shawnee Bend.

Most of the people who come here are from Kansas City and St. Louis - most of them end up moving here and raising families.

With this much growth comes problems with the zoning of such land and the ability to tell if it is zoned commercial or residential.

As your commissioner, I will be open to you concerning such issues. I want the people of this county to be informed of such issues regarding planning and zoning.

Another issue is sewer problems such as Camelot and Sunny Slope. We cannot afford problems with such issues; sewer problems can bring about many safety and health concerns. Our children’s health and safety is my highest concern.

The next area of concern is that our roads and bridges; As I said before, the rapid growth of this county has brought about large amounts of traffic to the Lake of the Ozarks area as well as the county as a whole.

This increase in traffic includes the many construction vehicles that carry large amounts of items, such as gravel and sand.

All this puts a lot of pressure on your roads and bridges, some to the point of much needed repair.

An example is the small bridge in Linn Creek at the industrial park.

I have to say this, we have the best snow removal program anywhere. As your commissioner, I will see that your roads are cared for during the winter months.

Roads and bridges should be another high concern as a commissioner, for you the people of this county have to travel them every day to work, to school, meetings and so on. This includes me too.

Another area is our seniors and disabled who need care, including transportation and medical care. I will see to it that they are well cared for, for these are the major part of the people of Camden County.

They all deserve respect for the years they worked.

This Nov. 4, I ask for your vote and support to be your first district commissioner.