Habersham County Commissioner Bruce Harkness is seeking reelection. Harkness, who currently serves as the commission’s vice-chair, is in his first term on the board. He announced Friday that he intends to qualify in March to run for a second term.
“I’ve spoken to many people in the community, and they have asked me to run again,” Harkness tells Now Habersham. “I have prayed about it, and my simple goal is to work for our awesome county and the citizens and taxpayers here for the betterment of our county for all of us and our children and grandchildren.”
Harkness, a lifelong Habersham County resident and attorney by trade, adds it’s “important to keep taxes low, to keep spending within reason and be frugal with taxpayers’ money.”
“We need to have a plan for this future growth that is coming. And we also need to prepare for water and sewer to meet the needs of potential industry and businesses that could come to our county to offer jobs to our children and grandchildren so they won’t have to leave the county.”
Harkness says he wants another term on the board to help develop a water and sewer plan. He also wants to keep asking the hard and tough questions “nobody else wanted to ask.”
“Four years ago, when I was first elected county commissioner, I promised I would try to get the answers that the everyday working men and women need and want to know about what’s going on with their government. And I promise to do the same if I am reelected to represent the great people of this county,” he says.
Commissioner Harkness’ son Jerry Harkness is the mayor of Demorest. Recounting their family’s roots in Rabun and Habersham counties, Bruce says he wants to continue his family’s 224-year tradition of public service.
