Candidate Biography (submitted by candidate):

James K. (Jim) Womack is a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel. Raised in a military family, Jim was an Eagle Scout and a national class athlete in track and field in high school. He attended the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, NY and graduated with an MS in Engineering in 1977. Jim later returned to school for a Masters Degrees in Business Management and a Masters Degree in Operations, Plans and Training.

Jim's military career spanned 20 years of service during the Cold War and he was stationed in the U.S., Middle East, and Europe. He received the Bronze Star Medal for his service in Iraq during Operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm in 1990-91, and is the recipient of the Army's Legion of Merit and the U.S. Cavalry Association's Silver Order of Saint George.

After retiring from the Army in 1997, Jim worked in a variety of public and private sector positions as an information systems engineer, consultant, manager, and Corporate Vice President for two companies. He was the chief architect for the enterprise health information system now being deployed to all the county health departments across North Carolina.

In addition to his business accomplishments, Jim is an active volunteer in the local community. He teaches at Lee Christian School and serves on several boards and Christian missions within Sanford and Lee County. Jim is one of the principal volunteer counselors and substance abuse intervention coordinators at the Bread of Life Ministries. His wife, Sherry-Lynn, is an Army Major and combat veteran. She is presently assigned to XVIII Airborne Corps at Ft Bragg. Jim and Sherry-Lynn have five children and are members of Turners Chapel in Sanford.

For more information, visit Jim's Blogsite -- Transforming Lee County -- at the following web address: http://transformingleecounty.blogspot.com

I am running for the District 4 seat on the Lee County Board of Commissioners to supply a conservative voice (and vote) on issues that matter to Lee County residents.

Lee County has unique qualities and a superior geo-strategic location in comparison to the counties around us. There's no excuse for our much higher tax rates, our high unemployment rate, and our poor socio-economic status compared to our neighbors. Like most Lee County residents, I believe it's time for a change in Board membership. I can provide both experience and fresh new ideas to get Lee County back on the path to recovery.

I will apply Christian conservative values to all matters that come before me on the Board of Commissioners. I will implement policies and pursue measures to improve the job situation for Lee County residents. I will promote and implement policies that create a more favorable business climate across the County so small businesses are encouraged to grow. I will oppose any new taxes and I will seek property tax reductions in the near term.

I will scrutinize the County budget in detail, assign priorities to each line item, then recommend cutting expenses and re-directing funds to our most critical unfunded priorities or reducing the tax burden on our wage earners. I also promise do a better job pursuing the military's Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) opportunities, where we have fallen woefully behind the counties to our south in creating jobs and opportunities for rapid economic growth.