Editor's Note: Voters of municipal elections on March 12 will decide several positions in Crestview and Laurel Hill governments.
To help readers make informed decisions at the polls, the News Bulletin will publish profiles of each candidate running for these offices through March 2.
Each candidate was asked to answer the same questions and received the same amount of space to respond. Candidates appear alphabetically.
BILL COX
Personal:Married to Debbie; four adult children. Member of the Audubon Society, Choctawhatchee Audubon and National Wildlife Federation. District sales manager, Dietz Supply Company.
Relevant experience:
I have 12 years' supervisory and managerial experience at General Motors Corporation and Navistar International, followed by 20 years outside industrial sales.
I served three years on Columbia-Tusculum Community Council in a Cincinnati, Ohio community. I am familiar with Robert's Rules of Order. I currently serve on the city of Crestview Board of Adjustment.
Other education/experience: I am a graduate of Anderson High School, Cincinnati, Ohio. I attended University of Cincinnati Evening College, Industrial Management. I served in the Marine Reserves. I have held a private pilot single engine land certificate since 1990.
Reason you seek this position: I have a desire to serve to help improve the quality of life experience here in Crestview for all citizens.
Biggest issue this position faces and how you plan to address it: I will encourage greater citizen turnout at council meetings, including newer arrivals to Crestview who are concentrated in Precinct 2.
Working together, we can make Crestview the city we are all proud to call home.
SHANNON HAYES
Personal: Crestview native; graduate of Carver-Hill High School. Married to Ann Hayes of East Palatka and the father of three children, Marcellus Hayes (Saint Petersburg), Darian Hayes (Bremerton, Wash.) and Shamira Hayes (Crestview). The son of S.F.C. Samuel "Sam" and Sarah Hayes. Currently president of Crestview Board of Adjustment and Carver-Hill Historical and Memorial Society, Precinct 12 polling clerk, church pianist, men's Sunday school teacher, member of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church, substitute teacher for Okaloosa County School District, member of Friendly Thriftiettes Charity Club, Phi Beta Sigma Fraternity Inc. and Army and Air Force Exchange System, or AAFES, retirees association.
Relevant experience:Thirty-two years' service as AAFES retail manager with extensive training and experience in customer service, financial, business and personnel management.
Previously OSHA certified and former AAFES EEO investigator for Southeast Region and Europe.
Recipient of the Highest Award for Achievement from Dale Carnegie Training Course, Army's Commander Award for Public Service, Army's Civilian Award for Humanitarian Service and AAFES service awards for services rendered in Haiti, Homestead AFB (following Hurricane Andrew) and Iraq, supporting the American military.
Other education/experience:Studies at St. John River Jr. College, University of Heidelburg and University of Maryland Overseas Division, Heidelburg, Germany. BA degree (Music) from Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona Beach. Graduate of AAFES's Retail Management School, Dallas.
Reason you seek this position: My platform is to serve all people in my hometown to the best of my ability without favoritism.
I am a listener, and a doer, always there to listen and then respond in the citizens' best interest. I believe we need to continue to increase the quality of life for all our citizens, not forgetting our youth generation. We must establish additional resources for them, such as a city swimming pool and additional recreational improvements.
I believe business growth is great for our citizens, but it must be managed as it is developing. I will be a voice to address these and other issues in a fair and impartial manner, always remembering the will of the people is my duty.
Biggest issue this position faces and how you plan to address it: I don't see any large issues at the time that the council cannot adequately address.
We all know the traffic conditions are a major problem for our city, but since they are state highways, we have no control over this issue. But we must continue to address our state legislators on our concerns of current and future traffic conditions.
One challenge will be to make sure our citizens make their concerns known to their elected officials. I will be one who will have an open line of communication with our entire community.
Contact News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes at 850-682-6524 or brianh@crestviewbulletin.com. Follow him on Twitter @cnbBrian.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Meet the candidates: Crestview City Council, Precinct 2