Mauzy aiming unseat Engelage
By Tim Schmidt Record Managing Editor Providing more jobs and handling future growth are priorities for both candidates running for presiding commissioner. Incumbent Arden Engelage is being opposed by County Coroner Roger Mauzy in the Aug. 5 primary election. Both candidates are Republicans. The winner will be unopposed in the November general election and will begin a four-year term in January. Engelage is in his last year of his second four-year term serving as presiding commissioner. Prior to that, he spent 10 years as southern district commissioner. He remains committed to fulfilling the county’s top post. “I like working with the people,” Engelage said. “I see a lot of things we can do and I want to try to get it done.” Mauzy is in his 18th year as coroner and is employed as a full-time paramedic. He feels it’s time for a new perspective as presiding commissioner. “I want to see change,” he remarked. “I want to see changes done that benefit the majority and not just a few. I believe that may be happening at this time.” Mauzy feels more focus needs to be placed on economic development and said incentives may be a tool that should be used to attract companies to the county. “There has to be some way to make our county appealing to businesses to come in,” he said. “I don’t see a lot of businesses popping up in this county. Without the businesses, we won’t get the revenue.” However, Engelage pointed out strides are being made to lure more businesses to the county thanks to the formation of the Greater Warren County Economic Development Council. The county contributes $20,000 annually to the public-private partnership and so far that involvement has paid dividends. The GWCEDC was instrumental in getting CertainTeed to build a manufacturing and distribution facility in the area and also has had other success stories. More announcements from the GWCEDC are expected to be made soon, Engelage said. “With the improved roads and now with the GWCEDC, I think those two things working together make Warren County attractive for many businesses,” Engelage commented. “Businesses, whether it’s manufacturing or retail, I would like to see come to Warren County. I don’t want to see people always going to St. Charles, Lincoln or Franklin counties.” Engelage said his experience is crucial to keep the county moving forward. The county is debt free and has a balanced budget. In his past term, Engelage was involved in upgrading and paving around 15 county roads from a dedicated tax, updating the county’s zoning codes and regulations, and installing a web-based HVAC system in the courthouse that paid for itself in 20 months. The county established a health care savings account where employees receive $500 annually, with a cap of $1,500, to cover co-pays and deductibles. The county also opened the new 36,670-square-foot administration building, which houses all non-court related county offices, in 2012. “The best part was it was totally paid for when we opened up,” said Engelage about the $6.5 million project. Priorities that Mauzy has identified as needing to be considered, if elected, include pay raises for county employees, supporting a no-kill animal shelter and making county roads more safer. He said the county cannot financially support a no-kill shelter as a third-class county, but should put itself in position to help out if the move to a second-class county is made. Mauzy also continues to support those who want to see Augusta Bottom Road improved. A fatal crash occurred on the road in 2010 and he has attempted to put pressure on the county to make improvements. However, the commission has insisted a stretch of the road that lies in the county and was the area where the crash occurred is under the jurisdiction of Augusta. “We may not have a legal responsibility to make it safer, but 1.7 miles lies in Warren County,” Mauzy said. “If nothing else, we have an ethical and moral responsibility to make these roads as safe as possible, even if few Warren County residents use it.” He also believes the county should have taken steps in recent years to avoid litigation that has been costly. “If we can have more negotiations, less litigation, we could save a ton of money,” Mauzy remarked. “Every lawsuit costs the county’s taxpayers a ton of money. Some lawsuits are necessary, I understand that, but some I’ve seen go through, I think we could have negotiated our way out.” Engelage said there is more he wants to accomplish in another term. He wants to continue replacing deficient bridges and continue improving more county roads. He said the commission has always had an open door policy to hear from residents. “We have a real good working relationship with the other elected officials and department heads,” Engelage said. “I think we have a mutual respect for each other. We are working for the citizens of Warren County.” If elected, Mauzy would have to resign from his coroner position, which he has held for 18 years. While he admits to not knowing the answers to some of the challenges moving forward, Mauzy said he would lean on the other two commissioners to bridge that gap. “Before I became coroner, I thought I knew what a coroner did,” he commented. “I learned real quick I was wrong. I can learn this job just as quickly.”
Roger Mauzy, left; Arden Engelage, right.
