3 pursue assessor's office

By Thomas Wilson
STAR STAFF
twilson@starhq.com

   Three county citizens will seek the Republican nomination for the county's assessor of property's office when citizens go to the polls in the county and federal primaries on Feb. 10.
   George D. Fortner Jr., 120 Bear Cage Rd., Roan Mountain; Gerald W. Holly, 1393 Bristol Highway, and Ted L. Weaver, 180 Rainbow Circle, have filed papers with the Carter County Election Commission to be on the county primary ballot.
   The county Republican primary will coincide with the Presidential Preference primary that will be held on Feb. 10. State primaries and county general election will be held Aug. 5.
   The Carter County Democratic Party did not hold a county primary or a caucus to select a candidate. The deadline to file candidacy papers for the county primary was Thursday.
   Fortner is employed by Lowe's Contractor Yard in Gray.
   Holly is the sitting assessor of property. He has worked in the office since 1998. He was officially appointed assessor earlier this year by the County Commission after John Holsclaw retired.
   Weaver is a private business owner and represented the 1st District on the County Commission from 1994 to 2002 when he declined to seek a third term. He ran for the assessor's office in 1996 and 2000.
   The county assessor receives a salary of $58,969, not including retirement and benefits given to county employees. The salary for elected county officials is set by the state of Tennessee based on a county's population.
   Other than the assessor's office, four of the county's eight school board seats will be up and the city of Watauga will hold its election for city commissioners. The first day for potential candidates for those offices to pick up qualifying papers is Jan. 2. The filing deadline is April 1.
   The state and federal election, including the presidential election, will be held Nov. 2, 2004.