Eckman looking to make changes

Contributed Auburn Villager Sheila Eckman has represented Ward 2 on the Auburn City Council since 2002.

Sheila Eckman wants to take her decade of experience on Auburn's City Council to the next level.

She will be opposing County Commission District 1 representative J. Mathan Holt in the March 13 Republican Primary.

Although it is her first time running for a county office, Eckman is confident that she has the knowledge and experience to excel in the position.

"In my first term on City Council, I attended 557 meetings," Eckman said. "I did what I could to learn as much as possible about the city so I could make rational decisions. It's so interesting to me to learn what makes the city go. I'm even interested in learning how the sewer works."

Eckman, who graduated from Auburn University in 1985 with a degree in journalism, is determined to take that same kind of enthusiasm to the county level if she is elected.

"I think any public office is what you make of it," Eckman said.

Now about halfway through her third term representing Ward 2 on Auburn's City Council, Eckman said she had been pondering the idea of running for a county position for some time, mainly because of concerns she has about a lack of organization.

"When I think of our County Commission, I think of them as reactive rather than proactive," Eckman said. "I would hope in the near term they could get proactive about economic development because I really do think when things come back around, it's going to be shocking to all of us how fast it moves.

"Even as good a situation we have in Auburn with things like planning and zoning, when it's cranking, it is hard to keep up. But the city, even during this economic downturn, has been doing work behind the scenes preparing for the next onslaught. I just don't see any evidence that the county has done that."

Eckman believes the county could experience a boom in growth similar to the one experienced at the city level in the early 2000s.

"I feel like this county is like a Maserati sitting up on blocks. The blocks are the economic downturn," Eckman said. "But when those blocks are gone, it's going to be a race. I just feel this whole area is going to boom, just like it did when I first got on the Council. We grew 30 percent in 10 years, and I think that's going to happen in the county too. But, I don't think the county is ready.

"I think there will be those people­­—when the economy comes back—that want to invest in the county rather than one of the cities. The county obviously needs that tax money, and I wish we were better prepared for that eventuality."

Eckman is also concerned about a lack of transparency within the County Commission, especially when it comes to involving citizens in discussions about why certain votes are made.

Currently, the main commission meetings are held at 6 p.m., while the pre-meeting begins at 4 p.m. Eckman wants to see that change so more citizens can be included, much like they are for the 6:45 p.m. city Meeting of the Whole before the 7 p.m. City Council meeting.

"A lot of people can't get off work at 4 o'clock," Eckman said. "If you're coming from Notasulga or Smiths Station for the pre-meeting at 4 p.m., and maybe it only lasts a half an hour, what do you do until 6 o'clock? It's an awkward scenario, and I think they'd be better served to change the character of that pre-meeting."

When it comes to campaigning, Eckman will be utilizing both old fashioned and new age means, including newspaper ads, yard signs, emails and Facebook.

Additionally, she will be paying for all of her campaign efforts herself, just like she did when she ran for her City Council position.

"I don't see how you can take money from someone and then forget who gave you the money," Eckman said. "I'm not a rich person, but that's where I choose to put my money. I've proven it at the city level, and I want to prove that you can run and be successful without taking money at the next level too. I think a lot of people don't get into public service because they don't want to spend the money or they do not want to ask for the money—and I do not want to ask for the money. I just can't stand that."

If Eckman wins the District 1 seat, she wants to make sure one of her biggest hopes for the County Commission comes to fruition: Becoming more visible.

"County Commission is like the Rodney Dangerfield of politics—it gets no respect," Eckman said. "People think what happens in the county doesn't affect them because they live in the city, but it does. That's why I would like to see them kick it up a notch and become a little more professional."