Four men nominated to fill the remaining two years of the late Jimmy Patterson’s District 3 County Commission seat made their sales pitches last Tuesday.

All commissioners were invited to question the prospects as the commission’s rules and legislative committee met.

“I would be proud to sit in his seat and carry on his term,” Terry Davenport, Patterson’s son-in-law, said. “He has been grooming me for the past four or five years.”

Davenport joined the other hopefuls in saying an on-campus football field for Community High School is one of District 3’s biggest needs.

“We need some better roads,” Davenport said. “Some of them’s in really bad shape.”

The biggest challenge for the entire county is attracting new businesses, Davenport said.

Commissioner Bill Anderson said Davenport rarely attended meetings as a member of the Bedford County Agriculture Center board some years ago and asked if he’d attend commission and committee meetings as a commissioner. Davenport replied that during those years he had been trying to operate a convenience store with no help, eventually resigned from that board and would be able to attend meetings today.

Rick Gann said he has been a resident of Bedford County since 1996 and District 3 since 1999. Gann described himself as “self-employed.”

Gann said a major concern, countywide and in his district, is attracting jobs and businesses.

“We’re becoming a bedroom community of Murfreesboro,” Gann said. “We need more industries and businesses and to keep our tax money in the county. We need better-paying jobs so our money doesn’t go out of town.”

Gann said too many local residents who work elsewhere are spending their money in those cities.

Jason Sanders said he grew up in El Bethel and has lived in District 3 for three years. He is owner of Sanders Plumbing.

“There’s a lot of room for more growth,” Sanders said. “We need jobs.” Sanders said too many tax dollars are going out of the county.

The recently-opened Nash Creamery between Unionville and Rover in District 3 is an example of the type of businesses needed, Sanders said.

Brent Stacy of Unionville, a lifelong resident of northwestern Bedford County, is a representative of an equipment company who has done farm and construction work.

Stacy said road improvement is a priority along with attracting new businesses. He expressed concerns about how lower gas tax revenue due to pandemic-related driving cutbacks will affect the county’s budget and ability to fund projects.

“Lower-income housing” that “isn’t contributing as much as others” concerns Stacy, who said as a member of the Bedford County Planning Commission he has tried to prevent projects he didn’t think the county needed. Stacy also said he sees a need for vocational courses to return to Community and Cascade high schools.

Anderson, who nominated Stacy, asked if he would resign his Bedford County Road Board seat due to a potential conflict of interest. Stacy said he would do so.

Stacy said he would likely be able to attend most meetings but may occasionally be absent due to his job, which involves some out-of-town travel.

Rick Frazier, who had been nominated, withdrew his name from consideration.

The full commission will choose the next District 3 commissioner at its December meeting.