Three vying for county commision seat

Larry White has qualified to seek the Republican nomination for District 3 seat on the Escambia County Commission which he held for 24 years.

White served on the commission from 1994-2018, which included 10 years as the chairman.

"I love Escambia County, and there's always more work to be done," White said. "I enjoy serving and working on behalf of the people to provide the services of county government in the most professional, courteous, and expedient manner. I believe that my experience in both county government and in business are valuable assets in representing District 3 and Escambia County."

As a commissioner, White has helped to manage Escambia County Commission operations and finance for 24 of the past 28 years. During his tenure on the commission, White worked with other commissioners, the engineering department, and men and women on an understaffed road crew to maintain and repair county roads and bridges. "There was always a diligent search underway for funds to resurface the paved roads and to address needed new construction," White said.

In addition, White was a member of the teams that accomplished the following major projects: (1) Removing a log jam from Big Escambia Creek, (2) Constructing a four-lane from Highway 113 to I-65, (3) Replacing the dangerous and out of date Parker Bridge over Conecuh River with the relocated current Parker Bridge, and (4) Completing the four-lane construction of U. S. Highway 31 from the railroad overpass to Twin Bridges after the project was abandoned by the state. White said all of these multi-million dollar projects were completed with a minimum amount of local funds.

White served as president of the Alabama Association of County Commissions in 2010 and also served on the board of the National Association of Counties where he represented Alabama counties in Washington, D.C., and lobbied on behalf of county governments for transportation funding, FEMA and grant funds for the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

"The county still faces many financial challenges in the near future," White said. "We need to aggressively continue upgrading our roads and bridges. We must face the challenge of a structurally aging courthouse. We must face the challenges of an aging and inadequate detention center and sheriff's offices. We face the challenges of drugs and crime. We face the challenges of working with our cities and other agencies of government to improve the quality of life in our county."

"We face the challenges of supporting our school boards, supporting our rural water systems, supporting our rural fire departments, and supporting our rural broadband efforts," he added. "Moreover, we certainly face the challenges of economic development, including supporting our existing businesses, attracting new jobs, and maintaining quality job growth. The County revenues are currently improving and the need for sound financial management has never been more important. I feel that my 24 years of experience in county government and 47 years as a business owner will be great assets in facing these challenges head on."

White is a lifelong resident of Escambia County. He is a graduate of Flomaton High School and Jefferson Davis Community College. He holds both a bachelor's and master's degree from Southern Christian University. He is the owner and Senior Agent of Larry White Insurance Agency where he has worked for over 47 years. He currently serves on the board of directors of the Alabama Independent Insurance Association.

White is married to the former Dianne Kelly, his wife of 50 years. They have three children, eight grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.