Serving Barnwell County and it's neighbors since 1852
Current Councilman Jimbo Moody is being challenged by Wanda Highsmith for the District 4 seat.
Jimbo Moody is seeking re-election to his District 4 seat on Barnwell City Council.
Wanda Highsmith wants to be District 4's new representative on Barnwell City Council.
District 4 Councilman Jimbo Moody is being challenged by Wanda Highsmith for his seat.
JIMBO MOODY
Jimbo Moody is a lifelong resident of Barnwell and alumnus of Barnwell High. He's served on council since 2019.
"Being on Barnwell City Council has really opened my eyes to the amount of hard work it takes for a city to function. It takes everyone working together to make this possible. I've learned a lot in the past four years and continue to learn more each day," he said.
He has been employed with Archroma for over 36 years.
He and his wife Dana have 2 sons and 2 grandsons. His parents are James and Esther Moody.
WANDA HIGHSMITH
Wanda Highsmith is a lifelong resident of Barnwell County.
She has been a respiratory therapist for 17 years working in a hospital setting. She obtained her associates of science in respiratory care from Orangeburg-Calhoun Technical College, and later obtained a Bachelor of Science Advanced Clinical Practice Concentration Respiratory Care.
She has two children, Dante and Regina. Her paternal family is Highsmith, maternal family is Dorch. She has 3 dogs.
QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Why are you seeking election?
MOODY: I am seeking re-election because I am the most qualified candidate. I have served as the District 4 councilman for the last 4 years. I am committed to this community.
HIGHSMITH: As stated before, I am a lifelong resident of Barnwell County. As a homeowner and parent, I want to keep Barnwell a great place to raise a family. I am seeking election to council because I want to make a difference in the lives of the residents.
What makes you the best candidate?
MOODY: I am the best candidate because of the knowledge and experience that I have gained over the last four years. I am dependable and honest with my constituents. I work hard at handling any issues that arise, no matter how large or small, and give them 100%.
HIGHSMITH: Most of my life has been spent living in District 4. I have lived in Barnwell Arms and Ramblewood, and on Camelia and Berry streets. I have friends and family that reside within the district. I am familiar with the neighborhoods and know the needs of the community.
How are you involved in the community?
MOODY: I am a member of Barnwell First Baptist. I am a member of Harmony lodge 17. I have coached little league recreation and high school baseball. I keep my neighborhood/district updated with issues that arise. I ask for input from my constituents and use this information to guide my decisions.
HIGHSMITH: I donate to different charities and causes in the community. I attend events when possible.
Governing a town is a group effort. How would you work with others?
MOODY: I am presently on the police and recreation committees. I work closely with these groups in helping to make upgrades and creating community programs. I'm actively working on the county council recreation committee. As a member of Barnwell City Council, I work with my fellow council members in making important decisions to make Barnwell a better place to work and live.
HIGHSMITH: I work in a team setting every day. I work with different healthcare professionals in order to provide the best possible care for patients. We all have one common goal and that is to do what is in the best interest of patients. We have varying scopes of practice; we combine them and develop a care plan suitable for the patient. This involves communication, planning, problem-solving and negotiating. The same process works in any group setting. City council's responsibility is to do what is in the best interest of its citizens.
What do you love about the community?
MOODY: I love living in a small town because of the care and support our community shows in time of need. When you live in a small town, you get to know most of the citizens on a first name basis. We work together, worship together and watch our children and grandchildren play sports together.
HIGHSMITH: When tragic events happen, this community pulls together and goes above and beyond to help everyone affected by the event. That is truly something special.
If elected, what are your top priorities?
MOODY: My goals include getting our police department fully staffed including animal control/code enforcement officer. I will continue to work on getting all police vehicles equipped with computers and printers. I will continue to organize bingo/movie nights. For local industrial, I would work with County Council to install a wastewater line from the SCAT in Snelling to our wastewater facility in Barnwell.
HIGHSMITH:
Economic Development - Small business is the heartbeat of any community. Industry is what grows a community, reduces unemployment, increased local spending for goods and services. Industry is a major provider of public revenue to the community. Cascades was a major loss to our community. We need to figure out a way to attract and keep industry.
Housing - Housing is scarce in the city and throughout the county of Barnwell. I have lived here for 40-plus years. In that time, I have seen very little to no development regarding housing. We need to attract developers and obtain funding.
Community Health - We need to attract more specialty doctors and services to our town. Citizens currently must drive or find transportation out of town to attend specialist appointments. LCHS is currently partnering with Burke Health of Waynesboro, Ga. to expand their practice with orthopedics and pain management. We have a large demographic of cardiac, pulmonary and nephrology patients. Most, if not all, these services are 45 minutes to an hour away. Bringing these services in would lead to greater compliance in patients and a healthier community.
If you aren't elected, how will you work to be involved and make a difference?
MOODY: I will continue to work with the county council recreation committee as we have accomplished some great things. We were able to acquire the pool for the YMCA. Our next project will be Lake Brown.
HIGHSMITH: I will continue to attend city council meetings and work closely with my councilman to ensure the residents of District 4 don’t go unheard.
