The deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 3 general election is Oct. 5. Find more information via the Athens County Board of Elections.
ATHENS COUNTY, Ohio — Athens County Commissioner candidates running in the 2026 general election discussed their views and leadership styles at a forum sponsored by League of Women Voters of Athens County at the Athens Community Center on Tuesday, Sept. 23.
The candidates are Democrat Autumn Brown of Nelsonville and Republican Sarah Smith of Albany. Athens County Commissioner Lenny Eliason declined to seek another term. He has served seven 4-year terms since 1998.
Questions have been paraphrased for clarity and conciseness.
Opening statements
Brown said at the forum that her campaign centers around her slogan, “Athens County Strong.” Brown is originally from Millfield and has three children. She has worked for the Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities for 28 years. Currently, she is director of Integrate Athens, a division of the MRDD board that connects people with developmental disabilities with work and social opportunities in the community and educates the public about inclusion.
Sarah Smith, a small business owner and farmer from Albany, emphasized a need for transparency in government, and emphasized her strong work ethic and fresh perspective to the office.
“People want their county government to listen to them, communicate with them, and be accountable to them. That’s why I’m running,” Smith said.
Funding flood prevention and critical infrastructure
Smith said she wants to collaborate with Athens County Emergency Medical Services, volunteer firefighters, first responders, and other township and village officials to “make sure information and resources are getting where they are needed, and that they are easily accessible to every resident of Athens County.” Smith also mentioned using potential state or federal grants and disaster relief resources.
Brown’s plan is to “communicate and build that network,” with local entities prior to an emergency and “understand what they need and how to help them.” She mentioned accessing state and federal funding, as well.
Role of county commissioner
Brown said the main role of a commissioner is to oversee county funding and supervise county departments and other elected officials, like the sheriff and engineer. She also mentioned collaborating with other elected officials, and overseeing first responders and essential services such as the Athens County Emergency Management Agency, Athens County EMS and 911.
Brown draws in her experiences in strategic planning as part of the commissioner’s role, she said.
“It really is building a plan, coming together, and making sure that everyone understands what we do, what resources are available, where the gaps are, and how we can fill them,” Brown said.
Smith said a commissioner’s role is overseeing the county, being transparent, holding elected officials accountable, and funding economic development.
“People need to know what your county government is doing,” Smith said. “They need to know where their tax dollars are being spent. They need to be able to access the county commissioner meetings if they’re unable to attend.”
Management and decision-making style
Citing her experiences as a small business owner and work in human resources and finance, Smith said her management style is “catered to what the person needs.” She said she is “not a micromanager” and likes to “see the numbers” and facts when being presented proposals.
Brown defined herself a “collaborative leader” who listens to different perspectives. She referred to her experience facilitating the shut down of the ATCO program, and her role in preventing the department’s employees from being laid off.
ATCO stands for Advocacy, Training, Careers, and Opportunities. It was a program of the Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities that provided employment training and advocacy services for adults with developmental disabilities. It shut down in December 2018.
“Understanding the value of hearing all sides of a situation through that process and growing, not only as a teacher, but in that role of just representing other people, and really having to hear what people were wanting and needing,” Brown said. “Being able to transfer that into another conversation with someone else that might have the power to make that change.”
Housing issues
Athens County has 3.5 houses for every 10 families needing a house, Brown said, citing research from her position on the board of The Gathering Place. As commissioner, she wants to find local builders and developers who are aware of Athens’ infrastructure and needs.
“That’s one of my priorities, and I’m excited to be a part of that if I’m elected,” Brown said.
Smith, who said her family owns many rental properties around Athens County, focused on housing affordability for renters and buyers. She wants to develop temporary housing options, and decrease property taxes.
Smith also mentioned the Sunset Shelter Project on Columbus Road, wherein the Sunset Motel is undergoing renovations to become a family housing shelter by March 2027.
Need for accessible affordable housing
Brown, who said she researched best practices for accessible and affordable homes in her job at Integrate Athens, discussed developing one-level homes or homes with a lift, ramp or elevator system.
“If we are more thoughtful in making sure that housing that’s being built now will fit the needs of everyone through all ages, all stages of our life, we’re going to be able to reduce the impact of housing concerns,” Brown said.
Smith emphasized affordability, identifying greatest demographics in need of housing, and finding grants and funding to develop housing.
Business development and support
Smith said the New Albany Industrial Center is a model for bringing in and accepting small businesses into Athens.
“We’re not going to take business just for the sake of developing business,” Smith said. “I think that you need to get input from all over the county to develop that plan, ensuring cooperation and protections for environmental and resident safety.”
Smith also said she would work to find grants to aid existing local small businesses.
Brown said the need for more jobs in Athens County to decrease the poverty rate is part of a “bigger picture.” She plans to use resources through OhioMeansJobs and funding workforce development efforts.
“I think we could utilize those resources more to help the people who need jobs, and then bring people to the table about what businesses we want here,” Brown said.
Sustainable economic development
Brown wants to work with local experts to develop sustainable policy and initiatives, including Athens Rethink Plastics and the Athens County Port Authority, she said.
“Athens County is full of people who know a lot about these different topics, and coming together and having that conversation,” Brown said. “That’s where we’re going to find the right answer for our community.”
Smith called for enforcement of sustainability practices with new and current businesses in Athens, as “nonnegotiable” safeguards.
Budgeting and forecasting experience
Smith referenced her experience as a small business owner, staying afloat during various inflation and economic periods.
“We need to focus on what budget we have, making sure that all of our dollars are accounted for, that those dollars are being spent in a responsible manner, and that we look at the forecast and make sure that we have the dollars to sustain the county that we want to have,” Smith said.
Smith mentioned preparing for an increase in the unemployment rate after the construction on U.S. 33 is complete, as well.
Brown said her experiences working on the board of developmental disabilities with Athens County Auditor Jill Davidson, and as manager for ATCO, has made her very confident working with the county budget and a transparent spending model.
Previous commissioner meeting attendance
Brown said she keeps up to date with meeting minutes, as she works during the Tuesday meeting times, and attends a few meetings annually representing the board of developmental disabilities.
Smith also refers to the commissioners’ meeting minutes, and has attended a meeting to help plan a previous Independence Day event. As commissioner, she plans to resume having the meetings over live stream.
Strengthening Athens County Job and Family Services
In late 2025 and earlier this year, Athens County Jobs and Family Services lost staff due to what turned out to be a nearly $2.6 million debt for inappropriately spent state funds. The county will pay back that debt over the next 15 years. Former Athens County Job and Family Service Jean Demosky is facing charges of misuse of public funds.
“What happened was completely avoidable and I think it’s really sad,” Smith said. “It makes me angry for our county,” Smith said.
Smith plans to ask “tough questions,” and focus on recovering the resources offered by the department.
Brown said she would like to bring in regional support, looking at other agencies in the area that are doing well, and connecting with employees.
Preventing fraud
“I think a lot of oversight needs to be had,” Smith said. “[The commissioner] needs to make sure that people are held accountable for their dollars and that decisions and conversations about things that may not seem quite right need to happen in that boardroom and not the back room.”
She mentions providing ethics training to employers.
Brown said she will build connections and communications with elected officials to promote transparency.
“Fraud goes beyond just financial misuse of money and things like fraud is misrepresenting your services. It’s saying that you’re doing something that you’re not,” Brown said.
Brown discussed the need for public school system funding, along with emergency services, and working with state representatives.
Smith said property owners are paying too high taxes to cover the financial burden of levies and expenses, and the state is not covering its “fair-share” of funding for essential services. She said she would like to advocate for more allocation of state funding to the county.
“The state tax policy is way out of date, and if they were to develop a new policy today, there is no way that property owners would be carrying the majority of the burden that they are today,” Smith said.
Athens business climate
“We need to have things that keep people in this area. You know, a lot of the OU [Ohio University] students don’t have anything to do,” Smith said.
Smith says increasing businesses in the area will help with tax relief.
Brown said focusing on increasing economic growth in the summer, when most university students leave, can help.
“Coming together to think outside the box, get creative, and figure out how we can fill that summer gap, how we can pull together,” Brown said. “Athens is this unique hub that surrounds Vinton County, Meigs County, and we pull from Washington and Hocking County and things. What can we make here that would be sustainable?”
Vision for Athens County
Brown would like to pull together Athens County’s “long list of nonprofits, very different from other surrounding counties,” and stimulate economic development, she said.
“We’re in Appalachia and some people might look down on that,” Brown said. “Most of us that have been here and [Appalachia] is a part of who we are. That’s what makes us strong, and that’s one of the coolest things about us.”
Smith noted whether it’s her or Brown who wins the race, she celebrates a woman’s return to the board for the first time in over a decade.
“I can tell you that Athens County will be better at the end of this race because we’re going to have a female commissioner, no matter how it turns out,” Smith said. “I can tell you that if I’m your commissioner, I’ll show up and be accessible to the public.”
Closing statements
Brown restated why she is running for the role of commissioner, feeling a call to action despite loving her current position. She hopes to bring a creative, new perspective to Athens affairs.
“I’m proven to be a voice for everyone, I’m not afraid to seek or hear all perspectives and have, and I’m not afraid to have hard conversations to help find common ground, or at least to help me decide the best path to lead us forward,” Brown said.
Smith reinstated her dedication to transparency for residents, if elected.
“People deserve access to the board and the decisions that are being made on their behalf, those decisions need to be made in the boardroom, not the back room,” Smith said.
Voter information
Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, and voter registration closes on Oct. 5 at 9 p.m. Find more information via the Athens County Board of Elections.
