Whether it was former Governor Brian Sandoval or one of the three county commissioners, Tanya Freeman has never been too shy to walk up to an elected official and strike up a conversation about an important issue.
But, she says, far too many people are, and it’s something she would like to change from the inside.
Freeman has declared her candidacy for the Churchill County Commission District 2 seat, currently held by Pete Olsen, who cannot run again because of term limits.
Foremost among her priorities is winning back the community’s trust in local government, and she said that starts with commissioners going out and meeting their constituents.
“You’ve got to go out and talk to people,” Freeman said. “I don’t think that’s been done enough at all in quite a long time.”
Freeman has lived in Fallon for a little more than 20 years. For the past 15 or so of those years, she has operated her own business doing home repairs, and she has a gun repair shop. She has degrees in psychology and engineering and worked as a nurse for about 10 years before taking her career in a different direction.
Her public service experience comes from serving two terms as a constable in Madison County, Alabama, and she was also a reserve sheriff’s deputy in another state.
Politically, Freeman is a Republican and describes herself as “a 100 percent constitutionalist.”
“I see things happening that I don’t like to see happen within the state and the community, and I think I can make a positive change,” she said.
One of those things she doesn’t like is free speech being attacked in other countries and she doesn’t want to see it happen here.
“Knowing our commissioners it won’t, but you never know what can happen,” she said.
Most importantly, though, is she wants to get the public involved in participating in local government.
“A lot of times people don’t know what’s happening,” she said. “People should know what’s going on in their community. “
Often, she said, people don’t get involved because they think their elected representatives won’t listen to them and have already made up their minds what they plan to do.
“I get that sense in a lot of ways,” Freeman said. “In the last 20, years mistrust of government has grown, and we need to get back to where the community has trust in local government.”
Freeman said she would like the Commission to host a town hall meeting at least every other month to get community input.
“There’s three districts, three commissioners, and I’d like to see people show up either in support or in disagreement with them,” she said.
In addition, she would like to see more support for local businesses.
“I see businesses open and close in the same buildings and facilities, and I’d like to keep some of those businesses here and keep them open,” she said.
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