Josh Peterson

Just under a year away from next year’s Coffee County General Election and one candidate is officially announcing a bid for Coffee County Mayor.

Former, longtime Tennessee State Representative and lifelong Coffee County resident, Judd Matheny, is officially announcing his campaign for Coffee County Mayor. Election will be held in August, 2022.

Current Coffee County Mayor Gary Cordell, who is serving his second term, told Thunder Radio News that he does not plan to run for a third term.

County Mayor is just one of many seats that will be up for election next year: an election that will include sheriff, Manchester City Mayor, Circuit Court Clerk, multiple judges, district attorney and many more. Thunder Radio will cover those upcoming races in more detail later.

Below is Matheny’s campaign announcement:

Matheny brings a wealth of experience, relationships and a proven record of service to the citizens of Coffee County.  According to Matheny, “Coffee County has a rich history of electing capable leaders who have built a strong education and business foundation while maintaining a high standard of living.  I have been fortunate enough to have been re-elected seven times in the service of this community on the state level.  During my time I have seen many issues evolve and be solved by helping to foster local relationships with state and federal officials. Whether issues of job creation, legitimate infrastructure, education or senior citizens, I plan to bring the same focus, intensity and ‘get things done’ approach to the Mayor’s office as I was privileged to do as your State Representative.

 Coffee County will meet many new challenges with the growth and opportunities headed our way as our families grow and citizens from other parts of Tennessee and the United States make their way here to take advantage of the lifestyle we have created.  Embracing these opportunities with predictable planning and policies while maintaining a healthy budgetary stance will be a major challenge but one that I am up for.  With the assistance of Manchester, Tullahoma, Beechgrove, Noah, Pocahontas, Summitville, Hillsboro and other rural unincorporated areas of the county we have the capable people to address and tackle any matter.  Taking full advantage of inevitable growth while still fostering the values that make us an independent people will be guiding principals during my time as Mayor. I realize this is an era when Tennesseans are frustrated with many of the aspects of government, and often there are few if any pragmatic alternatives to many of the requirements or services of government.  With these concerns always at the forefront, I realize we need the most fair, transparent and efficient people to provide the customer service our citizens deserve from their county.  I have extensive experience dealing with bureaucracies and managing conflict-two things that are crucial to leading our county into the future.  My experiences as a veteran and law enforcement officer have embedded a deep respect for the traditional institutions of Democracy and the rule of law.

As your state representative I was fortunate to have many valuable experiences which will enable me to hit the ground running as your Mayor.  I served two years as Speaker Pro Tempore of the House of Representatives, was Chairman of numerous major committees to include Consumer and Employee Affairs, Government Operations and the State’s Rights Committee.  In addition, I have served on numerous committees which have led to a deeper understanding of how our system truly works, how it can be amended and its profound impact on the daily lives of Tennesseans.  These committees included the Judiciary, Commerce, Budget, Health, Utilities and Banking, Agriculture and many others.  My education and the contacts I have made while on these committees has prepared me for almost any eventuality that may meet us here in Coffee County. 

My accomplishments are many, but several of the more prominent issues I have marshalled include a revamping of our unemployment insurance fund, workers compensation reform and protecting Coffee County from a Nashville overreach which attempted to take away our highly efficient judicial district.  My bipartisan work on unemployment insurance reforms have resulted in the savings of hundreds of millions of dollars to Tennessee businesses by placing automatic reductions in the wage rate as the balance increases-without legislative mingling.   By enacting the worker’s compensation exemption registry I have helped over 100,000 Tennessee small businesses legally self-insure in order to provide competitively priced services.  When Nashville attempted to merge Coffee County with 4 to 6 other counties in a sprawling new judicial district, I led the fight and defeated the initiative.  A larger judicial district would inhibit our county’s ability to provide efficient services in child support collections and special courts like our highly successful drug court.  Everyday civil and criminal matters dealt with by our District Attorney and court systems would have been bogged down, with far less attention being placed on each case.

   I am supremely proud to be a citizen here and to have had the experiences to serve you.  I have never cast a vote that was to the detriment of our county or that put politics in front of good, local policy.  If my record as your state representative and my steadfastness in principals meet your standards, I ask for your vote and ongoing support as Coffee County Mayor.  I will remain dedicated to being accessible to all citizens, county departments and employees”.

Judd Matheny is a graduate of Tullahoma High School and holds a BS in Political Science and Criminal Justice.  Judd is also an eight year veteran of the Tennessee Army National Guard as well as a ten year veteran of local and state law enforcement.  He currently serves as General Manager of Southern Central Iron and Metal and Waste Services which operates locations in Manchester, McMinnville and Smithville.