Darryl Hicks

Darryl Hicks is a candidate for Blaine County Commission seat #1. Hicks is a native of Blaine County and a graduate of Geary High School. He owns a small cow-calf operation near Geary and has worked for the county for nine years. Prior to coming to work for the county, he worked 15 years for veterinarian Dr. Larry Majors and another 15 for Groendyke ranch. In those capacities, he said, he has extensive experience with road building and heavy equipment operations.

“I am tailor made for this job,” Hicks said. “I’ve been training for it all my life.”

He calls himself selfmotivated and exhibits his work ethic in the pride he takes from his work. “I enjoy work,” he said. “If we’re digging a ditch, I want to do more than anybody else. I want people to look at the roads and roadsides and have it look good.”

He also acknowledges being county commissioner is not all roads and ditches, though, and that the learning curve is something to be taken into consideration. Hicks called the job broadspectrum and a big part of it is funding the various departments. “It’s the courthouse and the sheriff’s office and people’s tax dollars.”

While at first Hicks’ priority will be on roads and road improvement, he knows the question of the jail will have to be handled sooner rather than later.

“At some point they have to do something, but it needs to be close to the existing facility,” he said, discounting ideas of purchasing property farther from the courthouse as a building site. He pointed out that would increase the costs of transporting inmates to and from the jail for court hearings and medical care, costs the county would have to absorb.

Hicks said, if elected, he will keep his door open. “It’s cliché, but it’s true,” he said. Hicks is willing to admit he doesn’t know everything about every issue and wants to listen to other people’s ideas and opinions to come up with the best solution to an issue or problem.