Houston County District Attorney Kelly Burke said the outcome of a budget meeting today would determine if he announces a bid for chairman of the Houston County Commission.

Burke, 51, has already said he’s considering a run to unseat Commission Chairman Ned Sanders, 78, because he’s dissatisfied with the direction the county’s been taking.

“At the end of the meeting, if they’re going to do what I think they’re going to do, I’ll make a formal announcement,” Burke said. “I have talked with others but no one has stepped forward or decided they would run.”

Burke said he’s been considering a run because “I can’t stand the status quo. We need someone who has a vision for the youth in our county.”

“I’m not going to back out because I may have opposition,” Sanders said. “No one can foresee the future and I’m in it barring some unforeseen event. I’m 78 and I’m in good health. God willing, I’ll still be able to manage the office.”

Sanders has been chairman since 2000, and said during his tenure the county has experienced growth and progress.

“There has been unprecedented roadwork done in the last 10 years and we’ve put up many new buildings,” he said. “The people have passed a $85 million SPLOST issue and we’re working on a $135 million issue now. That’s a lot of money and with that comes a lot of responsibility to show the people you’re spending the money wisely.”

While not downplaying the infrastructure improvements in the county, Burke said he feels voters didn’t want the commission to just do construction.

“The overall focus of the chairman seems to be more roads, more buildings, but I want to see a focus on taking care of people,” Burke said. “We’ve built new buildings for Magistrate Court, DFACS and others, but we haven’t built a community center, a youth center or a baseball field. Just buildings and asphalt.

“I know the voters approved all this in the SPLOST vote of 2004, they said yes to all that but they didn’t say stop there. I’m frustrated with it, with the direction the county has been taking. People stop me in the store and tell me I’m right, it’s time to take care of the people and the youth in our county. Mr. Sanders doesn’t get it.”

Sanders said the bottom line is whether residents think the county will be better managed by someone with an extensive engineering background or by an attorney.

“I think it’s a true comparison; I’ve got 25-30 years experience in engineering and we have all these projects done or are doing,” Sanders said. “I’m not running for a judicial position as an engineer.”

While Burke can’t take issue with the progress made in the past decade, he may have issue with some of the county’s priorities, Sanders said.

“The jail addition, for example, he feels was not done soon enough,” Sanders said. “But it’s pay as you go – when the money comes in then you schedule your projects. You save a lot of money in finance charges and you get a lot done.”

To run, Burke would have to resign his position as district attorney. Sanders said he wonders why Burke would walk out of the commitment he made to voters at the last election.

According to the Houston County Board of Elections, qualifying to run in the Republican or Democratic primary begins 9 a.m. April 26 and ends at noon April 30. Seats up for election this year are commission chairman, Post 1 and Post 2 commission seats, State Court solicitor, clerk and judge.

To run as an independent candidate in the general election, or for one of the four nonpartisan Houston County Board of Education seats up for election, the qualifying deadline is from 9 a.m. June 28 to noon July 2. The general election is Nov. 2.