Gene Weatherbie fully admits he’s not well acquainted with the ins and outs of parliamentary procedure, open meetings records and other intricacies associated with being a county commissioner.
“It’s all new to me,” he said.
Still, that has not dissuaded Weatherbie, who owns a farm north of LaHarpe, from seeking a seat on the Allen County Commission.
He is one of three Republican hopefuls on the ballot for the Aug. 4 primary election, along with David Lee and Craig Mentzer. The top vote-getter will advance to the November general election to take on Democrat Michelle Meiwes.
As such, Weatherbie’s platform is focused on core themes rather than specifics — topics like roads and infrastructure.
“I’m kind of anxious to find out, if I get in,” he said. “I’ll just have to see what’s dealt.”
Weatherbie’s focal point is on preserving Allen County’s farming way of life.
“There’s just not that many farmers that are around here,” he said, “and they’re all pushing 80. Not a lot of their kids are taking it up. There are very few farmers around.”
Weatherbie is in that boat. He has two sons, both grown, and both have other careers.
“I don’t know who’s gonna farm this ground” after Weatherbie’s time has passed.
“I’ve got a while — I hope,” the 56-year-old farmer jokes.
He has one idea he’d like to push, if given the chance.
The Regional Rural Technology Center — which offers college level instruction to high school students across the area on such things as construction trades, welding and wind farm technology — should expand to do the same with youngsters considering a career in farming, Weatherbie said.
And, if the opportunity arose, the county could sweeten the pot to entice young farmers and their families to Allen County, perhaps with a tax break akin to other property incentives for those who improve their properties.
“If we can give tax breaks for windmills, we can do it for farmers,” Weatherbie said.
AS FATE would have it, Weatherbie’s campaign strategy served him well during the COVID-19 pandemic.
After filing for the seat in mid-February, he immediately began campaigning, door-to-door, meeting with prospective voters to gauge their concerns.
