Jamie Unger said he wants to do what he can to protect, and improve, the way of life of Yuma County.
The Yuma resident is in a Republican primary election contest for the Yuma County Commissioner District 1 seat. He and Adam Gates are on the ballot, both of whom made it through the County Assembly process.
He and his wife Kelsie are Yuma High School graduates, and they have two sons, Arlow, 7, and Harvin, 5. Kelsie has been a teacher in the Yuma schools for eight years. Unger sells crop seed and also runs cattle.
So why did he want to take on the challenge of being a county commissioner?
“People I respect brought it up to me,” Unger said. “I figured I could be a voice for people who didn’t know if they had any representation for their interests.”
He said he is committed to the sustainability of the county.
“We live in a pretty special place in terms of opportunity,” Unger said, explaining he would like to help Yuma County to keep prospering in order to allow the youth to stay here as they grow up and have opportunities to make a living.
He noted there is a big gap between the producers and the consumers. He said people supplying the food are under the most pressure, and with what is going on around the world, it is more important than ever to maximize production.
At the same time, he said it would be good to let people from urban areas to come out and see how it is done, through some kind of ag tourism opportunities.
“Nobody cares more about a cow than a rancher, and nobody cares more about the ground than a farmer,” Unger said.
He said as a commissioner fighting for the producers will be his highest priority.
Unger said he has visited with a lot of people since announcing his candidacy earlier this year. He said roads probably is what he hears most about, along with concerns about water, the way voting is handled, and marijuana. He said he has heard from people from both sides of the aisle in regards to marijuana.
He said he covers a lot of ground on the county roads. “I see them and I feel them,” he said. Unger said the county could look at creative ways to maintain the roads and training for the Road and Bridge staff. “Change is not a bad thing,” he said.
Being a county commissioner requires a considerable amount of time. Unger said he will be able to set aside the required time to be an effective commissioner if elected.
As for the primary election itself, he said he trusts Yuma County will have a honest and fair election no matter the final results.
The primary ballots are due back to the Yuma County Clerk & Recorder’s Office by 7 p.m. on June 28.
