After nearly four years on the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, David Hood said he is ready for another term in office.

Hood, 69, Ottawa, is seeking re-election in Franklin County’s District 3, which encompasses the northern portion of Ottawa, Pomona and the northwest corner of the county. His main area of focus — both in his time in office and during this campaign — he said, is to be a voice for the people and help to improve the county’s roads and bridges.

An ever-present topic for county commissioners is the status of the county’s roads and bridges. With more than 500 miles of roadways and hundreds of bridges, the board’s policy is to work on roads in quarters every year. Hood said this method has been working well.

“We’ve gotten some of [the roads] fixed,” Hood said, “I believe our roads are improving. Still have a lot more to do.”

Starting a highway-improvement fund, Hood said, is something he would like to work toward, if elected to a second term in office.

After 30 years as a police officer and firefighter, Hood retired, leaving him with plenty of time to devote to public service, he said. A father of two and former small business owner, he makes a point of answering his phone or returning calls when people have questions or concerns, he said. Hood brings up residents’ concerns regarding road and bridge conditions and illegal dumping frequently at the board’s weekly meetings.

Fielding those calls, and answering quickly and effectively, Hood said, is what sets him apart from his competition. That availability is something, Hood said, voters should take into account come primary election day, Aug. 7.

“I think if people compare what I’ve done to what he did when he was in there, I’d be the best choice,” Hood said.

With the county’s unemployment rate hovering just over 7 percent, one of Hood’s more controversial stances recently was about economic development. During the county’s recent budget talks, Hood said he does not support funneling more taxpayer money into the Franklin County Development Council when it could be used elsewhere in the county.

“I also believe in economic development, to a certain extent. People of this county cannot afford to pay what they’re wanting to pay for some things to get [more economic development] started,” Hood said at a July 12 candidate forum.

He said the council needs to take a cut in its $60,000 requested budget for 2013 because the money is not being spent as it should be. The council is not showing enough results for the amount of money that has been budgeted to it already, Hood said.

“I feel as though we’re not getting our best bang for our money,” Hood said. “I’d just as soon they had $50,000.”

Saving taxpayers’ money, no matter which department it comes from, Hood said, is one of his main focuses in office. If re-elected, he said, he plans to continue voting conservatively, as well as working to be a voice for the people.

“I try to vote for what I think the people would like to see, if they don’t want their taxes raised,” Hood said. “Times are hard and I realize that so I would vote very conservatively.”