The Clinton County Republican Party hosted a caucus on Saturday morning on June 22 to elect the next representative for the Frankfort City County At-Large seat, and Taylor Crenshaw was announced as the recipient of the most votes with 12 votes received.
With 17 of the 21 precinct chairmen eligible to cast a vote attending, Crenshaw’s receipt of 12 votes on the first ballot placed her over Brandt Fuller, Rhonda Light and Stacy Uitts to secure her position on the council to assume the At-Large seat that was recently vacated by Megan Sheets. Crenshaw expressed her enthusiasm following the caucus about the position she will assume on July 1.
“I’m very excited,” Crenshaw said. “It’s an awesome opportunity. Giving back has always been important to me, especially since we moved back. This is my home county, so I’m just really excited to try and give back in this new way that maybe has some more impact and reach and see what kind of good I can do.”
Crenshaw commented that the vacancy for the At-Large seat fell directly into her personal philosophy that guides her decisions, especially following her move back to Clinton County in recent years.
“Recently, my motto has been if these doors present themselves, then they’re open for you, give it your best shot and see what happens, and it was a success today,” Crenshaw said. “I’m looking forward to the start of my political career. I’m not sure if I’ll be a career politician, but I’m excited to see where it goes.”
Crenshaw stated that she will continue to delve into the intricacies and priorities of the council prior to her appointment date set for July 1 by meeting with numerous councilmembers to gauge their thought processes on multiple subjects, including financials and projects.
“I’ve already met with some of the councilmembers to see what it’s all about and what their visions are,” Crenshaw said. “I’d like to sit down with a few more before I sit through my first meeting and learn more about their visions and about where I can help that. I think they’re doing a great job, and I want to help where I can.”
Crenshaw expressed that Sheets acted as an inspiration for her bid for the At-Large seat as she had witnessed the impact that Sheets was able to have for the city and the constituents throughout her time on the council, and she sought Sheets’ guidance heading into the caucus and her new position.
“I emailed Megan before today and asked her if I could buy her a coffee or something beforehand and get her experience, her life experience too, not just on the council,” Crenshaw said. “She was a really impactful presence here in Frankfort and Clinton County.”
Crenshaw expressed that a focus that she has identified for the council through her meetings with Sheets and other present councilmembers is the economic development opportunities and upcoming projects that appear fruitful.
“I think the projects they’ve done recently have been really exciting,” Crenshaw said. “I know I got my summer pass to go to Sapphire Bay and love that, Prairie Creek Park we go to the summer concerts a lot, so to see more projects like that I think is a big priority for the city. I think there’s going to be a lot of opportunity as things in neighboring counties take place or don’t take place for us to make this a place where people want to live, work and play.”
Crenshaw continued to state that while she looks forward to acting as a factor in the decisions for upcoming projects, she will focus heavily on ensuring that the projects follow the guidelines and financial responsibility for the city.
“I think the projects need to reflect that,” Crenshaw said. “That being said, we don’t want to bankrupt the city doing that. We have traditional values in our finances and our culture here in Clinton County and Frankfort, so I think there’s a fine line that we’ll have to figure out how to walk.”
The Clinton County Clerk’s Office will be notified of the selection from the caucus on Monday, June 24, and the Crenshaw assume her new position on July 1.
