In the District 4 Pike County Commission race, one long-time commissioner will meet fresh opposition in a first-time candidate.

Incumbent Ray Goodson, who has served as commissioner for 16 years, will face Republican candidate Brian Floyd for the district seat come Nov. 4.

If reelected, Goodson said he wants to continue the service he has already been doing for the county.

“It’s an honor to me to serve the people of District 4 and the people of Pike County, and I like helping them,” Goodson said.

If elected, Floyd said he is looking to bring change.

“It’s time for a change in District 4, and I believe I’m that positive change for the people,” Floyd said. “I just want to give back to the community because to me there’s no better place to live and raise a family in the state than in Pike County, and I want to make it an even better place.”

To both candidates, being a commissioner is about addressing the needs of the county’s people, they said.

“The first (role) is to represent the people of the county and then to govern all county funds,” Goodson said.

“I’d say the most important role is working for the people of the district you’re representing — no matter what part of the district or where they live — and trying to get their needs met,” Floyd said.

However, in looking at needs, candidates differed in their areas of concern.

Goodson said the county has a financial problem, but sales tax revenues are how the commission will solve it.

“We’ve been able to make our payments since we got that one-cent sales tax and we got 25 percent of it,” Goodson said. “This is the first year we’ve been in the black in several years, and it’s because of it.”

Goodson said he believes the county is doing all it can at this time to reduce the county debt.

Floyd, on the other hand, said the greatest current financial problem in the county is the road department.

“The commissioners need to work hand in hand with the road department to see what they can do to get the debt down without cutting any jobs in the county,” Floyd said.

Floyd said commissioners are working to reduce debt, but new ideas are needed to do more.

“I’m not going to say they’re not trying to reduce debt, but we need some people, such as myself, with new ideas to try to reduce debt,” Floyd said. “That’s one of the reasons why I’m running.”

Both candidates said trying to implement more taxes on residents is not how they want to look for new revenue sources, but they said they were undecided on a proposal for a lodging tax in the county.

Floyd said the greatest need in the county is the upkeep of its road conditions and litter.

“I would say the biggest need is our roads need more attention,” Goodson said. “When somebody leaves the city into the county, I want them to say the county is being kept up as nice as the city.”

Goodson said while there are many areas that need attention, continuing to fund county agencies is the greatest need.

“There are several things, but what I support is education, law enforcement, volunteer fire fighters and our young people in the 4-H Club because they are the future of tomorrow,” Goodson said.

Goodson said after years of serving on the commission, it’s Pike County residents that make him qualified to be a commissioner.

“It’s the people,” Goodson said.

Floyd, who has owned his own business for 10 years, said his experience would make him a valuable asset on the commission.

“With my experience of being in business for myself, that’s one thing I can bring to the county,” Floyd said. “I’m feeling some of the same things in my business that the county has to feel.”