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Name: Geoffrey Mark

Age: 59

Political party: Republican

Occupation: Retired

Office sought (District and seat, if applicable): Loudon County Commissioner, 3rd District

First, talk a little about your background, whether that be within local government or in your professional career, and how it informs your ability to be a leader in your community.

I have lived and worked in the belly of the beast. I hope no one in Tennessee ever has to work in an industry and live in a city that despises everything they stand for. As a conservative and a Republican in Hollywood for well over 30 years, I know exactly what that feels like.

Maybe it’s because I was born in Chicago and have lived and worked all over America, but I have watched good communities and cities become horrible and even dangerous shadows of what they once were. I see the beginning of that here in Loudon County and I need to nip it in the bud.

I have been elected to positions on non-profits that had roughly the same annual budget as this county. I have worked on some well-known films that have had much larger budgets than Loudon County. And in every case, I was glad to have been held to an incredibly high standard of clarity and responsibility. Much higher than our current commissioners are held.

I look forward to the voters of Loudon County holding me to a higher standard of excellence than they have come to expect from the current commission. Voters deserve to expect better.

What made you pursue this specific seat, or run for reelection in 2026? Why now?

I’ve attended nearly every Commission meeting for about a year and a half. I saw commissioners dismissive of their bosses – the voters they represent. I’ve seen them shout at citizens, just for asking questions! I saw decisions being made with little or no discussion. I saw incredibly poor choices being made by the commission.

And I had to wonder – why?

I made a point of talking with all the commissioners and our mayor. I got to know them. They are all good people, at least one-to-one. No one wants to consider that there are dark plans up on that bench, so I decided that they needed to look for new ideas to solve our local problems. With my wide experience solving problems of all kinds, and at all budget levels, I have those ideas.

I will bring fresh, new ideas to solve the problems that the citizens of Loudon County have lived with for years.

What sets you apart from the candidates you’re currently running against, or makes you the best possible candidate for the seat you are pursuing?

New ideas. Fresh ideas. Ideas that will save the county money and quite possibly its current descent into an echo of the horrors I escaped.

I have no ego in this run for office. I have no personal grudges with anyone in the county. I would consider being elected Commissioner one of the highest honors I have ever received, but I will never crave the power or position for its own sake.

My concern from the moment I got here was to keep Loudon County the gem I chose above every other county in the USA, and if God wills it, to offer my experience and my energies to make it better.

The good people of this county deserve to expect better. If elected, that is exactly what I will deliver.

In your opinion, what is the biggest issue facing the average Loudon County voter today, or the biggest issue facing your specific constituents?

While talking to folks all over the county and most especially my district, I’ve discovered that each voter has an idea of the “biggest issue.” To the people who live near or downstream from the new quarry in Greenback, that’s their biggest issue. To the people who saw their property tax bill skyrocket in 2024, that’s their biggest issue. To others, it’s a cracked road or broken street drain, or the over-spending on simple county projects, or a reasonable fear that our county will become as crowded as Blount.

Every single one of those issues stems from one simple fact: our current commission doesn’t listen to us. Some of them believe that they deserve to stay on those seats no matter what we the people, their bosses, have to say.

I love to listen, to get to know people. And I live to solve problems.

When it comes to how the commission treats the people, Loudon County deserves to expect better.

What’s your opinion on government spending, maybe highlighted by sectors of county operations the Commission could be spending more or less money on?

In general, there is no reason our county should be spending as much as it does. As well, it seems to spend a lot on things it shouldn’t.

Long before I decided to run for office, I started being a substitute teacher at Greenback School. I discovered terrific kids, well educated and dedicated teachers and a smooth, well-functioning admin staff. So I know that the most ignored school in our county has what it takes to be much better than it is. I know that if we had spent even a fraction of that 2024 tax hike on education programs, rather than buildings, Loudon County schools could excel and possibly be the best in the state.

The kids deserve our best, and when it comes to the quality of their education, they deserve to expect better.

How do you plan to handle growth within this community, as Loudon County continues to see a spike in its population?

The growth we’re seeing is actually the best a small, beautiful county could hope for. It’s primarily older, retired folks. They are bringing money and not bringing problems that require much in the way of services.

They are NOT bringing more children to educate.

They are NOT bringing crime.

They are bringing love for country and respect for law.

All we have to do is to hold strong to the commitment of light development. If I could, I would limit lot development to 1 acre per house. When Knox and Blount counties are chock-full of apartments, our open, rolling hills will be the envy of East Tennessee.