Our family moved to Smithville in the summer of 2002. My husband, Mark, had been appointed as the minister of the Smithville First United Methodist Church-Bright Hill charge. After years of living in the country, our kids (Laura, Ben, Max, and Robin) were thrilled to be living in a house with “neighbors they could see” and a McDonald’s nearby. We walked to the Jamboree and enjoyed hiking around Center Hill Lake. All four of our children went on to graduate from DeKalb County High School, and DeKalb County has become our chosen home.

Teaching is my vocation. It was during my first year in college that I decided the most universal way to help people was to give them a good education. I earned a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Western Kentucky University, a master’s degree in Instructional Leadership from Tennessee Tech, and am currently working to complete my Education Doctorate at Middle Tennessee State University. I’ve had the privilege of teaching and working in public schools for 20 years now, 18 of those in DeKalb County. I am currently the assistant principal at Northside Elementary.

Over the years, I’ve exercised my citizenship as a member of this community by calling elected officials, writing letters to the editor, and speaking out publicly. I was part of the Leadership DeKalb Class of 2016. I vote. I have voted in both Democratic and Republican primaries and for both Democratic and Republican candidates. While I firmly believe that “we the people” are what make our communities work, there is no escaping the power that elected officials wield over people’s day-to-day lives. It was my desire to support our public schools that fueled my initial run for County Commission in 2018. The people of District 7 took a leap of faith when they first opened their doors to, and then voted for, me. I was re-elected in 2022. It has been an honor to represent them.

This year I am running for County Mayor because I care about the people of DeKalb County. I am under no illusion that the job will be easy. I have now served on 2 different Commissions with 2 different Mayors. The work has been anything but easy. But the people of DeKalb County are worth it. Balancing the current challenges facing our County alongside the hopes and dreams for its future will require leadership that listens, asks lots of questions, does the homework, and keeps the public informed every step of the way. I pledge to provide that leadership. I believe that, together, we can make DeKalb County work for all of us.

Again, my name is Beth Pafford, and I would greatly appreciate your vote for DeKalb County Mayor in 2026.