Election 2026: District 2 Commissioner Candidate Wesley "Wes" Bowers

Continuing with our “Election: 2026” series, this addition to our candidate interviews features 2nd District* Commissioner candidate Wesley "Wes" Bowers (R). Leading up to the primaries, we will continue to release candidate interviews in order to keep you informed as you make your way to the ballot box.

Publisher's Note: The Washington County Times does not endorse political candidates. Our mission is to provide balanced and informative coverage of local politics so our readers can make their own informed decisions at the ballot box. We aim to give all candidates a fair opportunity to share their views and connect with the community. This Q&A is part of that commitment to open, unbiased political reporting.

*The Washington County District 2 Commissioner covers Jefferson, Monroe, Washington, and Pierce Townships.

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Wesley "Wes" Bowers

For readers who may not be familiar with the role, how would you describe the primary responsibilities of the County Commissioner?

Google definition - Indiana County Commissioners are the executive body, managing county administration, property, roads, and budgets, while also acting as a legislative authority for local ordinances, overseeing elections, and appointing officials, balancing fiscal control with public service delivery for their district. They handle everything from courthouse maintenance and road projects to setting salaries, managing waste, and providing economic development, essentially acting as the county's chief executives with significant legislative and policy-making roles.

Wes’s Definition - As a Commissioner you are a manager. Sometimes a maintenance or construction manager. Sometimes a Human Resources manager. Commissioners have their hands in a lot of things and sit on a lot of other governing boards by default of being a Commissioner. In the end you try your best to maintain the budget, keep county infrastructure maintained, and listen to the needs and wants of the citizens of your county. In other words, you fix problems.

Can you tell us about your background and any experience that has prepared you to serve as County Commissioner?

I am a native of Washington County. I grew up in the north end of the county and attended Salem Community Schools. Immediately following high school, I entered the United States Marine Corps where I spent the next 12 years in various roles. I returned home in 2011 and went into business for myself. Currently I am a General Contractor and an owner of Lyles Construction Inc. I have worked in a wide variety of Construction projects ranging from small residential to large county, state, and federal projects. I believe that my experience managing projects coupled with leadership experience derived from 12 years in the Corps and 15 years running local businesses will serve me well in the position of District 2 Commissioner.

What motivated you to run for this office?

In short, I couldn't stomach watching what was happening any longer. There are decisions made on a regular basis for reasons other than what is best for our county or the taxpayers that support it. I follow county meetings and the actions of our elected officials closely and have come to the conclusion that some officials have their own agendas and personal reasons for the decisions they make. Any person running for office at any level has a responsibility to the citizens that voted them in office. For whatever reason, we have lost this in Washington County, and it is my intention to bring some of it back in any way possible.

What do you see as the most pressing issues facing Washington County, and how should the County Commissioners address them?

One word: Trust.

The people of Washington County have no trust and confidence in the majority of their elected officials to do the right thing. I hear this in conversations frequently. I see this in social media threads frequently. The disheartening part is that people of the county feel this way but feel they have no recourse to change it. If I had a nickel for every time someone told me “well, that's just the way this county works”... lets just say I would have a lot of nickels. Watch a commissioners meeting sometime and honestly tell me it has the feel that everyone involved is there for the public. That is, if you have enough time within the recently imposed 3-minute time limit so that concerned citizens can only be bothersome for so long. These meetings should be inviting, concerned, and should listen to the public, because that is who the meetings are for.

A Commissioner's job is to hear them and if possible assist them with their problems. The point is not to have a Commissioner talk down to the public, or to allow an Auditor or Attorney or anyone else to speak down to them either.

County Commissioners are involved in approving contracts and bids. How would you ensure that county contracts are awarded fairly, transparently, and in the best interest of taxpayers?

To put it simply, I would follow the rules. There are State laws and regulations spelling out in explicit detail exactly how projects are to be categorized, publicized, and carried out. Once the need for a project has been established and voted on, everything should get very easy from there on out. While I understand this may strike many reading this as odd or that I am making light of the large projects we commonly see in Washington County, this is not the case. The larger issue is that doing things the wrong way has become so commonplace that it has become normalized. If you follow the legal procedure, the fairness and transparency occur naturally at the lowest cost to the taxpayer.

How do you plan to remain accessible, transparent, and accountable to residents if elected?

Be a good person. Care about your fellow county residents and listen to the things that are important to them. Don't be shady and use your office for personal gain. I am reminded of the phrase “good ole boy network”. Things should work like this, but not in its current form. The people of your district and county should be the “good ole boys and girls”. They should feel comfortable speaking with you, saying hello in Walmart, or simply calling you on the phone to express a concern or problem. I am not so naive to believe that a county government can make everyone happy all the time, but the effort (or at least an explanation) is warranted if you hold the office.

Many people in our county do not have the time between work, personal life, and their kids' activities to keep up with a lot of what goes on with local government or what it does with your mandated tax dollars. There are so many projects, grants, boards, and other things that it is hard for the average person to keep up. This is how money is spent that leaves our citizens scratching their heads saying, “how did that happen?”.

To try and help aid in this, if elected I will be making a post on social media after each commissioner meeting in effort to try and unpack what happened when things are a little confusing. This will be a short "hit the wavetops" type of video that I believe will at least let citizens know what we are doing with their money. Because in the end, it is their money. In the context of transparency, I believe communication is key not only to holding office but also to knowing who you are voting for. Therefore, if you have questions for me my number is 812-620-9630, or you can email me at wesforcommissioner@gmail.com.

How would you work with other county officials, departments, and local governments to effectively serve the county?

Working with other county officials and departments is imperative to the success of a Commissioner. I learned a long time ago that being a good manager is understanding that there are people smarter and better than you at certain things. I believe there are good people working for our county, many of whom have been in their positions far longer than many county officials. It would be a waste to not include these people for their opinions and knowledge when making decisions.

As it pertains to the County Council, the relationship with the Commissioners must be repaired. The council is there for a reason. It acts as financial oversight of the Commissioners and must be part of the natural flow of government spending. The days of public arguments or trying to skirt the council’s approval must be put in the past in order to achieve anything moving forward. Every elected official and county employee has their purpose and role. For whatever reason, some of these lines have been blurred or outright ignored over the years. I feel that when we get back to staying in our lanes while working with a common goal of what is best for the residents of this county that things will naturally get better.

What qualities or experiences do you believe set you apart from your opponents in this race?

First and foremost, I am not a politician. I am simply a citizen of this county who believes that things are broken and happens to have the background and knowledge I believe makes me capable of performing as a Commissioner. I have no personal agenda, I owe no paybacks to anyone. If elected I will strive to be honest and fair in the performance of my official duties.

Do you have any final thoughts you’d like to share with Washington County voters?

Please do not take your vote lightly. I strongly believe that I can perform this job well and with the best interests of county residents in mind. That being said, there are others running for this office that are good people with good intentions. There are also some who I wouldn't vote for if life depended on it. I ask the voters to please make informed decisions. Do not vote for someone based upon their name or just because you did business with them at some point in your life. Ask us the hard questions that are important to you. Ensure the person or people you vote to represent you has the personal qualities you believe best to do the job. If we collectively don't do this then how do we ever expect anything to get any better.

I am reminded of a phrase commonly used while I was in the Marines, “If you're not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem”. I believe this to be true, which is why I am running and not complaining. Please feel free to approach me with any questions if you see me out or to contact me. I appreciate the opportunity to run for the office of your Commissioner.