The following statement has been provided by the candidate:
My name is Gentry Gibson and I am currently seeking the office of Magistrate District 1 of Knox County on the Republican ballot in the May election.
I was born in 1973 in Knox County to Larry and Janet Jones Gibson. My grandparents were Fount & Maggie Hatfield Gibson and Gentry & Nora Burton Jones, all of Knox County. I have lived in Knox County for most of my 44 years. I attended Girdler Elementary and Knox Central High School, where I graduated with honors in 1991. I have been married to my wife, Lisa Garrison Gibson, for 22 years and we have three children, Christopher, Nicholas and Sara.
I have been a Christian since 11 years of age and am now a member of Greenroad Baptist Church where I serve as a trustee and the youth director.
I have also been very active with the youth of our community and our county. For the last 12 years I have coached or volunteered for the Odyssey of the Mind teams at elementary and high school levels. I am currently the coach of the Science Olympiad team at Knox County Middle School as well as Knox Central High School. I have coached these teams for 5 years. I have also volunteered countless hours driving these teams to region, state and world competitions. I believe that these teams have represented Knox County very well at these academic competitions.
I worked for the Knox County Public School System for 23 years and have recently transferred to the Barbourville Independent Schools. I have been a bus driver and custodian since I started working in 1994. I am also known in Knox County and throughout southeastern Kentucky for shoeing horses. This is a dying trade and I am one of the few people still around with this skill.
From a small child I was taught the value of working hard. Growing up my father worked in the coal mines to provide for our family. My mother worked many years at Warners along with many Knox Countians until the factory was closed. In my teenage years I helped my Papaw Fount deliver propane to many homes throughout Knox and surrounding counties.
As your magistrate, my experience with the public demonstrates that I will work well with fellow magistrates and the judge executive. I believe by working together with surrounding counties and cities that we can bring jobs back to our area. By working as a team, we can show small and large businesses the many reasons to locate their facilities here. By bringing jobs to our area I believe Knox County can greatly benefit from tax dollars. Which in turn means more funds for very needed road improvements in our district. I would like to ask the voters in District 1 of Knox County for their support on May 22, 2018 and vote to elect me, Gentry Gibson, as your next Magistrate. Thank you.
