CANDIDATE PROFILE: Chris Reding, candidate for Payne County Commissioner District 2, running for fourth term

May 3—Chris Reding is running for his fourth term as County Commissioner for Payne County District 2. He has served as the incumbent for Payne County in this capacity for almost 12 years.

As a member of the Republican party, he will face candidate Seth Condley, 46, also from the Republican party, in the June 18 primary.

With no Democrat, Independent or Libertarian candidate there is no general election in November, and the primary election will determine the next Commissioner District 2.

Reding, 62, is a Stillwater native and graduated from C.E. Donart High School (now Stillwater High School) and Oklahoma State University.

Reding's background includes a degree in Outdoor Recreation, service as District Executive for the Boy Scouts, restaurant manager, U.S. Army Infantryman and Combat Engineer, product design and development engineer at Nomadics, pastor and technical writer.

He also holds a teacher certification for Health, Safety and Physical Education in the State of Oklahoma.

"Each of these experiences, and all of the training, I use as a County Commissioner," he said.

Reding said during his time as Commissioner, his primary responsibility is the care and maintenance of the Payne County Courthouse and Administration buildings.

He said he has been modernizing systems as they break or wear out. He makes sure the buildings are efficient and reliable, and reduces the time needed for repairs. His efforts, he said, have made the buildings more comfortable and less expensive to run.

Reding has also been a proponent and advocate of the County C.L.E.A.N. program (Cleaning our Land, Environment and Neighborhoods), a court ordered community service program for nonviolent offenders who could be sentenced to jail, but work for the County instead.

"This program has provided over 13,163 hours worth $198,000 in free labor to the County, and has kept 657 people out of jail, but still paying their debt to society," Reding said. "Just as importantly, though, by working with the offender's schedule, clients can keep their jobs, continue schooling and not turn their lives upside down like extended jail time can."

Reding said the Payne County Pollinator Protector Program evolved from his work with the state studying the problems that pollinators were facing and ways the state could be involved in solving them.

Selected as the only County Commissioner representative for the state, Reding developed the County Pollinator Protector Program, a program where counties reseed the freshly reworked rights-of-way with seeds of bee and butterfly friendly plants native to the area.

"This stabilizes the soil faster to slow erosion, feeds the local bee and butterfly populations, helps pollinate the local crops and reduces mowing during the pollination season," he said. "This also saves the county money in mowing, helps pollinate crops for the farmers and improves the conditions for bees and butterflies, all at very little to no cost to the County."

And, Reding said, he was instrumental in modernizing the Environmental Enforcement department and drew awareness to illegal dump sites to stop them.

During his tenure, and before the Emergency Management Department was moved under the Sheriff's Office, Reding helped the department host large training events.

The County, with his help as a Commissioner, also acquired a former AT&T microwave tower and is converting it into an Emergency Operations Center, providing space for dealing with large scale emergencies in a worst-case scenario, he said.

Reding serves as a Trustee for Payne County Economic Development Authority (PCEDA), a group that is beginning work on the current bond for the Stillwater High School. PCEDA is the bonding authority for the County. The authority also provides grants to current businesses to promote growth.

Reding also works as the county representative with other governments and agencies. He is the Payne County Representative for the Stillwater Tax Increment Financing District 3, encouraging business growth around Downtown Stillwater.

The TIF committee vets potential projects and makes recommendations to the Stillwater City Council for funding.

"These loans and grants encourage new businesses like Stonecloud Brewing Company, Empire Pizza and Every Man (EM) restaurant," he said.

Reding works with the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce on economic development projects.

As Vice-Chair of the E911 Emergency Communications Committee, Reding works to maintain the E911 system for the County, providing equipment and training to the dispatchers, and providing reliable service to the people.

Reding serves as President of Central Oklahoma Community Action Agency, a six-county regional organization that provides resources for the elderly, the poor and homeless.

"This organization has been in a rebuilding process over the last six years, and is about to open its new headquarters and senior adult apartments in Shawnee. It also has an office in Stillwater," he said.

But, Reding said his "biggest project to date" is the Countywide Radio Program. He and the Payne County Board of Commissioners and staff are currently working with all the cities, fire departments, law enforcement and other emergency personnel across the County on a first-of-its-kind, first responder communications program.

The radio program, funded by ARPA dollars, will make "it possible for all the first responders in the County, some surrounding counties, and state agencies to all communicate with each other directly."

"This is a very complicated and expensive program, but the rewards for the safety of the citizens and first responders of Payne County will be huge," Reding said.

Reding hopes in re-election to be able to finish this and other projects in the next term, he said.

"It has been an honor and a privilege to serve the people of Payne County and I look forward to doing so for another four years," Reding said.

He is married to Pam Montemurro Reding and together they have five children, two grandchildren, two dogs and one cat.

Reding said he has debates scheduled with his opponent coming up soon.

In terms of getting his campaign off the ground, he said, "We're in the process. Our signs are starting to go up, my website is being finished and the campaign committee has been working and meeting for three weeks."

He said he does not plan to "run against" anyone.

"I want to run based on my skills, abilities and knowledge," Reding said. "I had a lot of experience in management and facility management and taking care of the written word in contracts and specs and things like that — I did come in well-qualified for the job. I had a lot of the knowledge and skills required to come in and just do it."

Reding can be reached by phone at (405) 780-5300 or by email at credingd2@gmail.com. His website is reelectreding.com, and he can be found on Facebook Payne County District 2 Commissioner Chris Reding.