{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nMark Messick is running as an independent candidate for Coffee County Mayor in the August 6, 2026 county general election, against Republican incumbent Dennis Hunt and Democrat Khamai M. Rozier [2]. Because he is running as an independent, Messick did not appear in the primaries [1]. His stated campaign priorities include zoning reform (restoring the ability to sell land in parcels smaller than five acres), expanding water lines and fire-hydrant pressure, converting the former Riverside School into a Black History Museum, coordinating I-24 industrial-park development, and exploring consolidation of government functions with Manchester and Tullahoma [1].\n\n## Background and education\nMessick was raised on a farm in Beech Grove, where his grandparents on both sides of his family farmed [1].\n\n## Career\nMessick has worked as a Manchester realtor for 26 years [1]. Earlier in his career he raised beef cattle, operated a dairy, and worked for the Rutherford Farmers Co-op and Montgomery Farmers Co-op for a combined 15 years [1].\n\n## Office history\nMessick was elected a Manchester alderman nearly eight years ago and has served roughly six years as Vice Mayor of Manchester [1]. He has served on the city's Finance (six years), Public Works (six years), Water Board (three years), Planning and Zoning (six years), Tourism, Recreation, and Historic Zoning committees, and does not plan to seek re-election to the city board [1].\n\n## Sources\n[1] [Mark Messick Announces Campaign for Coffee County Mayor \u2014 Thunder Radio](https://thunder1320.com/mark-messick-announces-campaign-for-coffee-county-mayor/) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-22\n[2] [Coffee County Official Sample Ballot, August 6, 2026](https://coffeecountytn.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6811/August-6-2026-Republican-Ballot) \u2014 accessed 2026-07-22","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_mayor","county":"Coffee","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"TN","title":"County Mayor"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Mark","fullname":"Mark Messick","lastname":"Messick","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_mayor","contest_title":"County Mayor","county":"Coffee","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"county_mayor","office_title":null,"party":"I","pgr":"general","state":"TN"}],"county":null,"cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_mayor","contest_title":"County Mayor","county":"Coffee","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-08-06","office_county":null,"office_key":"county_mayor","office_title":null,"party":"I","pgr":"general","state":"TN"},"party":"I","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_mayor","office_title":"County Mayor","state":"TN","terms":[]}],"summary":"Manchester realtor and Vice Mayor running as an independent for Coffee County Mayor in 2026, focused on growth, zoning reform and water infrastructure.","terms":[],"token":"gwg6UJtEla"}