{"campaigns":[{"candidatename":"TIM AKINS","chatgptsummary":"Tim Akins' twelve-year tenure as Chief Deputy Trustee demonstrates direct experience in tax-collection operations and process improvements within the county office. His background includes Six Sigma certification and manufacturing management roles focused on vendor relations and database oversight. The biography contains no record of disciplinary action or controversy. Bio does not indicate prior independent investment management experience or specific knowledge of Tennessee property-tax law for relief programs.","notes":null,"party":"R","person":{"biography":"## Current office and 2026 campaign\nTim Akins is a Republican candidate for Bradley County Trustee in the 2026 election, running to succeed incumbent Trustee Mike Smith, who is retiring at the end of his term.[1]\n\n## Background and education\nA lifelong Bradley County resident born at Bradley Memorial Hospital, Akins attended Waterville Elementary and Bradley Central High School before attending Cleveland State Community College. He is also an alumnus of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Ocoee Region.[1]\n\n## Career\nAkins has served for 12 years as Chief Deputy Trustee of Operations under Smith, overseeing vendor relations, special-project implementation, process improvements, and tax-collection operations.[1][3] Before joining the Trustee's office, he worked in manufacturing and management, leading manufacturing teams and earning a Six Sigma Black Belt certification at Eaton Corporation, and managing the Cleveland site's change-management database at Mars Chocolate North America.[1]\n\n## Sources\n[1] Cleveland Daily Banner \u2014 \"Tim Akins is candidate for Bradley County trustee\": https://www.clevelandbanner.com/news/tim-akins-is-candidate-for-bradley-county-trustee/article_117a5b20-d246-5205-8b1c-3352a87f3cc3.html\n[2] WCLE Mix 104.1 \u2014 \"Tim Akins for Bradley County Trustee\": https://mymix1041.com/media/9jhs9xf/tim-akins-for-bradley-county-trustee\n[3] Bradley County, TN \u2014 Additional Staff Directory: https://bradleycountytn.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Additional-Staff-Directory.pdf\n","firstname":"TIM","lastname":"AKINS","middlename":null,"suffix":null,"token":"sQo9cdPi11"},"token":"tim_akins"}],"choices":null,"description":null,"district":null,"districtgroup":null,"districtgroupname":null,"districtname":null,"job_type":"trustee","o.office":null,"office":"trustee","officedescription":"The trustee is the county's banker \u2014 collecting county property taxes, keeping and investing county funds, and disbursing money on the county's authority. It handles large sums of public money and is a fiduciary role.","officequalities":"- Financial trustworthiness: the trustee is the county's banker and custodian of tax revenue, handling the county's property-tax collections.\n- Working knowledge of Tennessee property-tax law, including tax-relief programs for seniors, disabled residents, and veterans.\n- Investment and cash-management competence for county funds under state-law constraints.\n- Monthly settlement and reporting discipline.\n- Accessible customer service for taxpayers paying bills, disputing assessments, or seeking relief, and the ability to administer a partly-online operation.","officeterm":4,"officetitle":"County Trustee","partisan":1,"pgr":"general","quantity":1,"referendum":null,"source":{"retrieved_at":"2026-07-19","title":"bradley County, TN \u2014 August 6, 2026 Sample Ballot","url":"https://bradleyelections.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/August-2026-Sample-Ballot.pdf"},"title":"County Trustee"}