Candidate questionnaire: Josh Williams

The following is Watershed Voice’s candidate questionnaire for the November 2026 local elections. We will be running all candidate questionnaires in the order received today, tomorrow, and Thursday — our regular publishing schedule. 

Josh Williams, Three Rivers At-Large Commissioner candidate filled out our questionnaire, below are his answers as submitted. Williams is a challenger running against incumbent Lucas Allen.

Name: Josh Williams
Age: 32
Are you an incumbent? No  
Family (optional): The candidate chose not to answer this optional question.

Background/bio

The candidate did not submit a response to this question.

Why did you decide to run for this position, and what do you hope to accomplish if elected?

Working with the police department as an auxiliary for years has given me the opportunity to see how the department has changed over time. I have also seen how City Hall has prioritized certain issues while others have received less attention. Over time, I felt that my ability to make a positive impact through volunteering was diminishing. Even basic transparency, such as regular press releases keeping residents informed, became less common. I decided it was time to take the next step and bring my experience and perspective to City Hall. If elected, I want to improve transparency, listen to residents, and work with them to make positive changes in our community.

What professional, personal, volunteer or public-service experience has prepared you to serve in this role?

I serve on the Board of Directors for the Three Rivers Foodsite, where I volunteered consistently for years. During COVID, I played a key role in keeping the Foodsite open and running so we could continue serving our community.

Since 2017, I have served as an auxiliary officer with the Three Rivers Police Department. Through providing security at public events and parades, patrolling the streets, and assisting during disasters, I have built strong connections with our community and gained firsthand experience serving our residents.

I also serve as Vice Chair of the Planning Commission. This role has helped me better understand city processes, how documents are handled, and which departments and employees are responsible for different issues. I believe this experience will help me better assist residents in navigating City Hall and finding solutions to the issues that affect them.

How will you engage with and remain accessible to constituents outside of regular commission meetings?

Community service has always been a top priority for me. Currently, I dedicate 8 to 10 hours a week as an auxiliary police officer with our local police department. If elected, I will resign from the department so those hours can fully transition into my commission work and ensuring I have dedicated time each week to meet directly with constituents who reach out. I will remain accessible by email, phone, social media, and in person. I will also make an effort to attend community events and encourage commissioners to attend other local board meetings, giving residents more opportunities to speak with us outside regular commission meetings.

What do you believe is the most significant issue facing the city right now, and what specifically should the commission do about it?

Transparency is the most significant issue facing our city. Commissioners should be expected to have a clear understanding of what is happening in our city, including ongoing issues and the steps being taken to address them. Residents should also have a clear path to access that same information if they choose to. Transparency helps keep commissioners informed, gives citizens the opportunity to stay informed, and holds commissioners accountable for addressing the issues facing our community.

What do you do for work, and how do you spend your time outside of work and public service?

I have a consistent office job that allows me to plan my time around community service. I serve 8 to 10 hours a week with the police department, serve as Vice Chair of the Planning Commission, and regularly attend City Commission meetings prepared to understand the agendas and proposed decisions.

Over the years, I have also volunteered with several nonprofits. I enjoy helping people and often spend my free time finding ways to give back to the community. Helping others is something that recharges me, so I tend to spend a lot of my free time looking for ways to help others and make a positive difference in our community.

Serving on the commission requires attending meetings, reviewing agenda materials and communicating with residents outside of meetings. How will you make sure you have enough time to fulfill those responsibilities?

The Three Rivers Police Department auxiliary position is considered a city employee role, and city employees cannot serve as city commissioners. If elected, I am prepared to submit my letter of resignation. This would free up an average of 8 to 10 hours each week that I can dedicate to attending meetings, reviewing agendas, preparing for discussions, and communicating with residents. I have already made attending City Commission and Planning Commission meetings a regular part of my schedule, so I am in the habit of setting aside time to stay informed and prepared.

What do you believe are the most important responsibilities of city government, and what should its role be in the everyday lives of residents?

I believe the most important responsibilities of city government are communication and stewardship. The city should actively communicate with residents and local leaders, including churches, nonprofits, and businesses. No single organization can know every need in our community. By working together, we can identify those needs and ensure they are being addressed, whether by the city or through community partnerships. The city’s role should be to support residents, use public resources responsibly, and help create a community where people work together to solve problems.

Commissioners will inevitably disagree with one another. How would you approach disagreements with fellow commissioners while still working effectively as a governing body?

I believe commissioners should take the time to get to know one another outside of meetings, understand what matters to each person, and recognize the common goals we share. When we understand one another, it becomes easier to find common ground and work toward compromise.I also believe productive meetings should be the priority, not how quickly we can finish them. Whether a meeting takes 30 minutes or several hours, our focus should be on fully addressing the issues at hand and making decisions that serve our community.

What is your position on the development of data centers and related infrastructure in the city? What factors should the commission consider when deciding whether to approve or support such development?

I do not believe Three Rivers has a suitable location for a data center. I want to keep the focus on the needs of our community and avoid allowing divisive issues to take away from the work we need to do for our residents.

Describe a personal experience you’ve had with local government—positive or negative—that shaped how you think government should serve residents.

I have had both a positive and negative experience with local government through a local business owner who decided to invest in Three Rivers and expand his business. As someone who was not an expert in building additions, he struggled to navigate the process, and progress on his project stalled. However, one city employee went above and beyond to help him through the process.

This experience showed me both the challenges residents and business owners can face and the difference one employee can make. One of the strengths of a small town is that we do not have to treat people like just another number. We can work together, treat people like neighbors, and help them succeed.