Jack Wright, who spent more than a decade working for Warren County government, is now looking to lead it.

Wright, who retired nearly three years ago from his job as manager of the stormwater division of Warren County Public Works, has filed to run for Warren County judge-executive.

He becomes the third Republican to file for the job currently held by Mike Buchanon, who announced in October that he would not seek an eighth term in the office.

Wright joins current first district Magistrate Doug Gorman and business consultant Joanna Jones as candidates in the May Republican primary. No Democrats have yet filed for the office that pays about $120,000 per year.

“I think it’s important to serve where you live,” Wright said. “I believe my work experience and leadership style will make me a good candidate.”

Wright, 68, describes himself as having had two careers – one in the private sector and one in government.

A Woodburn resident, Wright studied at Western Kentucky University before it had an engineering program, but he passed the exam to become a professional engineer.

He worked for Beacon Construction and for an engineering firm before and in between stints with county government.

Wright said his experience with the county’s public works department and an education that includes taking accounting classes at WKU are “part of what qualifies me” for the judge-executive job.

Like Buchanon, Wright sees improving the region’s workforce participation rate as a priority for county government. Warren Fiscal Court and the city of Bowling Green are funding a marketing campaign to improve workforce participation.

“We truly do have an obligation and responsibility to educate and train the workforce,” he said. “We need people to take the jobs that are open in the area. That’s part of what’s on my agenda.”

Wright is joined by a couple of other recent filers in joining what is becoming a large pool of candidates for county offices.

Josh Hardy has filed to run for property valuation administrator, joining fellow Republican Rex Board in running for the office now held by Democrat Susan Oliver Lewis.

Lewis was appointed to the position last March by Gov. Andy Beshear after previous PVA Bob Branstetter retired. She has filed for a full term and is so far unopposed on the Democrat side.

Hardy has a background in real estate investing and computer software engineering that he says are good qualifications for the $108,000-a-year PVA job.

“When you get into real estate investing, a large part of it is assessment,” said Hardy, a Warren County native and 2002 Greenwood High School graduate.

Saying he is “passionate about real estate,” Hardy said his experience investing in properties motivated him to get involved in politics.

“Investing in real estate taught me about what the local legislative body does,” he said. “It opened my eyes about the need for good leadership.”

Like Hardy, the newest county magistrate candidate is a newcomer to politics.

Eddie Edwards, a retired painting contractor, has filed to run for the fifth district magistrate seat held by Mark Young.

“I’m retired, and I have a little more time on my hands,” said Edwards, a Republican. “I want to give the people of the fifth district some choice in who they vote for. I think I can do some good for the people.”

Edwards, 69, joins Amber Milam and Eric Aldridge as Republicans running for the seat. Young is so far unopposed on the Democrat side as he runs for his third term in the magistrate job that pays $39,000 per year.

An employee at Holley Performance Products for 20 years before launching his own painting business, Edwards said he would “mainly like to take care of some of the rural roads a little better” as magistrate.

With Edwards’ filing, there are now 19 total candidates for the six magisterial seats. Only second district magistrate Tom Lawrence, a Democrat, remains unopposed as he seeks his third term in the office.

Prospective candidates have until Jan. 25 to file for office after the Kentucky General Assembly extended the deadline from Jan. 7.