Keith Moses Q&A
Question 1. Tell us about yourself and your connection to this community. How long
have you lived here, and what has your involvement in local civic life looked like? In
brief, how might voter know you?
Answer: Although my father’s and my career with the FBI led to over a dozen moves
across the country, Moore County has been a constant in my life since 1997. I fell in
love with the small-town atmosphere after working and living in San Diego, Washington
D.C., and Nashville. I bought the Charlie and Mary Dixie Walker home in Hurdlow in
2009. In 2012 I bought the George Knoer farm and raised cattle and horses ever since.
In 2017 I was awarded the USDA Soil Conservation Farmer of the Year for Moore Co. I
plan to live here until I am called home. In regard to my involvement in my local civic live, I
will refer to Question 2.
Question 2. What specific experience — professional, civic, or personal — has prepared
you to serve in this role?
Answer: My professional foundation is built on an undergraduate degree in accounting
and a Master of Business Administration. I dedicated over 30 years to federal law
enforcement, with 15 of those years in supervisory roles. Before retiring, I oversaw the
FBI’s Nashville Resident Agency, where I was responsible for all operations within 31
counties and over 200 personnel. As the senior Special Agent, I was also the primary
liaison to the Governor’s office, state, local and other federal agencies. Most recently, I
served as the Program Manager for approximately 150 contract employees supporting
the FBI’s Security Division in Huntsville.
Locally, I served four years on the Metro-Moore Council representing District 3, during
which time I chaired the Metro Utilities Board. Since 2017, I have been a member of the
Board of Zoning Appeals, serving as Chairman since 2022. My perspective is formed,
in part, by my 2019 completion of Lynchburg Leadership, an eight-month immersion into
our county's departmental operations and infrastructure. My commitment to our
community is further reflected in my time as President and Treasurer of the Chamber of
Commerce and my eight years of volunteering with the Community Outreach Luncheon
group.
Question 3. In your opinion, what is the single most important issue facing our
community right now, and what concrete steps would you take to address it in your first
year in office?
Answer: I am campaigning for Mayor because our county consistently spends more than
it generates in revenue. This fiscal path largely ignores those living on fixed or limited
incomes. I vividly remember a local resident, Bill Madewell, pleading with the Council
not to raise property taxes because he was forced to choose between his taxes or his
medication. Sadly, Mr. Madewell passed away shortly after that appearance.
We see this struggle in our own families. My stepfather and my mother, Frank and Mary
Allgauer, bought Dudley and Ann Tipps home on Dillingham Hill in 2014 as they fell in
love with Moore County after spending the holidays here with me and my family. My
stepfather had retired in 1987, and his monthly retirement remained the same until his
death in 2024. To put that into perspective, $100 in 1987 had the buying power of
roughly $275 in 2024. While the cost of living tripled, his income stood still.
Recently, the Council passed the long-overdue Tennessee Consolidated Retirement
System (TCRS) retirement plan for county employees but failed to provide a way to
fund it. While I fully support these benefits for county employees, the lack of planning
will undoubtedly result in a property tax increase that those on fixed incomes who
simply cannot afford to pay this tax increase.
A Four-Pillar Plan for Our Future
While our Budget Committee consists of hard-working volunteers, I believe we can do
more to protect your tax dollars:
1. Zero-Based Budgeting: Department heads should start with a blank sheet, justifying
every “fixed” and “variable” expense from the ground up to identify where costs can
be reduced.
2. Professional Oversight: We should consider contracting a financial advisor to
help prepare the budget. This small investment could yield massive savings and
reduce the burden on our volunteer committees.
3. Debt Refinancing: We must examine our long-term debt, such as the 2007 school
construction loan which carries a variable interest rate, and move toward lower,
fixed-rate payments.
4. Revenue Realignment: I propose raising the local sales tax from 9.5% to 9.75%.
This will align us with surrounding counties and ensure that tourists – rather than
just local property owners – shoulder more of the tax burden.
Question 4. Is there an issue where your position differs from what many in your party
or your predecessor might support? If so, what is it and why do you hold that view?
Answer: Transparency. To increase public engagement, the Council should proactively
publish monthly agendas across local newspapers, social media, and a dedicated
county website. Furthermore, we should provide the minutes for all council and
committee meetings, which is essential for transparency. To support this, the county
could establish a partnership with the high school's IT department. This would allow
students to maintain the site in exchange for Tennessee Promise volunteer credits,
creating a cost-effective solution that invests in our local youth and minimizes the
expense to taxpayers.
Question 5. Local government budgets involve real trade-offs. If you had to choose
between cutting services or raising revenue to close a budget shortfall, how would you
approach that decision?
Answer: Referencing my previous answer to Question 3, we can maintain fiscal health
by implementing strict expense caps while simultaneously optimizing our revenue
streams. By combining a local sales tax increase with the projected growth in our
certified tax rate from new residential construction, we can meet the county's needs
without overburdening current residents.
Question 6. How do you plan to stay accessible and accountable to constituents who
didn't vote for you?
Answer: My candidacy for Mayor is to be a voice for everyone in our county regardless of
their vote, especially our neighbors on fixed incomes who feel overlooked by the current
administration. I will bring the same 'open-door' standard I have held throughout my
career to this role as Mayor. Whether by phone, email, or through a new county
website, I will be accessible and ready to listen to the people of Moore County.
Question 7. What do you want voters who don't yet know you to understand why you
are running?
Answer: While I may not be a Moore County native, I am a Moore County resident by
choice and an active volunteer by passion. I am deeply invested in our community’s
future, and I am committed to finishing my days here, serving the place I am proud to
call home. I am fully committed to our county’s long-term success.
About Keith Moses
Keith Moses, a retired federal supervisor known for his focus on budgets, has qualified to run for mayor of Moore County. He contends the county needs to control spending better, communicate more clearly, and plan more carefully for the future.
Moses, who is a retired FBI supervisor, former Metro Council member, and longtime local board volunteer, is focusing his campaign on practical county government. His priorities include balancing the budget, protecting taxpayers with fixed incomes, improving communication, and planning for big future expenses.
Moses said he decided to run after years of watching local government and growing worried about the county’s finances. He believes Moore County is spending more than it brings in and hasn’t done enough to protect residents, especially seniors, from rising taxes.
Moses has a degree in accounting, an MBA, and over 30 years of experience in federal law enforcement, including 15 years as a supervisor. He led the FBI’s Nashville office and later managed about 150 contractors for the FBI’s Security Division in Huntsville, Alabama.
He said his connection to Moore County began years ago, when he visited family after living in larger cities, including Birmingham, Ala., San Diego, and Washington, D.C. He later bought property in the county, moved here full-time in 2014, and retired for good on Feb. 27, 2026. “I just loved coming down here on weekends to decompress,” Moses said, describing the county as the place he always hoped to retire.
Since moving to Moore County, Moses has been active in the community. He served four years on the Metro Moore Council for District 3, chaired the Metro Utilities Board, and has been on the Board of Zoning Appeals since 2017, serving as chairman since 2022. He’s also been president and treasurer of the local Chamber of Commerce and volunteered with the Community Outreach Luncheon group.
Campaign Centered on Spending
At the center of Moses’ campaign is fiscal discipline.
Moses said county leaders should plan major financial decisions before shifting costs onto taxpayers, especially older residents living on fixed incomes. He said conversations with late Moore County resident Bill Madewell left a lasting impression on him. Madewell, Moses said, often spoke against higher property taxes and worried about how residents on fixed incomes would keep up. Moses also pointed to his own family, noting that his stepfather’s retirement income stayed flat from 1987 until his death in 2024, even as the cost of living continued to rise.
He supports retirement benefits for county employees but thinks officials should have had a clear plan to pay for them before joining the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System. “Why can’t we live within our means?” Moses asked, saying leaders often approve spending before figuring out how to cover the costs.
Moses has a four-part plan to improve the county’s finances: zero-based budgeting, external financial oversight, debt refinancing, and raising more local revenue through a sales tax rather than a property tax. He suggested raising the local sales tax, through the tourist tax, from 9.5% to 9.75%. He says this would make Moore County more like its neighbors and bring in more money from visitors.
He also thinks the county should review its long-term debt, including school debt, and consider hiring professional financial advisors to help the volunteer budget committee.
Push for Clearer Public Information
Moses also says the county government should make basic public information easier for people to find and understand.
He believes that meeting minutes, ordinances, department contacts, permit links, and fee information should be posted online quickly and easily accessible. Residents, he said, shouldn’t have to struggle to find basic county information. He also wants the mayor’s office to give regular public updates on county business and priorities.
He said Moore County can’t keep using old ways to share public information. He also thinks county leaders should use technology better to improve services and help residents in a digital world.
Planning Beyond the Next Budget Cycle
Moses also wants the county government to plan further ahead for things like buildings, infrastructure, and quality of life.
He asked whether Moore County should continue using its current courthouse and jail or begin planning a new government complex to meet future needs. He mentioned concerns about courthouse accessibility and said leaders should consider if a newer building would serve residents better in the long run.
He also thinks the county should continue supporting services for seniors and work to make the community more appealing to young people who might leave after graduation. This includes improving internet access, offering more remote work options, and making better use of resources like Motlow State Community College.
Overall, Moses is running as a manager, not a showman. He tells voters that Moore County needs stronger oversight, better budgeting, clearer communication, and leaders who can plan beyond the next bill or meeting.