Moses’ mayoral bid focused on spending, oversight

Says keys are tighter budgeting, clearer communication, long-range planning

11:25 a.m. March 11, 2026

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

With the 2026 Moore County elections approaching later this year, the Observer is conducting one-on-one interviews with candidates who have officially qualified for office. Candidates are not given questions in advance and have no input on the final written coverage. As part of the Observer’s commitment to independent, fact-based reporting, campaign letters or promotional submissions from candidates are not accepted.

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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.