CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Former Montgomery County Assessor, Betty Burchett, has announced her candidacy for Tennessee State Senator for District 22.

Burchett said in a campaign announcement that she “has a heart for public service” and wants to take her desire to serve, along with her experience in local government, to the Tennessee State Senate to serve the citizens of Montgomery, Stewart, and Houston Counties.

Burchett has worked as the county’s Information Systems Director, Accounts and Budgets Director, and Assessor of Property. She currently works as Senior Vice President of Information Technology and Security for Legends Bank.

Betty Burchett is a Middle Tennessee native with over 30 years in local government. She says she is passionate about open government and open doors.

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Burchett served as the President of the Tennessee Assessor’s Association and traveled to many counties throughout Tennessee. She said she witnessed first hand the need for broadband access in rural counties.

While Assessor, Burchett was named Assessor of the Year. As Accounts and Budgets Director, she lead a team that produced and presented a budget of over two hundred million dollars. As Accounts and Budgets Director, Burchett is familiar with unfunded mandates that are sent down from State Government.

As Information Systems Director, Burchett helped rebuild the network infrastructure after the January 2000 tornado. Her team was successful in connecting all county departments to increase effectiveness and efficiencies, according to her campaign announcement.

“Burchett, born into a farming family in Williamson County, learned the value of honest, hard work at a very early age. She is committed to protecting family farms, quality education for our children and the benefits of our veterans,” the release said.

At the state level, Burchett was appointed by Governor Haslam to the State Board of Equalization and is currently serving her second term.

She served as the first woman president of the Clarksville Rotary Club and is a member of the Captain William Edmiston Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, as well as a 2006 graduate of Leadership Clarksville.

Burchett serves at LifePoint Church and has been involved on many advisory boards. Most of all, she enjoys quality time with family. She has been married to Robert Burchett for 32 years, and they have two children: Robert, Jr. and Bracey Thomas (Phil), who blessed them with three grandchildren.