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About The independent. (Vernonia, Or.) 1986-current | View Entire Issue (April 1, 2010)
The INDEPENDENT, April 1, 2010 Page 5 Meet the candidates for Columbia County Commissioner Columbia County voters will decide on Republican and Democratic candidates in the May 18 primary election for a vacancy on the Columbia County Board of Commissioners. Winners of the primary election will face each other on the November ballot. There is no incumbent because County Commissioner Rita Bern- hard, a Democrat, has decided to retire at the end of her term in January 2011. Bernhard has been on the board of commissioners since 1999. All of the candidates were interviewed by The Inde- pendent, asking the same questions of each one. Here are the questions and the candidates’ responses. Re- sponses are in alphabetical order by party affiliation, then by surname. The candidates are Henry Heimuller (D), Russ Moon (D), Shawna Sykes (D), Judith Taylor (D), Glenn Dorschler (R), and Terry Luttrell (R). After the questions and answers, there is additional infor- mation about each candidate. From the Candidates: 1. What will you do to keep op- erating with less money (bad economy, or?)? Heimuller (D) – We need to get the budget to where it’s easily readable. Personally, I think we need to get the budget to where it’s transparent. Then we need to look at efficiencies. Some de- partments, I know, are bare Henry Heimuller bones. The county may need to share employees across departments by looking at the workload more globally. I think some of that has started to occur. Moon (D) – I say what I mean and mean what I say. I’m a good listener, researcher and problem solver. This is a good question, I don’t have the information on this, but would want to understand the budget better. Sykes (D) – I have been meeting with department heads at the county level. It’s already lean, most de- partments have already been cut down to the staffing level. We have a bunch of great employees, but there’s still value in sitting down together to try to find more efficiencies. It’s in everyone’s best interest to op- timize resources. We also need to look at technology use, there are possibilities in energy efficiencies. Taylor (D) – I know the budget is the biggest item right now. We have to prioritize. I’m conservative on spend- ing and know some departments are lean and some may have a bit more resources. We need to look at the budget at a line item level and see what we can do with what we have and what we can do without. Dorschler (R) – We need to cut back as needed and prioritize. Public safety is a priority, then go from there. We need to keep the people we have working. One thing I would do is not take a pay raise while in office. I’m concerned that unemployment is at least 15% and believe the acreage at the Scappoose Airport is our fu- ture. This will benefit the entire county, including Ver- nonia, because economic growth has a way of ex- panding. Luttrell (R) – I have had to deal with budgets many times. There will have to be some tough choices, choices that might hurt the people that need it. I would have a hard time cutting any services to veterans or the handicapped. I have compassion for people who are struggling. I also believe we need permanent fund- ing for the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office. 2. Do you think county commissioners should re- assume responsibility for de- partments rather than de- pending on middle managers to assist department heads? Heimuller (D) – No. First lots of departments don’t think there’s a problem with commissioners having oversight during special projects, but there’s no way pos- sible that the three commission- Russ Moon ers could manage all the depart- ments day to day. Moon (D) – I think the commissioners should commu- nicate about what they are working on. Sykes (D) – Tough question because the managers I’ve met really know their departments. I met with the finance director yesterday and they know where they are with the budget. At the commissioner level, it’s dif- ficult to know enough about each department but it might be good for each commissioner to work more in- formally with certain departments so they have that as a resource. Taylor (D) – Back to the budget, can we af- ford to do that? Three commissioners for the entire county is slim pickings. They have to depend on the information provid- ed. But there needs to be an assessment as to whether the current system is work- ing or not and there need to be measura- ble goals. Dorschler (R) – Yes, commissioners should be responsible for departments. They should be divided among the com- missioners. I’m interested in people, I’d like the departments to know I am there for them. Luttrell (R) – I see that in some depart- ments things aren’t going well. I think we need to be a bit more involved. We need better use of the money, not to take over, but better direction. 3. What do you think the commis- sioner’s job or re- sponsibility should be? Heimuller (D) – Of- tentimes people see commissioners as trying to put out the small fires, like from Shawna Sykes the citizens. Like Rita has, I would be out in the community, available. Commissioners have to set clear consistent rules, then fol- low them. LIke, we need a Strategic Plan. Policy making has got to be paramount. I think the commissioners understand that and as a commissioner I would follow through on that, also. Moon (D) – Budgeting. I have no precon- ceived agenda. I would come in with an open mind. The main thing is what’s best for the citizens, the voters. Sykes (D) – Ultimately, the commissioners are responsible for all of county govern- ment. So no matter what happens or who is directly involved, the commissioners an- swer to the public. I think it’s important for commissioners to be ambassadors for the county to encourage business development. Commissioners need to set a good example for others – they are rep- resentatives of the people. I would take that very seri- ously, it’s a big responsibility. Taylor (D) – I started looking at what a commissioner does last October/November to see what the position was about. They have to have a handle on the depart- ments to know what are functioning well and be in- volved in the process. They also need to look at re- sponsible economic growth, be a conduit between the county, the cities, and the businesses so we are all working together or at least reach out a hand in collab- oration. Dorschler (R) – To ensure that the county has eco- nomic development and public safety. To be out there with people in the community. They should have regu- lar town hall meetings in each community to hear what people are thinking. Commissioners need to listen, to hear what people want to happen here. Luttrell (R) – How to overall See Candidates on page 14