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Election 2006
04-05-2006 01:31 PM
County Commissioner candidates participate in forum
By TIM BURLESON
(L to R) Paul Walter, Jim Riddle, Damon Mancuso, Dave Toler, Dave Daniel, James Rafferty.
Photo Credit: Tim Burleson
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(L to R) Craig Heiller, Paul Walter, Jim Riddle, Damon Mancuso, Dave Toler, Dave Daniel, James Rafferty.
Photo Credit: Tim Burleson
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This is part one of our two-part coverage of the forum. Part one includes candidate's opening remarks. Part two will focus on the following audience-driven question and answer session.
GRANTS PASS, OR - A forum last night was attended by all six candidates on the ballot for the position of County Commissioner. The incumbent, Jim Riddle, is facing challenges from five opponents.
Riddle, Dave Daniel, Craig Heiller, James Rafferty, Dave Toler and Paul Walter were the featured guests at the forum sponsored by the local chapter of the John Birch Society. The forum was held at the Fruitdale Grange and moderated by Damon Mancuso. There were approximately 50 people in attendance.
The format of the forum was rather informal with no set order for candidate responses and no prepared questions from the moderator. Instead, questions came directly from audience members who occasionally preceded their questions with drawn out statements and a few who pointedly and repeatedly interrupted when candidates were responding.
Rafferty said he had never run for public office. "My opponents have all either run or held office before," he said. "My plan is very simple," he added. "I want to be able to help bring Josephine County up by its bootstraps to financial stability. My pledge is to roll my salary back to $30,000 compared to the approximate $90,000 that the Commissioners currently have." Rafferty said the salary of $30,000 was mandated by the County Charter and approved by the voters. "I'd like to be able to get in this office with 51 percent of the vote, in May, to allow me seven months to go in to the courthouse, work with the department heads, the employees, as an observer so I can help locating problems if there are any."
Daniel opened by introducing his son Michael. "He's a career Navy guy, he's home on leave and he's getting ready to go over to Iraq." Daniel then focused on his experience. "At the end of this year I'll have eight years of experience as an elected official in Josephine County government. The one thing I've always done is I've tried my best to make sure that we used your resources to the best of our ability. I have sense enough to know that you don't tell the Sheriff or any other elected official how to run their offices." Daniel also said that a County Manager is needed, "someone who will make financial decisions based on sound financial practices and not politics."
Toler said that he has served on the Three Rivers School Board for over nine years. "I feel that if you compare Three Rivers School District ten years ago to where it is now despite every year there being budget cuts I think we've improved what's going on with our County schools." Toler also suggested the idea of a new County Manager position. "Running a $100 million dollar a year business by a board of three people is not really the best way to run that business." Toler said that to pay for a new County Manager position the County Commissioner positions would be made part-time with a salary of $20,000 - $25,000 per year.
During opening remarks, Riddle focused on his business and entrepreneurial experience. "When you jump into a $100 million dollar a year business, you don't jump into the deep end without experience." Riddle then spoke of the effectiveness of the current board. "We, as the Board of County Commissioners, have been probably the best board that this County has had in years. We are finally working together as a cohesive unit and pushing the cart forward instead of spending time pushing each other. We've had that in the past and we don't want that again." He added that he is not a career politician. "I'm going to do this one last time, if you elect me, and then I'm out."
Walter said he is the Editor at Large of NewsWithViews.com, "with 25 million hits a month it's one of the biggest news service web sites in the country right now." Walter said that his experience as an editor gives him insight into what is happening with our country and Josephine County. "I'm seeing the good old boys destroy this County." He also said that other counties, like Douglas County, managed to save O&C funds but that Josephine County never did. "Our county squandered every dime that they had." Walter said that he thinks very highly of County Commissioner Jim Raffenburg. "He is your Commissioner, he's truly a people's Commissioner, because he fights for you and I will do the same. We need another Raffenburg and I'm the other one."
Heiller spoke about his strong background in construction and experience in business. Heiller said he is the Director of a 33-acre nature reserve in Cave Junction. The nature reserve has had problems with the County, which he said has polices hostile to habitat properties and juvenile recreation. "I was just arrested for entering the property because the County has developed a policy of a 'code red' as far as habitat property is concerned." Heiller said the County is anti-business. "They want half of everything you get and they want to tell you what to do with the rest of it. I would change that." Heiller said that the Planning and Sheriff's departments are not "legitimate."
Reach reporter Tim Burleson at 761-0195 or tim@grantspassclimate.com Copyright © 2006 Grants Pass Climate Would you like to respond to this story? If so Click Here to visit our forums. |
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