Commissioner, council candidates address local issues
By BILL RICHMOND
City editor
After a general comment period, candidates for County Commissioner and County Council at Monday's Randolph County Farm Bureau Candidate Forum answered specific questions by moderators. RC Ag Roundtable member Jerry Warren asked commissioner candidates about the Farm Bureau proposal to increase Confined Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) setbacks to 1,000 feet with consideration for best management practices. Warren's specific question was: Are you in favor or not in favor of the proposal.
Candidates for County Commissioner
Eastern District
Noel "Bud" Carpenter (Republican): "Nobody wants that smell wafting through their house. Setbacks are a start - I don't know if that's a solution. Pine trees wash the air of odors, something like that would surely help."
Stephen Welch (Republican): "I don't think setbacks are the answer. Best management practices are a good option. Another problem is the devaluation of your neighbor's property. Nobody wants to live next door to one of these operations."
County Commissioner
Middle District
Gary Friend (Republican): "I think it was well thought over, but I'm not in favor of the setbacks. If somebody does not adhere to their best management practices you can't move that farm away from its neighbors (to make up for the default)."
Troy Prescott (Republican): "The proposal is a good start. If we are good neighbors it's not going to be a problem anyway. A lot of this problem comes from facilities out of our county hauling manure in. That also contributes to our roads being torn up."
Brent Campbell (Republican): "Regulations need to be put in place. It's an issue that needs to be settled. The first step would be to put something in place that is more effective that what we have now. We need to get something in place."
Philip Wysong (Democrat): "I've got real good neighbors. I don't know how to stop it, but something should be done to stop the smell."
Larry Dungan (Democrat): "I believe the proposed rules are much the same as were being discussed four or five years ago. I think there's much more to this than setbacks. A lot of it depends upon how, when and where manure is being spread."
Candidates for County Council were asked if they are in favor of having the county bond $18+ million for the courthouse renovation. Moderator Tom Chalfant said although the project will likely cost $10-12 million, the total indebtedness (including financing costs) will be about $18 million.
County Council
At-Large candidates
(three will be selected in the Republican primary)
Carlton Clevenger (Republican): "What we have now is basically the same thing we proposed 4-5 years ago. Everybody was against it then, now they're for it."
He said the project will be paid for through a special EDIT increase established several years ago specifically to finance a renovation of the courthouse.
Helen Snyder (Republican): "I don't agree with the council decision to approve the bonding at this time without knowing more about what the project entails. I think it creates a great deal of indebtedness for the county at this time.
"I applaud the two council members who voted against the bonding issue."
Max Holaday (Republican): "I voted against it but I'll tell you we've got to do something. If we do wait another four years, the price will double again in cost and the building will begin to fall down about our shoulders."
Mike Haffner (Republican): "There's no way that thing should cost $18 million. That is ridiculous. We've got to trim five to six million off this cost. The people don't want it. It should not happen."
Harold Isenbarger (Republican): "The $18 million price tag scares me to death. I realize what dire condition the courthouse is in. It's embarrassing. We have been talking about it a long time and something needs to be done."
Ralph "Bud" Harris (Republican): "Some of our courthouse employees have had their offices torn up for seven years or so. We need to have enough respect for county employees to get this done."
