| Candidates
for four contested races on the county level, as well as the two
candidates running for state representative, took turns answering
questions Thursday night at Owen County High School.
They discussed issues ranging from creating jobs and improving
the local economy to curbing drug problems and improving infrastructure.
The issues at stake will help determine the future of Owen County,
making next week’s election important for voters.
Selected statements from the county and state races appear below.
State Representative, 61st District
Republican Pam Mann and incumbent Democrat Royce Adams took opposite
stances on right-to-work and prevailing-wage laws as they discussed
how to best improve education and the economy in Owen County.
“Prevailing-wage laws must be repealed, and we must have
right-to-work laws,” Mann said, adding that the moves would
help business in the state. She said prevailing-wage laws tack
as much as 20 percent onto the cost of government construction
projects.
Adams voted for a prevailing-wage law, saying recently built schools
in the county were bid under contract.
“And I’d do it again if I had to do it,” he
said of the vote. “I’m for giving everyone jobs, but
they have to be well-paying jobs.”
The two candidates agreed that rural schools, such as those in
Owen County, need more funding.
Adams said educating young people is his “No. 1 issue,”
noting that many have left the county for jobs elsewhere.
He said he hopes gas lines and other improvements help bring in
jobs.
“But even if they (young people) stay here, they’ve
got to be educated,” he said.
Mann said she would bring a woman’s perspective to the representative
seat if elected.
As a teacher, mother, farmer and wife she said she understands
the issues many in Owen County face.
“It’s very difficult to talk to a legislator when
98 percent of them are men,” she said. “The cards
are stacked against us as women.”
Adams, who now ranks 17th out of 100 members in seniority in the
state house, said his experience and tenure serving on key committees
allowed him to get money for projects like the water line expansion
and the new road from Owenton to the high school.
He said he would seek to get better access to I-71 or I-75 from
the county if elected to another term.
Such a project could help lure new jobs, he said.
“Owen County is unique, without an inch or railroad and
without an inch of interstate,” he said, adding that lack
of interstate access hurts the county. “It’s important
we get this road system done.”
Mann said she would work to improve healthcare for citizens by
making insurance more accessible to small-business owners by offering
tax credits
She said she would also work to get universities involved with
tobacco diversification.
In her closing statement Mann said she has looked over the Owen
20/20 survey results and sees a community still in need of many
things.
“All those things you all want—and you need—my
question is why haven’t you gotten them?” she asked
rhetorically. “When you always do what you’ve always
done, you’ll always get what you’ve always gotten.”
Adams said his record shows that he deserves re-election.
“What was done in the last session is evidence of the hard
work I’ve put forth,” he said. “This is evident
that I care about the people of Owen County, and I’ve done
everything possible to get them their fair share.”
Owen County Judge-Executive
Republican Magistrate Gary Minch and incumbent Democrat Billy
O’Banion both said they would work to bring new jobs to
the county, but they took somewhat different stances on whether
the taxpayers should foot the bill for high-speed Internet service.
“I think it might be something to look at in the future,
but I think we’ve got more pressing issues than broadband,”
Minch said.
O’Banion said he gets requests for broadband service “almost
as much as I do with water.” He said it could provide home-based
economic development and help with education.
Both promised to be aggressive trying to bring in jobs.
“I think we need to get out there and sell Owen County,”
Minch said.
Minch, a veterinarian, said he would probably still care for some
animals if elected, but he added, “I will be on this job
as many hours as judge-executive as needed.”
O’Banion said much had been accomplished in his two terms
and vowed to continue those efforts.
“There are areas where we can do better,” he said.
Owen County Magistrate, District 3
Democrat Teresa Kemper Davis and Republican Matt Toftness answered
questions about improving infrastructure and ensuring a brighter
economic future for their district.
Davis promised to improve roads and roadsides in the district
by driving and charting the roads that need work.
“We spend more money redoing it than to fix it properly,”
she said.
Davis also said she would work to get law enforcement more help
in the county to hamper speeding and other issues.
Toftness said the county has failed at planning and needs to put
in hydrants as it installs new water lines to provide better fire
protection.
He also said the county needs to create jobs and revenue to create
an expanded tax base to help fund projects.
Owen County Sheriff
When answering questions during the forum, both incumbent Democrat
Zemer Hammond and his Republican opponent Richard Poe stressed
the needs to ensure the safety of the county’s youth and
to educate them about the negative effects of drug use.
Poe said new ideas he would bring to the job include improving
school security by limiting access to entrances, citing a similar
plan that has worked with success in Indiana; brainstorming with
local and state authorities about combating illegal drugs; and
implementing a hotline or tip system and requesting community
input.
Hammond talked about successes in his past term and talked about
ways to expand on them.
He said his department has made several large drug busts, including
arresting 18 people allegedly involved in drug ring with ties
to Mexico. The department also purchased a drug dog and uses it
to search for drugs in lockers and parking lots on school grounds.
Hammond said young people contact him to let him know of problems.
But he said “it would be impossible in any county”
to completely eradicate illegal drug use.
“Where it’s going to have to start is in the home,”
he said.
Hammond said he developed a response plan with the county school
superintendent to use in an emergency situation, and he and deputies
routinely patrol the schools.
When asked what he brought to the table that his opponent didn’t,
Poe said he might bring a higher energy level with his relative
youth.
He said he can relate to both the young and old “because
I’m kinda stuck in between.”
Owen County PVA
The two candidates running for property valuation administrator
answered questions about fairly assessing real estate in the county
and talked about what each would bring to the job if elected.
Republican Troy Bramblett said he is not running for the position
in order to get “insider information,” noting that
all of the property values are public information.
He cited his experience in building and remodeling, loans and
real estate.
When asked if it’s important to have real estate experience
in the PVA position, Democrat Jimmy Coyle said he didn’t
know if it’s unimportant, but he said such experience “can
be overrated,” adding that his knowledge of the county would
help him in the decision-making process.
“We can make sure all the factors can be reviewed,”
when assessing values, Bramblett said, such as the age of the
house and how real estate and financial markets are performing.
He said he wants to make assessments available online if elected.
Coyle said he is a good fit because he would do research and make
plans to help make decisions.
“One thing I do is set priorities,” he said, later
adding that his method would help make improvements on a limited
budget. “I think it goes back to priorities. We have to
maybe be more creative.”
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