Candidates for county office pitch attributes at forum

Thursday night's Cape Girardeau County Commission District 1 candidate forum was much the same as Tuesday night.

But with a little more drawl.

Two days after the District 2 Republican candidates -- all from the city of Cape Girardeau -- made their pitches for votes, the men from the country took the microphone.

The forum was co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters and Southeast Missouri State University.

Commission candidates Don Crowder, Robert Cox Jr. and Richard Rushin were from the city of Jackson. The rest of the nine Republican candidates, David Blumenberg, Charles Roberts, Larry Bock, David Hahn and J.W. Strack were all from the rural county. Doug Flannery did not attend Thursday night's forum.

Most of the county candidates, particularly the ones who live outside of Jackson, put an emphasis on improving county roads.

"I really want the county to get the paving stepped up," Blumenberg said.

Everyone agreed that the county needs more industry.

Other issues included hours on the job -- everyone agreed that they could put in "full-time" hours -- charter government and term limits.

Two fairly original ideas were brought up concerning parks.

Rushin said one reason the area is having trouble attracting industry is because of a low unemployment rate, a "good problem to have," he said. So to draw more people to the area, and to increase the tax base, Rushin suggested looking into providing more entertainment possibilities, like a water park. He also said he'd like the commission to be more accessible, suggesting at least one meeting per month at night, instead of the current Monday and Thursday morning set-up.

Strack suggested applying federal funds to turn some of the Iron Mountain Railway right-of-way into a hiking and biking trail with parks along the way "to keep the bicycles off the dangerous roads."

Cox focused on his experience as the county's information technology director and said the county needs to move into this century in terms of technology. He also said he thought he could improve morale among county employees.

Bock invoked many positive occurrences that have happened under his watch as the incumbent commissioner, like the Procter & Gamble expansion, attracting the Sears Grand store, Kohl's and the conservation campus being built at the county park.

"Projects like that don't happen over night," he said. "That takes long-term planning."

The winner of the Republican primary will battle Democrat Fred Wilkinson in the general election.

Perhaps the most heated banter came from the two Republican sheriff candidates, Alan Foust and incumbent John Jordan.

Foust, who has a long list of law enforcement credentials, contended that Jordan's department is top-heavy with too many command positions.

Jordan rebutted by saying the sheriff's department under his watch has grown by more than 20 employees, but only one more command position. He called the department a "fine-tuned machine" and a "bureaucracy buster."

Foust also claimed the department was in a near-crisis mode with far too few deputies on patrol. Jordan said, unless the citizens ask for a tax increase, the money is not available to hire more patrol officers.

No Democrats have filed for sheriff.

Republican Coroner candidates Edward Frenzel and John Clifton pitched their experience against one another.

Frenzel cited his vast medical experience.

Clifton pointed out his investigative experience and said the statutes require the coroner to be an investigator.

Frenzel said he investigated every day of his career as a nurse.

Mike Hurst is running for coroner on the Democratic ticket.

Both Republican county treasurer candidates have experience in business and civic ventures so the primary may come down to political influence.

The way Dean Sawyer sees it, he's been involved with the local Republican scene for years, has worked hard in political and community ventures and has paid his dues.

From Roger Hudson's point of view, voters don't need "an insider" who is heavily involved in tight political circles.

Hudson or Sawyer will run against Democrat Len Barrecca in the general election.

Only one of the two Democratic public administrator candidates attended the forum.

Charlie Harrison spoke of her education and experience as a mental health and said her gift for reaching out to people and making them laugh will be invaluable in a position that requires taking care of mentally incompetent people.

Deborah McBride did not attend.

The winner of the Democratic primary will face Republican incumbent Phyllis Schwab.

bmiller@semissourian.com

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