Public forum to shed light on commissioners? views
They are the elected offices which most directly affect the lives of all residents of Warren County yet their races rarely receive the attention of other elections for local, state and federal offices.
On Aug. 3, the voters of Warren County will elect 24 members of the county commission. With the exception of the First District where incumbents Bill Zechman and Sally Brock are running unopposed, there will be choices in each and every district.
While commissioners fill part-time roles, their decisions have a full-time impact on everyone in the Nursery Capitol. They decide our tax rate, they decide what areas to fund each year, they make rules for the county and decisions on how we will invest our combined millions in tax dollars each year.
Yet, given all this influence, commission races are generally the least advertised, least issue-oriented and least understood by the voting public. An ongoing poll being conducted by the Southern Standard has revealed not even a third of voters know what commission district they are in and even less know who serves as their two commissioners. This likely means most voters will be unprepared to make an informed decision when they take to the polls to vote in two county commissioners.
It is for this reason the Southern Standard along with WCPI FM 91.3 will be offering a public forum for all 45 commission hopefuls at 7 p.m. Monday. The forum will be held at the county government building on Locust Street and is open to the public. It will be first all-inclusive forum of its kind whereby all commissioners are given a chance to address the voters.
The format will be simple. The districts will be called up in order, starting with the First District. The candidates of the district will then be given a one-minute time for anything they want to say. Then, the members of the district will draw a pre-written question at random and will each be given one minute to address the question. The questions will be thought provoking in nature with no ?softball questions? among the choices. The process will continue through all 12 districts, giving each candidate a chance to address the public.
Seeing this is an open forum meant to give commissioners a chance to address the county in mass, it is difficult to understand why any candidate would pass up such a wonderful opportunity to have his or her position on the issues known. Perhaps voters should wonder how a person expects to lead the county when they do not take a free opportunity to address their constituents. It is hoped there will be a unanimous attendance by all commission candidates who can possibly make an appearance so everyone?s voice can be heard.