Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
Five candidates for County Commissioner spoke to a crowd of about 40 at a League of Women Voters forum Tuesday night in the Colfax library.
The two-hour event marked the second of three forums booked for the candidates.
Last Wednesday at the Whelan-Ewartsville Grange Hall north of Pullman four of the candidates put in another two hours responding to questions written on cards from audience members. A third forum was slated for last night, Wednesday, at Pullman city hall.
Tuesday’s session at Colfax drew incumbents Greg Partch and Pat O’Neill, along with challengers Art Swannack, Bill Tensfeld and Dean Kinzer.
Partch, commissioner district one, and Tensfeld and Swannack took questions first. All three are Republicans.
Asked about goals for Whitman County for the next five years, Partch was given the microphone first.
“I’m going to do more of the same,” he said, noting his economic development record. “What I’m gonna run on is to let you know I’m gonna do more of the same.”
“I don’t believe we can afford more of the same,” said Swannack.
“In the next five years, my priority is to get the county on track and get good communication back,” said Tensfeld.
The next query was about the role of government in the lives of ordinary citizens.
“The role of government is to listen to the citizens and take feedback from the communities,” said Tensfeld.
“I believe the role of government is to be as small as possible and cost as little as possible,” said Swannack.
“First, I’d like to say that we’re ordinary citizens also, the commissioners,” said Partch. “We have a large responsibility to run a $52 million business.”
The candidates were asked if the job of county commissioner is full-time.
“I’m a full-time commissioner,” Partch said, noting the sum of his activities as a commissioner, and his previous 26-year career at Arrow Machinery.
Swannack answered that he is going to hire a full-time hired man on his farm.
“Mostly, this job can be done in three days a week,” he said. “I’m betting it’ll be 40 hours a week but that doesn’t mean it should be 60 hours a week and spending the county’s money traveling all over.”
Tensfeld said that he would resign his present job if elected commissioner.
The candidates were asked what areas in the county budget can be cut.
“It comes down to how big a shortfall you have, you know,” said Tensfeld.
Partch pointed to a shortfall of $1.5 million last year.
“We attracted windmills and because of that we had $500,000 to balance the budget,” he said. “It was experience that got that done.”
The candidates were asked to name their top three contributors.
“My fiance, her father and Steve Van Dyke,” said Tensfeld.
“One’s my cousin Dave, which really surprised me,” said Swannack.
“I think I’m the biggest contributor to my campaign at this point,” said Partch, who also noted a contribution of $500 from First Wind.
The first of a few questions regarding the Hawkins development came next: ‘If the county had plenty of money, would you fund Hawkins?
“No,” said Swannack. “The big problem is we’re playing venture capital bank.”
“With hundreds of millions of dollars, yes,” said Tensfeld. “If we had oodles and oodles of money, it would be something to pursue for sustainability of the county.”
“This is infrastructure,” said Partch. “This is investment of county dollars for our future.”
Last January the county commissioners voted in an increase to the county’s commitment for infrastructure development at the state line site to $15 million.
A question about county revenues followed.
“I would encourage tier 1 business,” said Swannack. “Business that creates something here and sells it somewhere else.”
More Hawkins questions:
“We know there will be two major box stores,” said Partch. “One is Lowe’s, the other major box store is rumored to be Target.”
The three candidates made closing statements before Commissioner Two candidates O’Neill and challenger Kinzer took a seat at the front table.
CommissionER District Two
O’Neill talked about his background with United Airlines in his opening statement, noting what he learned there applies to being county commissioner.
“As an aircraft mechanic, it’s up to Maintenance. You cannot fix the airplane at 40,000 feet. You have to get it right, on the ground.”
The first question was about party affiliation.
“Party affiliation should be left at the curb, or the snowbank, whatever you want to call it,” said O’Neill, a Democrat.
“My feeling is to be a good business manager you need to be pretty conservative,” said Republican Kinzer. “Right now we’re trying to spend our way to prosperity.”
The first Hawkins question for them came next.
“I personally don’t believe the project will go bust,” said O’Neill. “I wouldn’t have voted for it if I thought it would. I believe it, heart and soul. This company (Hawkins) has 35 years experience building shopping malls in 22 states.”
“If it does go bust, then we’ve got a real problem,” said Kinzer. “And that’s called generational debt.”
More Hawkins:
“The money that is gonna be used is not tied to your tax dollars,” said O’Neill.
“It’s an unfortunate situation that we’re in this position,” said Kinzer. “If we can’t offer it to all local developers, we shouldn’t be offering it to Hawkins.”
“We will not pay one penny over $15 million,” said O’Neill to another Hawkins query. “And it will be the county’s infrastructure. We will own it.”
“It’s obvious that the primary cost is financial,” said Kinzer. “But we’ve got some strained relationships among people in this county and its businesses because of it.”
The moderator then asked O’Neill why he voted to allow benefits for unmarried couples in domestic partnerships, which was not required by state law at the time.
He answered that it had to do with health insurance, that it was an effort to have more people insured.
Kinzer said that extending any benefits to couples would be for those which are married, made up of one man and one woman.
"The Bible says that anything outside of that is a sin," Kinzer said. "Therefore, if I was to vote for that, I would enable for people to miss heaven, and I don’t want that. I want everybody to be there."
Grange forum
The county’s commitment to Hawkins also dominated most of the questioning last Wednesday at the Whelan forum.
O’Neill and Partch explained why they voted to increase the county’s commitment.
Kinzer and Tensfeld said they opposed the commitment.
O’Neill and Partch said they approved the increase because they believe the county needs to develop a larger revenue base.
O’Neill said his two concerns when he voted for the measure was whether the project was located in the county and whether it would be good for the residents of the county. He pointed to efforts by Moscow officials to allow an expanded shopping center facility on their side of the state line.
Partch added he believes the county is “very well positioned” to receive funding out of a $700 million public works trust fund provided by the legislature for economic development.
Kinzer said he favored development of the site by the Boise-based Hawkins Co., but he didn’t think the county should commit public funds for the project. Kinzer said he feels tapping the county’s resources to boost one private enterprise project works against other potential projects.
Tensfeld believes O’Neill and Partch put the county at risk.
“I just wouldn’t take that big a risk with the county’s money,” he commented.
Swannack, who is also challenging Partch, was not able to attend the session because of travel plans made before the forum date at Whelan was booked. The event drew approximately 30 people and lasted close to two hours. Emcee Barney Buckley of Colfax related written questions to the panel.
(Includes previous report from The Bulletin)
Commission Two
O’Neill talked about his background with United Airlines in his opening statement, regarding what he learned which applies to being county commissioner.
“As an aircraft mechanic, it’s up to Maintenance. You cannot fix the airplane at 40,000 feet. You have to get it right, on the ground.”
The first question was about party affiliation.
“Party affiliation should be left at the curb, or the snowbank, whatever you want to call it,” said O’Neill, a Democrat.
“My feeling is to be a good business manager you need to be pretty conservative,” said Republican Kinzer. “Right now we’re trying to spend our way to prosperity.”
The first Hawkins question for them came next.
“I personally don’t believe the project will go bust,” said O’Neill. “I wouldn’t have voted for it if I thought it would. I believe it, heart and soul. This company has 35 years’ experience building shopping malls in 22 states.”
“If it does go bust, then we’ve got a real problem,” said Kinzer. “And that’s called generational debt.”
More Hawkins came at the two candidates.
“The money that is gonna be used is not tied to your tax dollars,” said O’Neill.
“It’s an unfortunate situation that we’re in this position,” said Kinzer. “If we can’t offer it to all local developers, we shouldn’t be offering it to Hawkins.”
“We will not pay one penny over $15 million,” said O’Neill to another Hawkins query. “And it will be the county’s infrastructure. We will own it.”
“It’s obvious that the primary cost is financial,” said Kinzer. “But we’ve got some strained relationships among people in this county and its businesses because of it.”
The moderator then asked O’Neill why he voted for a…………… regarding unmarried couples, going against state law.
He answered that it had to do with insurance, that it was an effort to have more people be insured for their health.
Kinzer said that extending any benefits to couples would be for those which are married, made up of one man and one woman.
“The bible says that anything outside of that is a sin,” Kinzer said. “Therefore, if I was to vote for that, I would enable for people to miss heaven, and I don’t want that. I want everybody to be there.”
Grange forum
Previously, the county’s commitment to the proposed Hawkins Company shopping center project at the stateline dominated most of the subject matter at the candidates’ forum July 11 at the Whelan-Ewartsville Grange Hall.
O’Neill and Partch explained why they voted to increase the county’s commitment to provide infrastructure to the project.
Challengers Kinzer and Tensfeld said they opposed the commitment O’Neill and Partch made when they committed up to $15 million in county funding to develop infrastructure at the development site. The obligation had been increased from $9.1 million made four years ago.
Both incumbents said they approved the increase because they believe the county needs to develop a larger revenue base.
O’Neill said his two concerns when he voted for the measure was whether the project was located in the county and whether it would be good for the residents of the county. He pointed to efforts by Moscow officials to allow an expanded shopping center facility on their side of the state line.
Partch added he believes the county is “very well positioned” to receive funding out of a $700 million public works trust fund provided by the legislature for economic development.
Kinzer, who seeks O’Neill’s seat on the commission, said he favored development of the site by the Boise-based Hawkins Co., but he didn’t think the county should commit public funds for the project. Kinzer said he feels tapping the county’s resources to boost one private enterprise project works against other potential projects.
Tensfeld believes O’Neill and Partch put the county at risk.
“I just wouldn’t take that big a risk with the county’s money,” he commented.
Swannack, who is also challenging Partch, was not able to attend the session because of travel plans made before the forum date at Whelan. The session drew approximately 30 people and lasted close to two hours. Emcee Barney Buckley of Colfax related written questions to the panel.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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