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Published: April 07, 2008 04:28 pm
CANDIDATE Q&A: Clark County Commissioner - District 2 Democratic Primary
Editor’s Note: Submissions appear as the candidates submitted them without editing.Candidates are listed in alphabetical order. Except where noted, questionnaires are only being published for contested races.
David Ray Abbott Sr.• AGE: 50
• EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS: New Washington High School
• CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Elected Clark County Council 1999-2002; elected Clark County Council 2007 - present, President 2007-2008
• FAMILY NOTES: Married 18 years to Cheri. Daughter, Erica. Son, David Jr. Lifetime native of Clark County.
1) Why are you running for this office?
“To give a voice for the people of Clark County.”
2) What is the most important issue facing this position and what is your plan to resolve it?
“Planning and zoning issues, working closely with developers and the people if affects.”
3) What unique contribution will you make to local office?
“The experience I have gain on the Council.”
4) Have you ever been convicted of a non-traffic court crime in the United States? If so, please explain all relevant instances.
“No.”
READER-SUBMITTED QUESTIONS
What do you think should be the local role and responsibility in dealing with illegal immigration?
No response.
Do you consider yourself a progressive? How would you define progress? What gets left behind in your vision of progress?
No response.
We live in the county in an unincorporated subdivision. We have neighbors who target shoot and have even shot a deer while sitting on their deck. There is no law to keep them from doing this as long as the target meets certain standards. Is there anyone willing to stand up for us and make it illegal to discharge a firearm within a certain distance of a home or do we have to wait for someone to be shot?
No response.
Many roads and streets throughout the county are poorly lit. Roadway markers are often absent or indiscernible and, overall, our local area is dangerous to travel at night. Streetlights are an expensive remedy, embedded roadway reflectors and/or reflective road paint to indicate lane markings and roadside borders would save lives and reduce property damage at far less cost. What will you do to remedy this problem?
No response.
Keith Coats• AGE: 60
• EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS: High School, Silver Creek, Class of 1965; B.S. Business Management, Indiana University
• CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Vietnam veteran. Self-employed for 25 years as owner of A & B Pool Company in Sellersburg. Semi-retired in 1997, mutual clerk, part-time, for Indiana Downs.
• FAMILY NOTES: Single, three children, Michelle Forish, Danielle Chancey, Philippe Coats and 11 grandchildren. Am presently helping to raise one of my granddaughters, who is 11 years old.
1) Why are you running for this office?
“I want to ensure that roads, bridges, drainage are kept up. Also recycling has to be available to help preserve our environment. Taxes must be controlled and tax dollars have to be spent wisely. Every time money is tight, we need to stop asking the taxpayer for more. We are taxed enough.”
2) What is the most important issue facing this position and what is your plan to resolve it?
“Maintaining the counties infrastructure, keep taxes down, spending our tax dollars wisely. This can be done by proper planning and smart spending.”
3) What unique contribution will you make to local office?
“With my education and being a self-employed businessman my adult life, I know how to manage money properly and make sure that our tax dollars are not wasted. Proper planning has to be done at all times. Things cannot be let go, but must be looked at constantly. The philosophy of if its not broke, don’t worry about it cannot be used. We must use smart planning for all phases of county government and I will make sure that this is done.”
4) Have you ever been convicted of a non-traffic court crime in the United States? If so, please explain all relevant instances.
“No.”
READER-SUBMITTED QUESTIONS
What do you think should be the local role and responsibility in dealing with illegal immigration?
“No one should be in our country illegally. We must monitor anyone who employs illegal immigrants because that takes jobs away from your children and mine.”
Do you consider yourself a progressive? How would you define progress? What gets left behind in your vision of progress?
“Yes, progress is making our world a better place than how we found it. We must increase our tax base (fairly), protect our environment and try our best to create jobs for our citizens, provide a safe place to live. The only thing that gets left behind is poor planning, bad spending habits and excessive tax increases.”
We live in the county in an unincorporated subdivision. We have neighbors who target shoot and have even shot a deer while sitting on their deck. There is no law to keep them from doing this as long as the target meets certain standards. Is there anyone willing to stand up for us and make it illegal to discharge a firearm within a certain distance of a home or do we have to wait for someone to be shot?
“No weapons should be fired in any subdivision unless the weapon is fired into the woods. Yes, there should be restrictions.”
Many roads and streets throughout the county are poorly lit. Roadway markers are often absent or indiscernible and, overall, our local area is dangerous to travel at night. Streetlights are an expensive remedy, embedded roadway reflectors and/or reflective road paint to indicate lane markings and roadside borders would save lives and reduce property damage at far less cost. What will you do to remedy this problem?
“Lighted roadways would be very expensive, but when I was commissioner before we did start striping of roadways. I would be willing to re-start doing this and possibly use reflectors and signs, especially on dangerous curves. Public safety would be and has been a priority of mine.
Don Guthrie • AGE: 52
• EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS: Graduate of Henryville High School, IUS Appraisal classes, Auctioneer License and continuing education. Class A Drivers License.
• CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: When I was younger it was a highlight every time I built a house or lake and finished it. Whenever I completed any sizeable project it was always a highlight. Managing 10 Bus Routes for West Clark Schools succesfully was very much a highlight in my life, and attaining my auctioneers license. When I look back on my life getting to do what I do now.Going to 150 Auctions a year I have had the priviledge to make some very good acquaintances over the years.To be able to buy and sell trucks and Equipment and to make a living doing that has been very rewarding. I know it is something not everyone has the knack to do. I will say it has been a constant learning expereince, but I have been very lucky.
• FAMILY NOTES: Married to Teresa Guthrie 33 years. We have four grown children Summer, Clint, Cynthia, Jeanette. We have two fine grandsons Morgan and Jaxson. I'm the proud son of the late Marjorie Guthrie.
I'm the proud grandson of the late James and Hazel Guthrie and the late Carl and Myrtle Elrod.
1) Why are you running for this office?
“I have a great respect for fairness in govermnet. I'm sure that is what I will bring to the table. The only special interest I will work for is the voters of Clark County.”
2) What is the most important issue facing this position and what is your plan to resolve it?
“Rising health care for the county employees as well as rising cost of materials to county. That is one of the many burdens for the taxpayer of Clark County. The fairness I will bring to the table in that process. Will be the type fairness I will continually bring to the office of the commissioneer.”
3) What unique contribution will you make to local office?
“I will always be a stand up person for the taxpayer of Clark County.With a belief of being Firm, Friendly, and Fair for the people of Clark County.
“I have been self employed most of my entire adult life. I have built roads, driveways, and lakes. I have ran my own concrete buisness and framed houses as a young man. In 1981 I converted some of my buisness to Contract Bus Routes while getting my auctioneers license working at car auctions as an arbitrator and auctioneer. In 1991 I made another move from contracting bus routes to buying and selling trucks and heavy equipment until now. The expertise I have gained over that 33 years is what I will bring to the office of Commissioneer.”
4) Have you ever been convicted of a non-traffic court crime in the United States? If so, please explain all relevant instances.
“No.”
READER-SUBMITTED QUESTIONS
What do you think should be the local role and responsibility in dealing with illegal immigration?
“Immigration should be handled on a national level. I do think any illegal arrested and convicted locally for wrong doing should be turned over to the INS and deported.”
Do you consider yourself a progressive? How would you define progress? What gets left behind in your vision of progress?
“I don't think I'm what you call a (proggressive) perse. I do beleive in progress such as for instance the east end bridge. Something that should have of happened 20 years ago. I hope nationally we don't have bridges all over our country that need to be built as bad as we need the east end bridge. That speaks poorly for us as a nation. Cinncinatti metropolitan area, what they have nine bridges? We sit over here in Louisville metroplitan area with three bridges. Population similiar in both areas. It really does not speak well for governors, congressman. or anyone on either side of the river that had the clout or the political position that could have helped in making the east end bridge happen. What would have got left behind in that situation. People that commute in that area would not have had that 30 minutes to 1 Hour stollen from them everyday. Commuters would have more gas in their tanks or money in their pocket. Don't forget the accidents that probably would not have happened and last but, not least the lives that may have been saved.”
We live in the county in an unincorporated subdivision. We have neighbors who target shoot and have even shot a deer while sitting on their deck. There is no law to keep them from doing this as long as the target meets certain standards. Is there anyone willing to stand up for us and make it illegal to discharge a firearm within a certain distance of a home or do we have to wait for someone to be shot?
“I'll try to answer this question the best I can. Although there are a lot of variables such as what is the acreage of the lot and the distance from house to house ( 1to 50 acreas). I would hope that the people that you are talking about are hunters, sounds like they are, I would hope that they would possess the skills of safety and weaponry,that most hunters I know do possess. If It is a situation where they are baiting deer to come into their yard. They are already breaking serious laws of the land. Which I'm sure if they were caught doing this any Conservation officer would be of great help. If you are asking me should people have the right to bare arms. Yes I beleive they should have that right.”
Many roads and streets throughout the county are poorly lit. Roadway markers are often absent or indiscernible and, overall, our local area is dangerous to travel at night. Streetlights are an expensive remedy, embedded roadway reflectors and/or reflective road paint to indicate lane markings and roadside borders would save lives and reduce property damage at far less cost. What will you do to remedy this problem?
“Most of the roads in Clark County are very good roads when compared to most counties in the State. Lighting the roads in the County will always be a problem. Mostly because it wouldn't be affordable. The county is in the process of widening roads now. I would continue that process, most of the roads need more shoulder and reflective caution signs and markers would also be a help. The bottom line is this if you have impaired vision at night or, you are traveling in unfamiliar area you should slow down and drive accordingly. As drivers we should always be courtesy and have control of our vehicle.
“Sometimes we are not as attentive as we should be( I'm definitly including myself in that) and accidents are going to happen.”
Leslie “Les” Young• AGE: 54
• EDUCATION HIGHLIGHTS: Providence High School
• CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: Stated Independent Piping Inc., a mechanical contracting business in 1987 with two of my brothers located in Sellersburg. I have served on the Cattlemans Association Board and coached football at Providence High School and Holy Family.
• FAMILY NOTES: I have been married to my wife Debbie for 37 years. We have three children Tina, Neal and Nadley. We also have two grandchildren Brandon and Austin.
1) Why are you running for this office?
“I would like to bring back integrity and honesty back to the county government. Also, I would like to get the community more involved in their county government so that their opinions and concerns are taken into consideration on county issues. We also need to see our elected officials putting their heads together and coming up with the best solution for the citizens of Clark County.”
2) What is the most important issue facing this position and what is your plan to resolve it?
“Drainage issues - Drainage issues need to be looked at closer by the County Engineer and the Highway Department.
“Recycling - The recycling needs to be discussed on not hiring an outside source for this service and keep it inhouse so as to bring more jobs to the county and be self sustaining so we do not fill-up our landfill and damage the environment.
“County Insurance - All avenues of the county’s insurance needs to be looked at. Insurance is a main concern all over the country and we need to find the best possibe choice of insurance for the county.
“River Ridge - We need to work on bringing new businesses ventures to the River Ridge complex to bring more jobs to Clark County.”
3) What unique contribution will you make to local office?
“I will bring 21 yrs of business experience along with common sense and the ability to take in the consideration and opinions of the Citizens of Clark County.
4) Have you ever been convicted of a non-traffic court crime in the United States? If so, please explain all relevant instances.
“N/A”
READER-SUBMITTED QUESTIONS
What do you think should be the local role and responsibility in dealing with illegal immigration?
“Immigrants in Clark County should be able to provide documentation that they are in the United States legally so as they are made to pay taxes just like all other American Citizens.
Do you consider yourself a progressive? How would you define progress? What gets left behind in your vision of progress?
“Yes, I think that in order to progress you need to have changes and new ideas in order to grow and achieve a brighter future for Clark County. In the process nothing gets left behind, it just takes a different direction.”
We live in the county in an unincorporated subdivision. We have neighbors who target shoot and have even shot a deer while sitting on their deck. There is no law to keep them from doing this as long as the target meets certain standards. Is there anyone willing to stand up for us and make it illegal to discharge a firearm within a certain distance of a home or do we have to wait for someone to be shot?
“There is a law presently in effect for careless use of firearms anywhere in the Clark County to protect the citizens. It may need to be further looked at to be more strict in certain areas such as heavily populated subdivisions.”
Many roads and streets throughout the county are poorly lit. Roadway markers are often absent or indiscernible and, overall, our local area is dangerous to travel at night. Streetlights are an expensive remedy, embedded roadway reflectors and/or reflective road paint to indicate lane markings and roadside borders would save lives and reduce property damage at far less cost. What will you do to remedy this problem?
“There is a stripping program that is currently in place at the Clark County Highway Department that provides stripping down the center and along the sides of roads but needs to be implemented on all county roads not just the ones that are heavily traveled.”
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