Lynch Pen : Candidates selected after thorough investigation
Posted on Wednesday, May 14, 2008
This will be the last article before the election next Tuesday, May 20. Hopefully everyone reading this has registered to vote and will take advantage of that opportunity. As we have gone through this year's primary process, it has been our desire to inform as many voters as possible of the complexity of this year's ballot. Because of the new circuit judge position (Position 6 ), the open seat in Position 1, and four uncontested seats up for re-election, the ballot will be longer than usual.
Add to that four new countywide district judgeships, two of which are contested, and who is running for which seat almost requires a pre-polling list to be sure one is prepared when they get into the polling booth. It is hard to tell from the roadside signs who opposes whom in each election. And, those are just the four-year term positions. We still have our regular two-year positions (county judge, sheriff, etc. ) to consider.
After attending as many forums as possible, talking faceto-face with as many candidates as the opportunities allowed, seeking input from related sources and reviewing some historical facts, I want to share some personal choices in a few of the positions. Many people have been very gracious and flattering by asking for input based on my observations and this is the best I can offer. This list is not perfect and where it is incomplete it is because we have some very talented people seeking office in many positions and it would be difficult for me to tell anyone that one candidate stands out.
Courtney Henry is running for the Court of Appeals and is impressive in every aspect of her campaign. In my opinion, the years of experience she gained working for the late Terry Crabtree on the Court of Appeals is as good as an endorsement from him. And, most recently she has been endorsed by a host of easily recognized names like John Paul Hammerschmidt.
In the Rogers District Court election, the decision for me is also very easy. Brad Karren's experience as a private attorney and as a judge in small claims court and filling in for other judges is outstanding. However, more impressive is how he is viewed in those capacities. His reputation for honesty and integrity is impeccable. The favorable comments from judges, clients and small claims court participants make his recommendation an easy one.
Our household is impressed with two candidates in the county judge's race. Current justice of the peace, attorney and farmer Chris Glass and current Rogers city councilman Greg Hines have us indecisive and therefore supporting both of them. Greg Hines demonstrates an understanding of budget analysis and government management far beyond his 31 years and certainly can represent Benton County in any function with his commanding presence and professional appearance. Chris Glass, because of his knowledge of rural Benton County's needs could probably represent the farmer / rural resident better than someone who does not depend on agriculture or someone who is already regulated through municipal living. Chris has demonstrated a level-headed approach to his Quorum Court responsibilities and gained considerable respect for his opinion on court matters through his legal expertise. A vote for either of these candidates is a vote for good county government.
The best recommendation I can give of the county sheriff's position is the daily newspaper endorsements of Keith Ferguson. Their endorsement reflects my feeling also. It's a classic "no brainer. "We have a cost-conscious elected official who inherited an operation that had sued the Quorum Court for additional funding. When we have a sheriff's department which is working to balance the needs of the entire county's law enforcement responsibilities, why would anyone want to change ? Law enforcement is a full-time, serious responsibility and Keith Ferguson has accomplished all he promised - and without the personal need to be in the spotlight or on the front page of the newspaper.
The two candidates for coroner whom we saw regularly at forums were Daniel Oxford and Kenneth Lepp. We know very little about the "new "coroner's office - since it became "full-time. "We know Kenneth Lepp and know he can handle the position, but we also were very impressed with Dan Oxford. Current interim coroner Wesley Lewis could better recommend one of these candidates than we can.
There are numerous positions where we are unable to decide for ourselves how to vote. The Bentonville district court position, county collector, two circuit court positions, justice of the peace and constable all are positions that we are not sure how we will vote at this time. So, this list is the best we can offer. Hope it helps a little, at least.
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