|
|
|
|
Polls open today for judge, supervisor races |
|
|
Thursday, 05 June 2008 |
|
By Darcy Ellis, Ken Koerner, Mike Gervais
Register Staff 6-3-2008
Inyo County voters are headed to their respective polling places today to help decide the fates of no less than five public offices, including – for only the second time in 18 years – a seat on the Inyo County Superior Court bench.
Polls open at 7 a.m. today for residents from Round Valley to Lone Pine to begin casting their ballots in three district-specific contests – for District 2, 4 and 5 Board of Supervisor seats – the countywide election for Superior Court Judge and 34th District Assemblyman.
Months of intense campaigning and several candidate forums will come to a head by day’s end for many of the political hopefuls when the polls close at 8 p.m.
But for many of the candidates, however, today’s primary is one more hurdle to clear on the track to the November General Election.
According to Inyo Clerk-Recorder-Registrar of Voters Mary Roper, today’s election comes with the possibility of propelling some local candidates to runoffs in November, and will also determine the various political parties’ 34th Assembly seat candidates for the November election.
In terms of runoffs, Roper sees potential in the countywide judicial race and Fifth District Supervisor contest, where three candidates are vying for each of the posts.
If any one of the hopefuls fails to garner the necessary 50-percent-plus-one majority from voters, the top two vote-getters will square off in November.
Incumbent Superior Court Judge Brian Lamb won his current seat on the bench alongside Presiding Judge Dean Stout via a runoff in 2002.
Lamb was one of four hopefuls who campaigned for the judgeship when the six-year term of Pat Canfield came up for election and Canfield opted for retirement. Current challenger Tom Hardy, a private practice attorney, was among those who vied for Canfield’s seat but eventually dropped his bid. Lamb later won a two-man contest between himself and Bishop City Attorney Peter Tracy.
Today’s election finds current Assistant District Attorney Mark Johnson also challenging Lamb for his seat.
All three men count extensive legal experience as part of their qualifications.
At a recent League of Women Voters, Eastern Sierra forum, each judge hopeful was asked what experience he had that demonstrates his ability to “adjudicate impartially and in accordance of the law?” Their responses included references to their current and past careers, as well as their beliefs in their personal qualifications.
Johnson had this to say: "I’ve been doing litigation my entire career. During 15 years as an attorney, I’ve been called upon to predict outcomes. Judges predict outcomes. They do this by taking a factual scenario, researching it and then apply the relevant law to those facts. This will provide a fair and impartial outcome.”
Hardy responded: “Over my career, I’ve had the opportunity to sit in on many cases as a ‘temp pro tem’ judge, which entails the same manner of deliberation required of a sitting judge. During my seven years working in the District Attorney’s Office of Inyo County, I’ve had a substantial role to play in the evaluation of cases and the evidence present and then to advise how a case should be adjudicated. I’ve done this fairly and thoroughly in every instance, to the best of my ability."
Lamb replied: “That’s my job – that’s been my job for the past six years. It’s important that a judge not pre-judge a case based upon anything similar they’ve presided over in the past. A judge must deal only with the evidence and proper courtroom procedure in order to be as fair as possible.”
District 5 voters similarly have an incumbent, Supervisor Richard Cervantes, and two challengers, Lone Pine businessman Bill Wenzel and former Fifth District Supervisor Michael Dorame, to choose from today at the polls.
Dorame was unseated by Cervantes in 2004 after serving two consecutive four-year terms.
Economic development is a hot-button topic in Inyo County, especially its southernmost reaches. Each candidate had the opportunity at a forum hosted by the Independence Civic Club to address their views on the economic situation in Southern Inyo as well as their ideas for enhancing revenues.
Cervantes offered his thoughts about increasing tourism from Europeans, stating how effectively that is working for the Death Valley Chamber of Commerce. He also noted that the “solar-day rating” of southern Inyo County is the highest in the U.S. and should lead the county to being more open to “alternative energy development,” in the form of huge solar-collector sites and geothermal production. He further said that as mineral prices continue to escalate, “with gold going for $1,000 an once,” mining may be poised for a resurgence in the county.
Dorame brought up his ideas on a combination of efforts and approaches, including “having to spend public funds differently;” proactive development of the Eastern Sierra airports; maximizing Chamber of Commerce resources with county funding; replacing county vehicles as the industry comes up with more efficient hybrid versions; and echoing the upside of the Board of Supervisors sustaining the effort to breathe life into the Carson-Colorado railroad project.
Wenzel followed up with his thoughts about a determination to attract more businesses to the county, like manufacturing, pointing out that would bring “multiple levels of jobs along with it;” enhancing the present and future tourism potential in the wake of rewatering the Lower Owens River in south county with new fishing and boating options for visitors to the area; and doing “everything possible to support small businesses.”
In the Fourth District, another unseated supervisor, Butch Hambleton, is having another go at his former seat.
He, much like Dorame, served two consecutive four-year terms as Fourth District supervisor before being defeated by current incumbent Jim Bilyeu in 2004. With Bilyeu opting not to run again, Hambleton is now set to challenge Marty Fortney, longtime South Inyo resident and owner of Aberdeen Resort.
Both men cite extensive experience in both private enterprise, being business owners, and in community endeavors.
Each had the opportunity to provide additional information about themselves during a forum in Big Pine as they attempted to garner voter support.
“I was born in Bridgeport and grew up in Big Pine. My family roots in Inyo County go back to the 1800s. I know our community and I am committed to serving our community,” Fortney said. “As a citizen and a business owner, I know very well what issues face Inyo residents. I’ve obtained a state license as a water system operator. I’m a captain and an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) with the Big Pine Volunteer Fire Department. I’ve earned an associates degree in Homeland Readiness. I believe I’m well qualified to serve as the Fourth District supervisor.”
Hambleton said: “I spent eight years as your Fourth District supervisor. I spent 13 years on the Big Pine School Board. I helped form the Big Pine Business Council, which later became the Big Pine Chamber of Commerce. I’ve served on the Local Transportation Commission, the Local Agency Formation Committee, the Inyo County Mental Health Board and the Inyo County Airport Commission. I believe I have the experience to deal with the issues challenging our community.”
The two candidates for Inyo County Supervisor District 2, incumbent Susan Cash and challenger Ted Gardner, similarly had the chance to acquaint themselves with voters during a League of Women Voters forum in Bishop.
“I have a vested interest in this community,” said Cash, noting that she is a 16-year resident of Inyo County and raises two children here.
Cash was one of the first female corrections officers to work at Inyo County Jail. She was also a corporate account director at a Bishop business and the fiscal director at Wild Iris before being elected to the Inyo County Board of Supervisors four years ago.
“A lot of people think this is a Tuesday job, it is not,” Cash said. “It’s hard, exhilarating work.”
Cash explained that a bulk of a county supervisor’s duties lie in committee assignments, where she works with the City-County Liaison, Eastern Sierra Council of Governments and the Eastern Sierra Transit Authority, among many others.
Gardner moved to Bishop with his family in 1958. He obtained his Criminal Justice degree from Cal State Long Beach before returning to the Eastern Sierra and serving on the Bishop Police Department for 18 years.
Gardner served two terms, eight years, on the Northern Inyo Hospital Board of Directors, worked on the Pioneer Cemetery Board and the Bishop Parks and Recreation Commission before being elected to the Bishop City Council in 2001.
While on the City Council, Gardner said he served on many committee assignments and spent one year as the city’s mayor.
“I feel the experience I’ve gained provide an excellent background to serve in local government,” Gardner said, noting that it is important for local officials to know the difference “between good policy and micro-management.”
Aside from participating in the countywide race for judge and the applicable district-wide races, local voters – or rather, Inyo County’s registered Republicans and Democrats – will have the equally important task of choosing a candidate for their party to move on to the November election.
Well, actually, Democrats have a fairly easy job, as Desmond Farrelly of Visalia is the only Donkey on the ballot for the Assembly post.
Republicans, meanwhile, have four hopefuls vying for the nomination: Becky Maze, the termed-out current assemblyman’s wife, of Visalia; Connie Conway, a Tulare County supervisor; Bob Smith, a retired Barstow lawman; and Jon Zellhoefer, of Tecopa.
Perhaps the least complicated question Inyo County voters will be will faced with today involves the office of Inyo County marshal, vacant due to the passing of longtime Marshal Don Lynch in August. Lynch held the post with pride from 1978-2007, and according to Roper, was contested for the title only once – in 1996 – and won the election.
Stepping up to fill Lynch’s shoes is Floyd “Justin” Barton, husband of Inyo County Public Administrator Patricia Barton and son of Floyd Barton, who served as Inyo County sheriff from 1970-82.
Again, voters who have not already cast their ballots by mail have from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. to weigh in on the various local races. Lone Pine voters are asked to go to Statham Hall; Independence voters to the basement of the Inyo County Courthouse; Big Pine voters to the Town Hall on Dewey Street; and Bishop area voters either to the Home Economics Building at the Tri-County Fairgrounds or the Paiute Professional Building on Tu Su Lane.
According to Assistant County Clerk Kammi Foote, 9,919 residents were registered to vote as of Monday. That figure is slightly down from the Feb. 5 election (when there were 9,945) registered, but officials and candidates – especially those gunning for a majority vote to avoid a runoff – are still hopeful that’s not an indication of a lack of interest in today’s election.
|
|
Last Updated ( Wednesday, 09 July 2008 )
|
|
|
|
