JOHN DAY — Nearly a dozen candidates running in four contested races for local office in the May 21 election provided their vision of leadership at a forum held at the Grant County Fairgrounds on April 30.

Justice of the peace candidate Richard Tirico, who notified organizers of a conflict, and treasurer candidate Dani Carter did not participate in the forum.

The event, held in the Trowbridge Pavilion and attended by about 75 people, was organized by Ken and Pat Holliday, of John Day and the Williams family of Prairie City. It was moderated by Grant County Emergency Management Coordinator and John Day City Councilor Eric Bush.

Justice of the peace

First to speak were justice of the peace candidates Dale Valade, of Dayville, and Josh Fuller, of Canyon City. Valade, who announced his candidacy for the JP position in January, writes a hunting column in the Blue Mountain Eagle and lists his occupation as ranch hand, freelance writer, hunting guide and construction laborer. Fuller, newly elected as exalted ruler of the John Day Elks Lodge, works at Wilson’s Welding and Fabrication in John Day and has previously been a store manager at Les Schwab Tire Center in Kent, Washington.

Valade said he wanted to build upon the work done by current Justice of the Peace Kathy Stinnett.

“It’s important to me that people feel they have a voice and that voice is being heard. … I don’t like to arbitrarily say I always believe this person or I always believe that group of people,” Valade said. “I want people to be able to come in and have their say when something’s up in the air.”

Fuller said his priorities involved “consistency and being transparent.”

“I believe those are two things that are very important, especially in a small community you have to maintain,” Fuller said. “You have to be reliable, relatable and responsible. Those are the primary principles I am running on.”

Treasurer

Next up were the candidates for Grant County treasurer: incumbent Julie Ellson and Danielle Kimball, a Mt. Vernon resident who works as a bookkeeper for her husband’s construction business and as an insurance agent for Jeanette Radinovich State Farm in John Day.

The candidates were asked about their thoughts on implementing a new bookkeeping system for the Grant County treasurer’s department.

“Nobody likes change, but it’s inevitable and I think if the county were in a position, and we had the money to do it, I think it would help streamline some things,” Ellison responded. “But everything that I’ve heard is that it would cost an extreme amount of money, and I feel like we have a system that works. I don’t know what it would do extra for us that we can’t do right now in our current situation, and I don’t feel like it’s necessary to spend that kind of money when every year during the budget cycle we are trying to balance revenues and expenses without cutting things and services to the public, so I think we can live with what we have until we get a windfall.”

Kimball said she understood that the county’s bookkeeping system was outdated, but also echoed Ellison’s concern over cost.

“It’s my understanding that it’s going to be extremely expensive to update and start using a new system,” Kimball said. “I think eventually it’s just something that is just going to have to be done. But it’s going to be a process, and it’s going to take some time. Obviously not being in the position and knowing the program personally, I would like to see if there are other things that can be used and implemented to help in addition to it without updating the whole entire system at once.”

County commissioner

The third set of candidates to present their views were Prairie City resident Frances Preston and Mt. Vernon resident Mitchel Wilson. Both are running for the seat of Grant County commissioner No. 2, which is being vacated by Commissioner Jim Hamsher, who is running for county judge this year.

Wilson, a former Mt. Vernon city councilor and owner of Wilson’s Welding and Fabrication in John Day, is a graduate of Grant Union High School. Preston is a retired Forest Service employee and a leader of the Grant County Republican Party.

Among the questions asked of the commissioner candidates was whether they supported the Greater Idaho movement, which seeks to move the Idaho border to include land that makes up Eastern Oregon.

“I support Idaho’s politics and situation now,” Wilson said. “Do I think they’re going to be in line with Grant County in 10 years? No. We’ve all seen communities grow and things happen, and Colorado is a great example, in my opinion. I honestly believe Idaho is not that far away from being Colorado. I support Eastern Oregon. We have a West Virginia and a Virginia. We have North and South Carolina. What’s wrong with Eastern Oregon?”

Preston answered, “As your county commissioner I have to support what you tell me to do, and Grant County wants us to approach the Legislature (about the issue).

“And as your commissioner, I would be obligated to do that,” she added. “It doesn’t matter what I want or desire or need. I need to respect your vote. And you voted and you said, ‘I want you to meet regularly (to discuss the Greater Idaho matter), I want you to talk about this and I want you to approach our legislators,’ and yes, I would do that. I would support your desire.”

County judge

The candidate forum ended with all four candidates for Grant County judge: Justice of the Peace Kathy Stinnett, Grant County Commissioner Jim Hamsher, Grant County Watermaster Erick Julrud and former Grant County Judge Mark Webb.

“I can tell you, I lived here my whole life,” said Hamsher, a former Prairie City mayor. “I’ve fought for this county since I was young. I’m going to continue doing that to try to provide as many services to all our residents without costing our local taxpayers. We have a lot of issues in our county. We need to support our timber industry. We need to support our agriculture. … We need to keep supporting them and (provide) our services, and I will guarantee that I will try my best, like I’ve been doing for the last 20 years.”

Stinnett, in her closing statement, said she believed her current position as justice of the peace would transition well into the county judge role and said she’d appreciate a vote to help elect the second female Grant County judge since Lorene Allen, who served from 1983 to 1988.

Stinnett relayed an anecdote about transitioning from using an antiquated IBM typewriter filing system in her first year at the Justice Court to using a computer system.

“I didn’t change anything for a year, and then after a year I got rid of that typewriter. And over the last 12, 13, 14 years, I’ve built about 8,000 Word documents on the computer,” she said. “Here’s the thing — you’re not going to have a generation that knows how to function when they go to take it over when you don’t get things updated. Labor cost is one of your most expensive costs, and things you’re doing that require two or three people every month to go over and hand-enter is not an efficient way to spend your money.”

Julsrud noted that he has been working at the courthouse for the past 23 years.

“I’ve worked closely with the majority of the ag producers in this county,” Julsrud said. “Most of them know me well. They know me as a straight shooter. I’m going to be fair. I’m not going to blow smoke. I’m going to tell you the facts. We’re going to follow the law, and we’re going to do it right. … We’re going to obey the law, we’re going to do it fairly and we’re going to do it very transparently. My door is always open.”

Webb said he cares deeply about the county and listed past accomplishments from his previous stint on the court.

“We were able to build a great (airport) building for a county like ours. …. That’s because we were doing other things well and we had the time to pursue those opportunities, and there were lots of them,” Webb said. “For me, I’m really interested in public land management. … We’re a natural resource-dependent community. We can’t have that go away. So it’s important to engage smartly, strategically and actively for that to happen.”