This year in Macon County, three seats on the board are up for election. Each commissioner represents a geographic district in the county, although all voters get to vote for all seats. Once the board is elected, the sitting members choose a county chairman from their ranks.

There are two Republican candidates running for the Franklin district, Ron Haven and Charlie Leatherman, not profiled here since they automatically advance to the general election.

Franklin district

Democratic candidates, pick two

Carroll Poindexter, 50, building/ electrical instructor

Experience: Poindexter works part-time as an instructor for building and electrical courses. Poindexter is a former code enforcement officer who worked for the county.

Platform: Poindexter is running on a platform of limiting taxes and communicating more openly with the voters of Macon County. His goal is “to be a servant for the people, hold the line on taxes, and make sure the people are informed.”

Poindexter is critical of recent school expenditures in the county that will raise the tax rate.

“Our government has a record of passing things before they have figured out how they are going to pay for or operate it,” Poindexter said.

Ronnie Beale, 54, owner of Beale Construction

Experience: Beale has been a commissioner four years and serves as chairman.

Platform: Beale is running on a platform that emphasizes job growth and retention and the creation of more affordable housing in the county. He points to his record of establishing the county’s mental health task force and child daycare committee as proof of his record of looking for solutions for working families. Beale favors a steep slope ordinance, but wants it to incorporate the needs of the construction industry.

“We all recognize that these ordinances have an impact on property rights. I believe we must be very careful how this ordinance is crafted, but I also believe that future potential buyers will be looking for a safe place to construct their house and I do believe that a Steep slope ordinance will be of help in providing safety not only for the new homeowner, but also for their neighbors.”

Bob Simpson, 61, self-employed contractor

Experience: Simpson has been a commissioner for eight years. He is a trustee of Southwestern Community College.

Platform: Simpson is running on a platform that emphasizes fiscal responsibility. He believes his experience on the county board is crucial as the county faces its budgeting process in a harsh economy.

“I think the most important issue is the budget. We’re experiencing zero growth and the bills keep coming. This will take experience to get through.”

Simpson also supports steep slope regulation, provided it does not prevent property owners from developing their land.

“I’ll continue to be open, and my votes will reflect the concerns of everyone in the county.”

Highlands district

Democratic candidates, pick one

Michael David Rogers, 47, Highlands, contractor/grader

Experience: Rogers owns a landscape/grading business and runs a Christian-based recovery program at the Pine Grove Baptist Church. He also serves on the Appearance Committee for the Town of Highlands.

Platform: Rogers is running on a platform of balanced development, job growth, and protecting natural resources. “I am passionate about our natural resources. We have one of the most beautiful areas in the United States to live in, and I want to see us protect it.”

Rogers said he is running for commissioner in order to give Highlands a stronger voice on the county board. He supports the implementation of a steep slope ordinance, a subject with which he has firsthand experience, and he wants to support the school system.

“I feel there is a need for growth in our county, but at the same time, we do need ordinances and laws to protect our environment as well as our citizens.”

Allan Ricky Bryson, 53, business owner

Experience: Bryson has been owner and operator of Highlands Outdoor Tool for 26 years. He is assistant fire chief for the Highlands Fire Department and served two terms as a commissioner but lost re-election in 2006.

Platform: Bryson is running a platform that stresses fiscal responsibility and keeping taxes low. “I just believe we can move Macon County forward in an affordable way without raising people’s taxes during an economic turndown.”

Bryson favors steep slope regulation.

“I’d rather have it written by Maconians than it being written by the state.”

Republican candidates, pick one

Brian McClellan, 53, financial advisor

Experience: McClellan is a current commissioner and works as a financial advisor at Edward Jones Investments.

Platform: McClellan is running on a platform that stresses financial responsibility. He wants to limit county spending and attract business to the area.

“Creating a plan for economic development and putting that plan into action to bring non-polluting jobs to our area has been an important part of the process of working to revive our local economy. We need to hold the line on county spending and create opportunities for businesses to locate here in our area and provide us with jobs that will allow us to continue to live here and enjoy the uniqueness and beauty of Macon County.”

McClellan also favors a balanced steep slope ordinance that regulates building without rendering lots “unbuildable.”

Jimmy Tate, 38, landscaping business owner

Experience: Jimmy Tate is president of Tate Landscaping Services and a volunteer firefighter. He has served on the town planning board and land-use committee.

Platform: Tate is running on a platform that stresses fiscal responsibility. As a sixth-generation native of Macon County, Tate said his experience in local political offices will help him to guide the county during a difficult time.

“In a time when our country and state are falling deeper and deeper in debt, we, at the very least, need to be responsible and wise with our decisions and finances at the local level. Public service is all about listening to and respecting the taxpayer, and I want to work in this respect for the people of Macon County.”

Democratic candidates, pick four

Steve Moon, 59, owner of a tire shop, incumbent

Moon is finishing up his first term as commissioner and has served on the school board for six years. Moon said he’d like to be re-elected to make sure the interest from the North Shore road settlement is used wisely. “I wouldn’t want to hand the reigns over to anybody else.”

Tommy Woodard, 51, owner of construction company

Woodard said his main goal is to represent the interests and desires of Swain County residents. Woodard freely admits that he would like to bring his Christian values and ethics to the board of commissioners. “Whether you agree or disagree, it would only be fair to you that you know where I stand.”

Raymond Nelson, 63, retired U.S. Navy officer

Nelson said politicians should stop pointing fingers and start tackling problems. His main goal is to save taxpayer money through efficient use of county employees and equipment. For example, he’d like to use county engineers and workers to repair a sinkhole in front of the jail rather than paying for private labor.

Donnie Dixon, 64, tool and dye maker/machinist

Dixon was a commissioner for one term in the early ‘90s. He’s running to provide good leadership during tough economic times. Dixon would like to bring high-paying jobs to the county, create a more open government with televised meetings, and focus on setting long-term goals.

Robert White, 70, retired school superintendent

White says he has spent countless hours working on budgets, communicating with both staff and community and creating a strategic plan for Swain’s schools. He would like to create an ad hoc committee of citizens to look at the Swain’s future needs, help create a strategic plan, and guide commissioners in their decisions.

Judy Miller, 62, retired psychotherapist

Miller would like to see staggered terms for county commissioners and the school board race made nonpartisan. Miller advocates creating a long-term plan for the county and closely involving citizens in the process.

Janice Inabinett, 68, retired social worker

Inabinett said her chief goal is to inspire citizens to participate in government. “People are apathetic because they are not asked to participate.” Inabinett says she’s in favor of starting a department of community involvement to create more leaders in Swain.

David Monteith, 63, schoolbus driver, incumbent

Monteith hopes to bring more jobs to Swain County and better promote tourism. Building the North Shore Road would have brought 714 federal jobs to the area, according to Monteith, who was the sole commissioner to vote against the cash settlement. “We need to make sure we do not allow the federal government to continue to take over Swain County.”

Billy Woodard, 63, construction worker and supervisor

Woodard says he will bring much-needed leadership to the county. For Woodard, the biggest issue facing Swain now is the lack of jobs in the area. Woodward’s priority is help citizens establish small businesses in the county.

Republican candidates

John Herrin, 49, project manager for construction company

Herrin’s priorities are to establish an open government, create an active job creation program, and provide full support to the school system. Herrin says the county government would stay within budget if it was profit-driven like the private sector.

Andy Parris, 35, insurance agent

Parris hopes to bring a more transparent government to Swain County. “I want to see if we can do business on top of the table instead of under it.” Parris said commissioners seem to do what they want once they’ve been voted in. “I think it’s time that people had a say-so. That’s what a representative does.”

James F. King, 57, owner of a local meat butcher facility

King would like to keep property taxes as low as possible and curb some county spending. “I feel I can help people of the county, maybe address what people of the county wants instead of what the government thinks they need.”

Gerald (Jerry) Shook, 48, delivery driver

Shook would like to quit following the “old partisanship ways” and make choices for the common people of Swain County. Shook also wants to curb waste on the county’s expense accounts and make cuts to the budget.

While three of five seats are up for election on the Jackson County board of commissioners, there is primary competition for just one of the seats: the Democratic primary for the Cherokee/ Whittier/Dillsboro district profiled here.

William Shelton, 47, Whittier, farmer

• Experience: Shelton has been on the board for four years and is a full-time farmer. Shelton has worked as supervisor for the Jackson County soil and water conservation district and served as member of the planning board and the steering committee for the Mountain Landscapes Initiative.

• Platform: Shelton was elected to his first term after running on a platform of environmental stewardship and controlled development in Jackson County. While on the board, he helped pass steep slope and subdivision ordinances as well as create a Historic Preservation Commission and a Farmland Preservation ordinance.

“The beauty and natural resources of this area are our number one asset. We need, as always, to find ways to strike that delicate balance between growth and stewardship.”

Shelton said his focus now is on economic development, job creation, and fiscal responsibility.

“I think our goal as commissioners in Jackson County should be to support the infrastructure and services, from education and recreation to emergency services and well-justified capital projects, that would set the table in making this county as attractive as possible to people who are looking for business locations in this new ‘green’ and ‘high-tech’ economy.”

James “Bo” Brown, 55, Dillsboro, pastor/business owner

• Experience: Brown is pastor of Alarka Missionary Baptist Church in Bryson City, works full-time on the night shift at WestCare Medical as a floor technician, and is the owner of Bo Knows Construction.

• Platform: Brown believes the people of Jackson County are overtaxed and that over-regulation of development has accentuated the effects of the recession.

“The hard-working people who have grown up here starve or are having to sell off their land to pay the taxes. The people of Jackson County want a place they can be proud of, with jobs for all and the ability to keep their land for their children, so they too can raise their children here instead of having to go away to find work.”

As commissioner, Brown said he would seek to diversify the local economy by attracting manufacturing jobs and hiring local contractors for county work.

“Jackson County needs to seek manufacturing companies to come to this area to give jobs to the people. Tourism is fine, but not everyone has a business that runs on tourism. We really need stable places to work where people can look forward to having a retirement.”

Six Democrats and five Republicans are vying for three seats on the Haywood County board of commissioners. Only three from each party will advance past the May 4 primary to the November election. The Smoky Mountain News spoke with the candidates about some of the most pressing issues in the county.

Excessive spending?

Commissioners caught flak from some citizens for raising the tax rate by 1.7 cents last year amidst one of the worst recessions to strike the country. They claim the board is spending beyond taxpayers’ means.

A different group criticized commissioners for making excessive cuts and slashing millions from the budget.

Earlier this year, commissioners decided to purchase a former Wal-Mart in Clyde to house the Department of Social Services and Health department, which had long awaited a move from its aging facilities. The total Wal-Mart project will cost taxpayers an estimated $12.5 million.

At the county fairgrounds, taxpayers will be taking on a loan of up to $800,000 to pay off outstanding debt and make improvements.

The county board has been accused of “bailing out” the fairgrounds board, a nonprofit that’s been unable to keep up with loan payments after the commissioners cut all funding when the economy tanked.

Moreover, commissioners were chastised for spending more than $4.5 million last year to expand the landfill, which was running out of room.

Raymond L. Brooks (D) says the commissioners were quick to jump the gun on the Wal-Mart purchase, and opposes pulling the property from the tax base. Brooks supports a vote by the people on such major decisions. He said there must be better planning in general for deteriorating facilities in order to prevent impulse spending in the future.

Kirk Kirkpatrick (D) said the cost of rehabilitating the existing DSS building would far exceed the cost of purchasing and renovating the old Wal-Mart. “It may be difficult for some people to grasp that now, but I am in hopes that 10 years from now folks will look back and say it was a tough decision, but it was a good decision.”

John McCracken (D) said he won’t criticize the commissioners, who had to make “very, very tough decisions” during the last budget process. He is concerned with the timing of the Wal-Mart purchase, however. McCracken would have liked to see the DSS building renovated and considers it a landmark in the county. McCracken said he considers the fairgrounds a county operation and supports the commissioners’ purchase.

Rhonda Schandevel (D) wants to identify and cut any wasteful spending in the county. Schandevel supports the Wal-Mart purchase, because it was a good deal financially and because the DSS and health departments were in jeopardy of losing funding if no action was taken.

Michael Sorrells (D) says he’s had to cut back as a business owner and a homeowner, and he believes the county must do the same. Though the rough economy made the Wal-Mart purchase more affordable, Sorrells believes the decision came at the “most inopportune time.” He supports the county’s purchase of the fairgrounds, however, because he believes the venue will be profitable in the long run.

Bill Upton (D) stands by the board’s decision to purchase the old Wal-Mart rather than renovating the old DSS building. “It was going to cost us so much more to renovate and add space, that it was not cost-effective.” Upton said the fairgrounds can be profitable in the long-run. Although commissioners raised the tax rate, Upton commended the board for balancing that “small increase” with cuts in funding and positions.

David Bradley (R) said he won’t throw stones at a glass house and believes commissioners did what they deemed necessary on Wal-Mart. “The deal’s done, no matter whether you’re for it or against it.”

Going forward, Bradley would like to reduce debt, pay off obligations and sell some of the county’s current property.

When it comes to the budget, Tom Freeman (R) said commissioners are not thinking things out before they act. Freeman would have supported the fairgrounds purchase if the county had enough money to pay for the purchase without a loan.

Jeanne Sturges Holbrook (R) would not comment on the job that commissioners are doing, but says that there’s an urgent need to face fiscal responsibility. “Regardless of whether the budget is $65 million or $6 million, reducing debt, reducing expenses, that’s what’s needed.”

Denny King (R) criticizes the commissioners’ timing on the Wal-Mart purchase. He said that citizens should have voted on both that decision and the fairgrounds takeover. King said the county could have gotten by longer in the current DSS building.

Michael “Hub” Scott (R) says commissioners should not be in the real estate business.

Scott supports the commissioners’ decision to purchase the fairgrounds, however, since it brings business to the county from all over the Southeast.

Tackling a rare conflict with HCC

County commissioners are still at odds with Haywood Community College over new construction and maintenance needs at the college.

Commissioners accuse HCC of overspending on environmentally-friendly and optional features at the planned creative arts building. They say a quarter-cent sales tax that was passed by voters to fund new construction and expansion at HCC should be used responsibly.

Meanwhile, HCC wants the county to restore funding for maintenance — which was cut by two-thirds during the recession — so it doesn’t have to dip into sales tax money for repairs and renovations.

Raymond L. Brooks (D) said he is not in a place to take a side on the conflict, but emphasized the commissioners should not cut back on education even during a recession. “Young people are our future.”

Kirk Kirkpatrick (D) would like HCC to use the quarter-cent sales tax to construct new facilities “as reasonable as possible,” and use the leftover funds for maintenance and other improvements. Kirkpatrick said the college will continue to get a line item appropriation for maintenance, though he does not anticipate seeing the funding go back to the pre-recession level of $500,000.

John McCracken (D) hopes the commissioners and college leaders can reach a compromise that will work for the time being. He recognizes that HCC has critical needs and wants to help the college as much as possible, but suggests temporarily using a portion of the sales tax money for maintenance until the economy recovers.

Rhonda Schandevel (D) said the county has a responsibility to HCC and to the buildings in the county. Schandevel said many worked hard to pass the sales tax increase, so it should be committed to new construction and not supplant existing appropriations. “I believe that the county should look at increasing the funding.”

Michael Sorrells (D) said it would be ideal to restore full funding to HCC and the public school system, but until the economy recovers, schools must make arrangements to get through this tough time.

Bill Upton (D) said HCC will receive as much as $2.6 million from the quarter-cent sales tax that they may use for any immediate needs. “That money is their money.” Upton said the conversation with the college is ongoing, and the commissioners will look at the possibility of raising funds for maintenance.

David Bradley (R) says HCC might have to put some projects on hold until the economy straightens out. “Right now, it’s maybe not the best time to actually go into the building process.”

Tom Freeman (R) says that like each county department, HCC should work with the money that it’s presently receiving from the county. “We’ll see what happens in a year or two years down the road.”

Jeanne Sturges Holbrook (R) had no comment on whether the county’s funding to HCC should be changed. Holbrook believes the college should utilize the quarter-cent sales tax money for only those uses approved by voters in the referendum.

Denny King (R) says he’s not familiar enough with the issue to take a side. But the sales tax increase that the voters supported should go only to HCC, King said.

Michael “Hub” Scott (R) said the quarter-cent sales tax must only fund new buildings. He said if the college could pursue another quarter-cent increase to help maintain its buildings if it really needs the funds. However, state legislators would have to approve that measure, and they are unlikely to do so again.

Confronting the local 9-12 movement

A group of citizen activists launched the 9-12 Project in Haywood County, a national movement that supports small, fiscally conservative government and is similar to the Tea Party.

Members have presented themselves as dedicated watchdogs. They are conspicuous at every county meeting, where they barrage commissioners with questions and criticisms.

Commissioners often respond, but have argued that the 9-12 group is actually costing taxpayers more money by taking valuable time away from the county staff. Commissioners say it’s one thing to request public information, but it’s another to ask for one-on-one Q&A sessions or PowerPoint presentations.

Raymond L. Brooks (D) says any kind of improvement usually begins at the grassroots level. “That seems to be something our commissioners have forgotten, especially these last several months.” Though some 9-12 members “want to get on tangents,” that is the case with many groups across the country, Brooks said.

Kirk Kirkpatrick (D) said the 9-12 movement is helping people become more aware of government and express their own opinions. But like with any group of people, Kirkpatrick believes there are a few bad apples. “I think there are people with good intentions in the 9-12 group, and those that I question whether their intentions are truly to find out the truth...Clearly, there’s some attempt to create publicity.”

John McCracken (D) said having more people interested in government is always a positive. He’s attended three 9-12 functions and recognizes that many of the members have legitimate concerns. McCracken said as assistant superintendent, he welcomed the opportunity to address questions and took time to personally explain financial concerns.

Rhonda Schandevel (D) said it’s great any time people get involved in government, and she respects everyone’s opinion. But Schandevel doesn’t appreciate the anger members display. “It’s one thing for there to be passion and to do something with that passion, but when there’s anger, that is such an unproductive emotion.”

Michael Sorrells (D) agrees with a lot of the 9-12 group’s goals, like efficient and smaller government and lower taxes. Sorrells admits that government has “gone away from the people,” but that they still have to govern. “You elect them to make decisions. If you don’t like their decisions, then you vote them out.”

Bill Upton (D) says the 9-12 movement is positive for Haywood County. Upton admits that the group takes time away from taxpayer-supported county staff, but he supports citizen involvement and receiving broader opinions.

David Bradley (R) says people across the country feel ignored by their government. “They feel that nobody’s listening and nobody cares.” Bradley said the 9-12 group has every right to voice concerns and organize. To avoid taking up too much county staff time and to allow more participation from home, Bradley advocates posting all public information on the Haywood County Web site.

Tom Freeman (R) said commissioners should listen to the group and any other citizens who want to talk. “Listen to what they’ve got to say, not let it go in one ear and out the other. Let it rest in between.”

Jeanne Sturges Holbrook (R) plans to speak to the 9-12 group and says it’s positive to see citizens tune in to their local, state and federal government.

Denny King (R) has spoken to the 9-12 organization and said the group is doing a good job. King supports their goals of keeping taxes low and ensuring the government remains constitutional.

Michael “Hub” Scott (R) said he doesn’t know much about the 9-12 group, though members have contacted him to ask if he is a conservative, to which he replied yes.

The latest prayer debate

A lawsuit in Forsyth County sparked debate over whether it is constitutional to say overtly Christian prayers at county government meetings, causing commissioners to tread cautiously in making specific references to Jesus.

Some were outraged by the move, claiming commissioners should be allowed to pray however they please. But others argued that commissioners represent the government, which is forbidden from sponsoring any particular religion.

A few said fighting a lawsuit with taxpayer money would be worth the ability to pray in Jesus’ name at meetings. They demanded a vote by the people on the issue.

Raymond L. Brooks (D) said commissioners should be allowed to pray to whoever they’d like, whether it’s Jesus or Allah. “The First Amendment was given to protect the people. It wasn’t given to protect the government.” Brooks says he’ll stick by his convictions and pray in Jesus’ name if elected.

Kirk Kirkpatrick (D) said the issue isn’t one that gets to be decided by a vote by the people. “I believe the Constitution has already decided...A vote is not above the law that has been established.”

John McCracken (D) said he supports a moment of silence to allow those who want to pray do so to their particular God. McCracken would like to open the meeting with prayer, but he said there are firm opinions on both sides. “You can get involved in some very expensive litigation.”

Rhonda Schandevel (D) said no one could take prayer away from her, but she would respect other people’s religious beliefs. “As much as I believe in my lord Jesus Christ ... we should not force it down anybody’s throats.”

Michael Sorrells (D) said he supports holding a prayer at the outset of meetings, but that the issue of a separation of church and state is involved. Sorrells supports saying the Lord’s Prayer, which doesn’t expressly say Jesus but is clearly praying to the Christian God.

Bill Upton (D) has not changed his prayer since he took office four years ago. “I’ve never had Jesus in my prayer, but just used Heavenly Father. It wasn’t something I thought about.”

David Bradley (R) says he understands both sides. He would like to hold a prayer with fellow commissioners ten minutes before going into a public meeting. Bradley pointed out that the country’s founding fathers were very religious and their values are still relevant today.

Tom Freeman (R) said it’s sad that Jesus has to be taken out of everything. “If I need to pray at the commissioners meeting, I’ll pray. I will not leave his name out. He’s number one in my life.”

Jeanne Sturges Holbrook (R) said religion is a private matter and would not comment on whether she would or would not pray to open meetings as commissioner.

Denny King (R) said the Bible plainly teaches that Christians have to pray in the name of Jesus. “I will make it known to the other commissioners that if I pray, I will pray in Jesus’ name.” King said it’s not an issue that needs to be voted on.

Michael “Hub” Scott (R) said he would pray in Jesus’ name as commissioner. Scott said it was “pathetic” that the judicial branch, rather than the legislature, is running the government. “I don’t need a college degree or be from out of town to know why this country is going straight to Hades. We have no morals anymore.”

Six Democrats and five Republicans are vying for three seats on the Haywood County board of commissioners. Only three from each party will advance past the May 4 primary to the November election. The Smoky Mountain News spoke with the candidates about some of the most pressing issues in the county.

Excessive spending?

Commissioners caught flak from some citizens for raising the tax rate by 1.7 cents last year amidst one of the worst recessions to strike the country. They claim the board is spending beyond taxpayers’ means.

A different group criticized commissioners for making excessive cuts and slashing millions from the budget.

Earlier this year, commissioners decided to purchase a former Wal-Mart in Clyde to house the Department of Social Services and Health department, which had long awaited a move from its aging facilities. The total Wal-Mart project will cost taxpayers an estimated $12.5 million.

At the county fairgrounds, taxpayers will be taking on a loan of up to $800,000 to pay off outstanding debt and make improvements.

The county board has been accused of “bailing out” the fairgrounds board, a nonprofit that’s been unable to keep up with loan payments after the commissioners cut all funding when the economy tanked.

Moreover, commissioners were chastised for spending more than $4.5 million last year to expand the landfill, which was running out of room.

Raymond L. Brooks (D) says the commissioners were quick to jump the gun on the Wal-Mart purchase, and opposes pulling the property from the tax base. Brooks supports a vote by the people on such major decisions. He said there must be better planning in general for deteriorating facilities in order to prevent impulse spending in the future.

Kirk Kirkpatrick (D) said the cost of rehabilitating the existing DSS building would far exceed the cost of purchasing and renovating the old Wal-Mart. “It may be difficult for some people to grasp that now, but I am in hopes that 10 years from now folks will look back and say it was a tough decision, but it was a good decision.”

John McCracken (D) said he won’t criticize the commissioners, who had to make “very, very tough decisions” during the last budget process. He is concerned with the timing of the Wal-Mart purchase, however. McCracken would have liked to see the DSS building renovated and considers it a landmark in the county. McCracken said he considers the fairgrounds a county operation and supports the commissioners’ purchase.

Rhonda Schandevel (D) wants to identify and cut any wasteful spending in the county. Schandevel supports the Wal-Mart purchase, because it was a good deal financially and because the DSS and health departments were in jeopardy of losing funding if no action was taken.

Michael Sorrells (D) says he’s had to cut back as a business owner and a homeowner, and he believes the county must do the same. Though the rough economy made the Wal-Mart purchase more affordable, Sorrells believes the decision came at the “most inopportune time.” He supports the county’s purchase of the fairgrounds, however, because he believes the venue will be profitable in the long run.

Bill Upton (D) stands by the board’s decision to purchase the old Wal-Mart rather than renovating the old DSS building. “It was going to cost us so much more to renovate and add space, that it was not cost-effective.” Upton said the fairgrounds can be profitable in the long-run. Although commissioners raised the tax rate, Upton commended the board for balancing that “small increase” with cuts in funding and positions.

David Bradley (R) said he won’t throw stones at a glass house and believes commissioners did what they deemed necessary on Wal-Mart. “The deal’s done, no matter whether you’re for it or against it.”

Going forward, Bradley would like to reduce debt, pay off obligations and sell some of the county’s current property.

When it comes to the budget, Tom Freeman (R) said commissioners are not thinking things out before they act. Freeman would have supported the fairgrounds purchase if the county had enough money to pay for the purchase without a loan.

Jeanne Sturges Holbrook (R) would not comment on the job that commissioners are doing, but says that there’s an urgent need to face fiscal responsibility. “Regardless of whether the budget is $65 million or $6 million, reducing debt, reducing expenses, that’s what’s needed.”

Denny King (R) criticizes the commissioners’ timing on the Wal-Mart purchase. He said that citizens should have voted on both that decision and the fairgrounds takeover. King said the county could have gotten by longer in the current DSS building.

Michael “Hub” Scott (R) says commissioners should not be in the real estate business.

Scott supports the commissioners’ decision to purchase the fairgrounds, however, since it brings business to the county from all over the Southeast.

Tackling a rare conflict with HCC

County commissioners are still at odds with Haywood Community College over new construction and maintenance needs at the college.

Commissioners accuse HCC of overspending on environmentally-friendly and optional features at the planned creative arts building. They say a quarter-cent sales tax that was passed by voters to fund new construction and expansion at HCC should be used responsibly.

Meanwhile, HCC wants the county to restore funding for maintenance — which was cut by two-thirds during the recession — so it doesn’t have to dip into sales tax money for repairs and renovations.

Raymond L. Brooks (D) said he is not in a place to take a side on the conflict, but emphasized the commissioners should not cut back on education even during a recession. “Young people are our future.”

Kirk Kirkpatrick (D) would like HCC to use the quarter-cent sales tax to construct new facilities “as reasonable as possible,” and use the leftover funds for maintenance and other improvements. Kirkpatrick said the college will continue to get a line item appropriation for maintenance, though he does not anticipate seeing the funding go back to the pre-recession level of $500,000.

John McCracken (D) hopes the commissioners and college leaders can reach a compromise that will work for the time being. He recognizes that HCC has critical needs and wants to help the college as much as possible, but suggests temporarily using a portion of the sales tax money for maintenance until the economy recovers.

Rhonda Schandevel (D) said the county has a responsibility to HCC and to the buildings in the county. Schandevel said many worked hard to pass the sales tax increase, so it should be committed to new construction and not supplant existing appropriations. “I believe that the county should look at increasing the funding.”

Michael Sorrells (D) said it would be ideal to restore full funding to HCC and the public school system, but until the economy recovers, schools must make arrangements to get through this tough time.

Bill Upton (D) said HCC will receive as much as $2.6 million from the quarter-cent sales tax that they may use for any immediate needs. “That money is their money.” Upton said the conversation with the college is ongoing, and the commissioners will look at the possibility of raising funds for maintenance.

David Bradley (R) says HCC might have to put some projects on hold until the economy straightens out. “Right now, it’s maybe not the best time to actually go into the building process.”

Tom Freeman (R) says that like each county department, HCC should work with the money that it’s presently receiving from the county. “We’ll see what happens in a year or two years down the road.”

Jeanne Sturges Holbrook (R) had no comment on whether the county’s funding to HCC should be changed. Holbrook believes the college should utilize the quarter-cent sales tax money for only those uses approved by voters in the referendum.

Denny King (R) says he’s not familiar enough with the issue to take a side. But the sales tax increase that the voters supported should go only to HCC, King said.

Michael “Hub” Scott (R) said the quarter-cent sales tax must only fund new buildings. He said if the college could pursue another quarter-cent increase to help maintain its buildings if it really needs the funds. However, state legislators would have to approve that measure, and they are unlikely to do so again.

Confronting the local 9-12 movement

A group of citizen activists launched the 9-12 Project in Haywood County, a national movement that supports small, fiscally conservative government and is similar to the Tea Party.

Members have presented themselves as dedicated watchdogs. They are conspicuous at every county meeting, where they barrage commissioners with questions and criticisms.

Commissioners often respond, but have argued that the 9-12 group is actually costing taxpayers more money by taking valuable time away from the county staff. Commissioners say it’s one thing to request public information, but it’s another to ask for one-on-one Q&A sessions or PowerPoint presentations.

Raymond L. Brooks (D) says any kind of improvement usually begins at the grassroots level. “That seems to be something our commissioners have forgotten, especially these last several months.” Though some 9-12 members “want to get on tangents,” that is the case with many groups across the country, Brooks said.

Kirk Kirkpatrick (D) said the 9-12 movement is helping people become more aware of government and express their own opinions. But like with any group of people, Kirkpatrick believes there are a few bad apples. “I think there are people with good intentions in the 9-12 group, and those that I question whether their intentions are truly to find out the truth...Clearly, there’s some attempt to create publicity.”

John McCracken (D) said having more people interested in government is always a positive. He’s attended three 9-12 functions and recognizes that many of the members have legitimate concerns. McCracken said as assistant superintendent, he welcomed the opportunity to address questions and took time to personally explain financial concerns.

Rhonda Schandevel (D) said it’s great any time people get involved in government, and she respects everyone’s opinion. But Schandevel doesn’t appreciate the anger members display. “It’s one thing for there to be passion and to do something with that passion, but when there’s anger, that is such an unproductive emotion.”

Michael Sorrells (D) agrees with a lot of the 9-12 group’s goals, like efficient and smaller government and lower taxes. Sorrells admits that government has “gone away from the people,” but that they still have to govern. “You elect them to make decisions. If you don’t like their decisions, then you vote them out.”

Bill Upton (D) says the 9-12 movement is positive for Haywood County. Upton admits that the group takes time away from taxpayer-supported county staff, but he supports citizen involvement and receiving broader opinions.

David Bradley (R) says people across the country feel ignored by their government. “They feel that nobody’s listening and nobody cares.” Bradley said the 9-12 group has every right to voice concerns and organize. To avoid taking up too much county staff time and to allow more participation from home, Bradley advocates posting all public information on the Haywood County Web site.

Tom Freeman (R) said commissioners should listen to the group and any other citizens who want to talk. “Listen to what they’ve got to say, not let it go in one ear and out the other. Let it rest in between.”

Jeanne Sturges Holbrook (R) plans to speak to the 9-12 group and says it’s positive to see citizens tune in to their local, state and federal government.

Denny King (R) has spoken to the 9-12 organization and said the group is doing a good job. King supports their goals of keeping taxes low and ensuring the government remains constitutional.

Michael “Hub” Scott (R) said he doesn’t know much about the 9-12 group, though members have contacted him to ask if he is a conservative, to which he replied yes.

The latest prayer debate

A lawsuit in Forsyth County sparked debate over whether it is constitutional to say overtly Christian prayers at county government meetings, causing commissioners to tread cautiously in making specific references to Jesus.

Some were outraged by the move, claiming commissioners should be allowed to pray however they please. But others argued that commissioners represent the government, which is forbidden from sponsoring any particular religion.

A few said fighting a lawsuit with taxpayer money would be worth the ability to pray in Jesus’ name at meetings. They demanded a vote by the people on the issue.

Raymond L. Brooks (D) said commissioners should be allowed to pray to whoever they’d like, whether it’s Jesus or Allah. “The First Amendment was given to protect the people. It wasn’t given to protect the government.” Brooks says he’ll stick by his convictions and pray in Jesus’ name if elected.

Kirk Kirkpatrick (D) said the issue isn’t one that gets to be decided by a vote by the people. “I believe the Constitution has already decided...A vote is not above the law that has been established.”

John McCracken (D) said he supports a moment of silence to allow those who want to pray do so to their particular God. McCracken would like to open the meeting with prayer, but he said there are firm opinions on both sides. “You can get involved in some very expensive litigation.”

Rhonda Schandevel (D) said no one could take prayer away from her, but she would respect other people’s religious beliefs. “As much as I believe in my lord Jesus Christ ... we should not force it down anybody’s throats.”

Michael Sorrells (D) said he supports holding a prayer at the outset of meetings, but that the issue of a separation of church and state is involved. Sorrells supports saying the Lord’s Prayer, which doesn’t expressly say Jesus but is clearly praying to the Christian God.

Bill Upton (D) has not changed his prayer since he took office four years ago. “I’ve never had Jesus in my prayer, but just used Heavenly Father. It wasn’t something I thought about.”

David Bradley (R) says he understands both sides. He would like to hold a prayer with fellow commissioners ten minutes before going into a public meeting. Bradley pointed out that the country’s founding fathers were very religious and their values are still relevant today.

Tom Freeman (R) said it’s sad that Jesus has to be taken out of everything. “If I need to pray at the commissioners meeting, I’ll pray. I will not leave his name out. He’s number one in my life.”

Jeanne Sturges Holbrook (R) said religion is a private matter and would not comment on whether she would or would not pray to open meetings as commissioner.

Denny King (R) said the Bible plainly teaches that Christians have to pray in the name of Jesus. “I will make it known to the other commissioners that if I pray, I will pray in Jesus’ name.” King said it’s not an issue that needs to be voted on.

Michael “Hub” Scott (R) said he would pray in Jesus’ name as commissioner. Scott said it was “pathetic” that the judicial branch, rather than the legislature, is running the government. “I don’t need a college degree or be from out of town to know why this country is going straight to Hades. We have no morals anymore.”

Shane Burrell’s idea was simple: create a Web site where political candidates can talk to directly to voters about issues.

“I knew that a lot of the candidates just weren’t able to get out there and online is an easy way to do it,” Burrell said. “I wanted to know for myself what the candidates were about before I voted.”

The co-owner of Metrostat, a Sylva broadband provider, Burrell had the technical know-how to build the site. His challenge has been getting the candidates to participate.

Burrell launched WNCDebate.org at the beginning of the primary season with the hopes of creating a lively forum for candidates in county races throughout Jackson, Swain, and Macon counties.

With primary elections a few short weeks away, the site still doesn’t have enough candidates to create the exchange Burrell was hoping for.

“A lot of them haven’t even responded,” Burrell said. “I don’t know if they are afraid of participating or they’re not technically savvy or what.”

For instance, in the race for Jackson County commissioners’ seats, only Tom Massie has submitted a profile and interacted with voters.

Massie is well known for his willingness to speak his mind, but his support of WNC Debate’s project is based on his desire to tell voters about who he is.

“Any way we can get this information to the public is useful,” Massie said. “How do you make an informed decision if you don’t know who you’re voting for? What kind of democracy do we have if we don’t have an informed electorate?”

Massie’s open attitude has made him a de facto star of the site despite fielding a sometimes unpleasant barrage of questions — from controversial salary raises doled out last year to top county brass to defending Sheriff Jimmy Ashe’s use of drug money to support youth sports teams outside accepted government accounting protocols.

But supporters and critics alike have responded favorably to his willingness to get down to the nitty-gritty on issues.

A registered user named “JacksonCountyCorruption” had this to say to Massie:

“Although I entirely disagree with the decision made by the commissioners, I completely respect your answer Mr. Massie. Furthermore, I would like to thank you for being willing to answer such questions in an ongoing public forum.”

Massie said he wasn’t sure why more candidates weren’t using the forum, but he guessed it was a combination of political savvy and a lack of understanding about the online platform.

“I guess people are scared things could be taken out of context,” Massie said. “Or it’s that you don’t really know who’s running the Web site. I don’t even know who Shane is, but I feel I’ve been treated fairly.”

The site is essentially a tricked-out blog that allows the candidates to post profiles and then respond to comments, which are tallied chronologically.

Burrell says the site gets about 1,000 visitors per day, but only 73 people have voted in the staw poll for Jackson sheriff and 43 in the poll for Swain sheriff. Burrell acts as system administrator and enforces a few simple rules. Any previously published materials relevant to the races like newspaper articles, communications directly from candidates and comments from registered users are fair game and will be posted, as long as they aren’t offensive or salacious.

Massie said he has heard from some candidates that they believe the site has been put together to support a particular ticket or group of candidates. Burrell thinks people haven’t really come all the way around to the concept.

“A lot of people don’t understand that anybody can participate,” Burrell said. “Any one of the candidates can create their own space (on the site).”

Burrell said he has reached out to anyone and everyone he could think of to let them know the space he built is an open forum for the community.

The site has arguably had the most participation from people interested in the Jackson County sheriffs’ race. Two candidates, namely Robin Gunnels and Mary Rock, have posted and interacted with voters. The heated nature of the race and the fact that Gunnels’ business was victimized by arson have fed the interest in the interaction.

Rock wrote a candid post condemning the crime and indicating that she thought it was politically motivated, a sentiment Gunnels also has expressed openly. His campaign signs were stored in the building, and he did not have fire insurance.

“In my opinion, this was a cowardly act carried out by a person who is trying (and obviously desperate) to manipulate the outcome of the election,” Rock wrote, saying it “threatens to undermine the freedom of the people to choose from the candidates whom they want to serve them.”

While Burrell may not yet have succeeded in creating a paradigm shift in the way political candidates interact with voters, he has certainly injected a new element into the conversation. Besides, it’s only primary season and Burrell said he’s in it for the long haul.

N.C. House District 119 represents Jackson, Swain and portions of Haywood and Macon counties. In the Democratic primary, incumbent Phil Haire faces challenger Avram Friedman. The winner will face Republican candidate Dodie Allen of Jackson County in the November election.

Phil Haire, 73, attorney in Sylva

Experience

Haire has served five terms as a state representative. He is chairman of the N.C. House Appropriations Committee. Haire served in the U.S. Air Force and obtained the rank of captain.

Platform

As chairman of the appropriations committee, Haire has seen the state’s budget crisis firsthand. He is running on a platform that features bolstering the economy, preserving jobs and balancing the budget.

“My number one interest is maintaining the fiscal integrity of the state. Let’s keep us strong without having to cut employees and services,” Haire said.

Haire points to his voting record on environmental issues — sponsoring steep slope development and clean air bills and promoting farmland preservation –– as proof that he is a champion for keeping the mountain region pristine.

“My people go back 250 years in the mountains, and I’m a mountain person, so it’s one of the first things I think about –– protecting this place,” Haire said.

Haire also emphasizes his record of helping critical local development projects –– like the Jackson County Senior Center in Webster –– and his advocacy for Southwestern Community College funding as evidence of his attention to detail in his district. His tenure has given him clout to help gets things done that a newcomer would not enjoy. He has pledged to keep education strong, and he said he will continue to press NCDOT to get I-40 open as soon as possible.

“I never get into finger-pointing,” Haire said. “I just run on what I’ve done, and if people like it, I hope they’ll vote for me.”

There are six Republicans vying for a shot to run against Congressman Heath Shuler, D-Waynesville, this year.

The six Republican candidates share similar platforms on all the salient talking points: they are against the health care bill that passed, they want smaller government, they want to reduce debt and they all pledge to “get the country back on the right track.”

But they have vastly different backgrounds. And despite sharing the standard Republican agenda, there are differences that set them apart, with some further right than others.

Jeff Miller, 55, small business owner

Miller runs a dry-cleaning business with 24 employees that was started by his parents. He is married and has a 17-year-old son.

Miller founded Honor Air, a program that charters airplanes to bring groups of WWII veterans to Washington, D.C., at no cost to see the WWII monument before they die. His plan was initially to reach all the veterans in Henderson County. But the project took off and by the end of the first year of the project, he had flown 800 veterans to D.C. Last year, the Honor Air network under Miller’s supervision flew 18,000 veterans to D.C. from 35 states.

Why did you decide to run?

“I had never talked about it, never thought about it, but I had a lot of people asking me to do it.”

Those people happened to be what Miller called “bookend generations” that each meant the world to him — his 17-year-old son and WWII veterans who he works closely with through Honor Air flights. They convinced Miller he was the type of common sense leader people were looking for.

What do you hope to accomplish?

“The number one thing we have to do is drive down the national debt. I like to call it beginning the deconstruction of big government.”

What separates you from other candidates?

“I understand the pains and challenges of running a business. I know what it’s like to sign the front of a payroll check and have to back it up. I think right now if there is anything the country needs it is people who have had to balance a budget.”

Miller is more moderate that some candidates.

“I am not a far right-winger. I think both parties have a piece of this mess we are in.”

He avoids bashing the President or the Democratic Party, and he admits there are “some good things” in the health care bill.

www.jeffmiller2010.com

Greg Newman, 48, attorney in Hendersonville

Newman is a partner in his firm and practices every type of law, from criminal to civil. He also served as a prosecutor in the 1990s. He served as mayor of Hendersonville for four years. He is married and has three kids ranging from 9 to 20 years old.

Why did you decide to run?

“I saw the fear and worry people were starting to experience. There are a lot of people beginning to think the government is too large, and our kids and grandkids are going to have an enormous tax burden on them. It is that lack of confidence that motivated me to want to get into this thing.”

What do you hope to accomplish?

“I want to restore people’s confidence in our future. We have to make some very bold actions about what we choose to fund in this government.”

What separates you from other candidates?

“I want to be honest with people about what it is going to take to get our fiscal house in order.”

On that note, Newman suggests axing the federal departments of Education, Energy and Homeland Security, considering them a duplication of existing departments or failing to provide any vital services.

“I am the only one who has been bold enough to state specifically what I intended to cut.”

Dan Eichenbaum, 67, ophthalmologist in Murphy

Eichenbaum has been a leader in the Tea Party movement and the 9/12 Project in the mountains. Eichenbaum was formerly registered as a Libertarian and ran for county commissioner in Cherokee County in 2002 on the Libertarian ticket. He said he became a Libertarian out of frustration at the direction of the Republican Party at one stage but was “never a big ‘L’ libertarian.”

Why did you decide to run?

Eichenbaum is fed up with government interference in his life and business.

“It got to the point where for the past year or so I have been screaming at my television set and yelling at my satellite radio in my truck.” He even found himself giving political speeches in the shower.

Last spring, he went to the Tea Party in Atlanta on tax day with a homemade sign with a single word: Liberty.

“We get there and there are 20,000 people. I was inspired and empowered.”

He came home and started a chapter of the 9/12 Project that grew from half a dozen to 600 members by the end of the summer. He inadvertently became the leader of a movement, and was ultimately convinced to run by those around him.

What do you hope to accomplish?

“I’ve had a platform from day one: limited government, individual freedom, personal responsibility, fiscal restraint and free market economy. Those are my five tools and my tool belt is the Constitution of the United States.”

What separates you from other candidates?

Eichenbaum said he is more knowledgeable than all the other candidates and has won straw polls at every Republican debate he has been in, which he credits to his ability to define a problem and pose a solution that will work.

“I can speak to those points on any issue anyone will ever ask me about. I am starting to hear my own words come back to me now from some of these other candidates.”

Eichenbaum is sick and tired of top down politics in Washington and RINOS, Republicans In Name Only.

Ed Krause, 63, attorney in Marion

Krause is married and has five grown children and an adopted teenager still at home. He has written three novels set in a fictitious small town in the rural Southern Appalachians. He is a fan of model railroads.

Why did you decide to run?

“I am concerned and upset about the bad economic situation and the government’s inability to solve the problem.”

What do you hope to accomplish?

“We have to pay back the debt. We are mortgaging our children and grandchildren.”

What separates you from other candidates?

“We are all the same. There are only minor differences between us all. I stress that I am a problem solver. I am not a flashy person or eloquent person but I can get the job done.”

Kenny West, 52, insurance salesman in Hayesville

West is a representative for Liberty National Life Insurance company focused on businesses accounts and works strictly on commission. He is the eighth ranking salesperson out of 6,800 insurance reps, even though he has only been on the job three years. Before that, he was a regional director with a large company overseing 160 employee that published church directories around the Southeast.

Why did you decide to run?

“When I looked at things going on and the choices being made, I told my wife, ‘This is not the America Kenny West knows.’ I think we forgot about our founding fathers and the principles they stood for when they fought and died for our country.”

West invited over his pastor and friends over to pray and talk about whether West should run while sharing a bucket of chicken wings in his basement one evening.

What do you hope to accomplish?

“I submit to you there is a lack of character in Congress. If we don’t put God and character back in this county, it is over for my children.”

What separates you from other candidates?

West has made his belief in God, his family values and strong Christian principles a central part of his campaign message. He is surprised how absent God is in the other candidates’ platforms.

“I have already been called a theocrat by one of them. Am I a zealot? No, but I am a Christian. All blessings come from God.”

West, a Baptist, represents strong family values. He’s been married just once, never smoked or drank, and doesn’t cheat.

James Howard, 72, Franklin

Howard grew up in New York as one of 11 children. He retired to Franklin from Florida in 2002. In Florida, he was a commercial helicopter pilot, but also worked in law enforcement for a stint and owned a real estate title company.

When asked his age, Howard refused, saying it wasn’t an issue in the campaign. “That is the problem with reporters,” he said, and then insisted he was 39. His real age was obtained from his registration information at the board of elections, however.

Why did you decide to run?

Howard filed a class action lawsuit against Congress in 2009 following the passage of the stimulus bill. He filed it without a lawyer, “on behalf of himself and the American taxpayer,” according to the suit.

He claims Congress was “derelict in their duties” and “conspired collectively to undermine the people who hired them with their vote.”

In a nut shell, that’s why he decided to run.

“I am not going to stand by and watch our great country destroy itself under the present leadership of the current Congress,” Howard said. “I am going to give it more than a college try.”

What do you hope to accomplish?

He pledges to always put the interests of those who elected him first.

“They hire me, they elect me, I serve them when I get to Washington.”

What separates you from other candidates?

None of the others have the right experience in the “trenches” of the Republican Party. Howard cited his work as the executive director of the Broward County Republican Party in Florida.

Howard said even if one of the other candidates gets elected, they won’t know what to do when they get to D.C.

“That person will be buried for two years and won’t be able to take his hands out of his pockets. It’s a fraternity up there,” Howard said.

Avram Friedman is not your average North Carolina political candidate.

Born in the Bronx, Friedman studied political science at Hunter College, and he’s been a grassroots activist since the late 1960s. After spending his life affecting change from outside the system, the 60-year-old Sylva resident is trying to make good on what is perhaps the most radical idea of his career: taking his brand of green thinking to the State House in Raleigh.

“I’ll be a voice in the state legislature that doesn’t exist right now,” Friedman said.

This year, Friedman is running for the second time against long-time incumbent Phil Haire of Sylva in the Democratic primary in hopes of representing Jackson, Swain, Macon and Haywood counties in the state House.

Friedman got 30 percent of the vote the last time he ran against the five-time incumbent Haire, so he can’t be considered a fringe candidate anymore.

Friedman admits to liking his opponent, but he’s intent on changing the system, starting with his home district.

“It’s not just Phil Haire,” Friedman said of his decision to run. “I would probably be challenging any representative anywhere I was living.”

Friedman is running his campaign armed with a broad and well-thought out liberal issue platform, but the driving force behind his bid is to put an end to the business-as-usual attitude of state government.

As the executive director of the Canary Coalition, an environmental nonprofit that aims to improve air quality in the North Carolina, Friedman has seen firsthand how energy companies like Duke Energy and Progress Energy force their agenda in the legislature.

“They are such an intimidating force on the political level that very few legislators are willing to stand up to them or question the veracity of their information or offer proposals that might not increase their profit margins,” Friedman said.

Friedman may sound like a radical, and in one sense he is. He was arrested twice last year for protesting Duke Energy’s new Cliffside coal plant, once in front of the governor’s mansion and once in front of Duke’s headquarters in Charlotte. Haire’s support for Senate Bill 3, which paved the way for Cliffside’s construction, is one of Friedman’s major points of contention.

But in an election year in which the ailing economy and the state’s looming budget crisis are bound to be the primary topics of conversation, Friedman wants to make the case that the environment isn’t a side discussion.

“That’s the impression I have to overcome,” said Friedman. “The fact is the environment poses a challenge, but it also offers incredible promise in the economic sphere. There’s a tremendous opportunity in solving the vast environmental problems we’re confronting. There’s a second industrial revolution occurring right now.”

Friedman spent 25 years running a plumbing business that focused on solar and electric hot water heating systems, so he understands the connection between green technology and the economy.

In some ways, Friedman believes the election climate suits his platform better than Haire’s, whose powerful legislative record includes his position as chair of the House Appropriations Committee.

“Right now, our state is experiencing such budget shortfalls. There are no new programs,” Freidman said. “I don’t think pork is as big a factor as people just being fed up.”

For people who are fed up, Friedman’s platform is refreshingly progressive.

He believes that if North Carolina commits itself to phasing out coal power and developing alternative energy like solar and wind power, the state will create thousands of new jobs.

“There are tens of thousands of jobs waiting for us,” Friedman said. “They’re doing it all over the world. We’re banning wind energy in Western North Carolina, and they’re building a new economy in China.”

He also rejects the idea that today’s political climate is decidedly conservative.

“When there’s a conservative wave in the country, Democrats in office try to make themselves look even more conservative,” Friedman said. “I don’t think that’s a winning strategy.”

If he’s elected, Friedman wants to implement a statewide public transportation system that connects the university system by high-speed rail. He wants to raise teacher salaries and improve public education. And he wants to revamp the state government’s system to include full-time state legislators, so ordinary people can afford to serve in elected offices.

For the natives of Western North Carolina, Friedman has an idea that breaks the boundaries of his otherwise environmental platform. He wants to set up a lower property tax structure for full-time residents and low-income people. That’s not going to win him the snowbird vote, but Friedman doesn’t care.

“I’m giving a lot of people a choice they haven’t had in a long time. One they maybe haven’t ever had before,” Friedman said.

Voters in the Democratic Primary in Haywood County must choose which of the two candidates profiled here will advance to the November election. Republican candidate Bill Wilke is running unopposed in the primary and will automatically advance.

Bobby Suttles, 65, Haywood County Sheriff

Suttles was appointed sheriff by the Democratic party in early 2009 after former Sheriff Tom Alexander retired mid-term. Before that, Suttles served as chief deputy — second in command of the 100-person Sheriff’s office — since 2003. Suttles has more than 35 years of experience as a law enforcement officer, including with the state highway patrol, Waynesville police department, and 15 years with the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office.

Suttles emphasizes his ability to work under a tight budget.

“I feel like I’ve accomplished probably the same amount of service, with less...I know my opponents, they may say they’re going to do this and do that, but ultimately you have to deal with the budget.”

Suttles said he’s also accomplished better cooperation among different departments within the Sheriff’s Office.

“New equipment is always on my mind,” said Suttles, who would like to see computers in deputy’s cars as well as tasers. He would also like to have more officers and new cars. Suttles is working to bring video arraignment to the county to save time spent on transporting prisoners to the courthouse.

He would also like to deputize police officers from town departments to increase cooperation on drug cases and pool together resources, like drug dogs. Another goal is to have an annex in the Canton area. Suttles is also in the process of securing more inmate labor.

For more information: www.suttlesforsheriff.com.

Dean Henline, 52, part-time police officer with town of Clyde

Henline served at the Haywood County Sheriff’s Office for 30 years before retiring in 2008. Henline has worked as a jailer, sergeant, and lieutenant over patrol, as well as a part-time policeman in Hazelwood.

Henline emphasizes that he’s had more experience in Haywood County’s Sheriff’s Office than the other two candidates running. Henline said if elected, the transition would be comfortable since he’s worked with deputies at the office his entire career. Henline added that he is very active during his shifts. “Neither candidate has the arrest record that I have,” Henline said.

Henline would like to increase the number of deputies working on the drug problem in Haywood County. “Haywood County needs this because we’re not the old Haywood County anymore that we grew up in. We’ve got some of the same problems they got in the big city.” Henline plans to apply for drug interdiction grants that can help purchase cars, equipment and pay salaries.

Henline would also like to fully equip deputy cars with computers so officers can file reports on the road and stay out on the field longer. Computers can also help deputies pull up files of those who have been arrested before on the spot.

When the budget situation improves, Henline would like to raise deputies’ salaries to stay competitive with surrounding counties. Henline would also like to see more officers working night shifts.

For more information: www.deanhenlineforsheriffcampaign.com

There is only one Republican candidate running for Haywood County Sheriff in the primary, which means he will automatically advance to the November election.

Bill Wilke, 40, Sgt. with Asheville City Police Department

Wilke has worked in law enforcement for 14 years, serves as major in the Army Reserves, is being promtoed to lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserves and was a full-time training officer with the Army National Guard from 1997 to 2000. He currently is night sergeant for the Asheville police department and supervises nine to 12 officers.

Wilke recently returned from Iraq, where he served as a Major with the US Army in civil affairs.

Wilke said he came back from Iraq with a greater appreciation for the American way of life and resolved to contribute as much as he could to his home of Haywood County. He says the management and leadership skills he has developed over the years will benefit the Sheriff’s Office, especially in a budget-restrained environment.

Wilke’s first priority is to establish a joint drug task force in the county, which will help stop ancillary crimes. Since agencies can take 75 percent of the tax value of whatever drugs are seized, Wilke said clamping down on drugs will reduce crime as well as produce revenue.

Wilke sees a clear need to modernize, and says bringing computers and software will help use deputies more efficiently.

“I work with those cutting edge tools right now,” said Wilke. “I have a plan to implement then if I’m elected.”

Wilke says there is a need for additional deputies, but the Sheriff’s Office should first look at being more efficient with the dollars it does get from the county. As part of that effort, Wilke would like to see more usage of inmate labor.

For more information: www.wilkeforsheriff.com