Ashe Country Commish

With Election Day 2008 less than a week away, we asked the candidates on the ballot a list of questions

based on the issues our readers were concerned about. Here are the answers from the candidates for the Ashe County Board of Commissioners, beginning with the incumbents.

Larry Rhodes - Republican
Judy Porter Poe - Republican
Marty Gambill - Democrat

Q. The job market in Ashe County is seeing some tough times with nearly 500 jobs lost this year alone. How will you work to improve this and bring new industry to the district and, if possible, specifically to the county?

Rhodes: During this economic downturn and because there are 99 other North Carolina Counties, Tennessee, Virginia, and other states seeking employers, I will support our economic director in continuing to showplace Ashe County with its great workforce and location. I will continue to assist the great employers we have. I will assist them as needed in making daily difficult decisions. I appreciate Ashe County companies maintaining employment.

Poe: Economical Development, technology training and retraining our workforce are the key to job creation. If companies are interested in coming to Ashe County, then we must have a workforce that is trained to meet their needs. We have to prepare our workforce for the opportunities a company could bring to Ashe County. Through economical development we can work to recruit new industries, green industries and small business development.

Gambill: There are downturns and upticks to having our local economy with more ties to a now global economy. We have seen losses in industries that are effected by the housing market, but we are also seeing growth in other areas. AEV in Jefferson is looking to grow as they already sell ambulances and equipment to markets around the world. I feel it is important to keep a strong yet flexible economic development plan in place so we can act to support new and existing industries when they want to grow. Of course one of the biggest "draws" to employers is Ashe County's superb and dynamic workforce. The key to keeping this great workforce available to employers is education at all levels. From our K-12 programs to Wilkes Community College to programs offered by other agencies for folks to further their knowledge, it is important the education be the base of continued economic growth in the county

Q. The Christmas tree industry in Ashe County remains an important part of the local economy, and many of the workers are immigrants brought here through the H2A and H2B programs. How do you propose to bring in new workers legally without hurting the recently tougher job market for local citizens? Also, how should we deal with workers who are here illegally and the businesses that employ them?

Rhodes: Yes, agriculture brought more than $75 million dollars to Ashe County in 2007, and I will continue to support our growers. In 1998 we had 526 parcels in the Farm Preservation Plan, and in 2008 the number had reached 2,262 and growing. This in an important part of Ashe County's economy. The growers must make daily decisions about their employees. Ashe County's law enforcement budget is not large enough to cover checking every employee in Ashe County as to legal or illegal.

Poe: Guest worker programs bring in needed workers in specific areas. If there are not sufficient local workers, then employer's could hire legal immigrants, who are here as guest workers. I will support Sheriff Williams if he wants to participate in the federal ICE program (Immigration Customs Enforcement). Employers should only hire legal documented individuals.

Gambill: I believe all industries in Ashe County work under ethical principles. Agriculture included. To that end, I believe that if local folks who have been affected by the tougher job market, or any local resident wants a job and wants to work, any industry would look to them over migrant labor.

Q. The prices of gasoline and energy in general is still taking a toll on the citizens of Ashe County. How do you propose that we move away from our dependence on foreign oil? Also, what forms of alternative energy do you feel are the most practical? Example: Wind Energy in the mountains.

Rhodes: The majority of American oil comes from our northern neighbors in Canada. Alternative forms of energy must be studied to which Blue Ridge Electric has already committed. Whether it's wind, water, solar power, or another source, it must be reviewed; but it should not affect the God given beauty of Ashe County.

Poe: We all need to be as energy efficient as we can. This means less driving, keep vehicles maintained, recycling, change to energy efficient light bulbs, etc. The county has set up an employee energy board to look at ways the county can save on electricity, heating and driving. The commissioners have asked that any new vehicle purchases be energy efficient vehicles.

Gambill: Energy is a tough issue. The biggest problem is that no one wants to have to conserve, mainly consume. Whichever technologies we use will have to be affordable to consumers. Renewable energies would of course be best. Wind, solar, hydro-electric. Now who is going to step up first and say I will give up something I like for the improvement of our reliance on foreign resources?

Q. The rising costs of energy is driving the prices of everything up. That, compounded with rising taxes and stagnant cost of living increases to most workers, it seems that the middle class is becoming a thing of the past. What will you do to lessen the divide between rich and poor and bolster the economic status of hard working Ashe County residents?

Rhodes: For Ashe County to provides services, tax payers' money must be used. The personnel providing the services would have to receive paychecks and benefits. The differences between 'rich and poor' is beyond the means of the job as a commissioner. My responsibility remains to attract new industry and maintain the great industries we now have in Ashe County. A great example of citizens working together is all the fund-raising events taking place in Ashe County for fuel relief.

Poe: One way to close the gap between rich and poor is through education. Technological and skilled labor education for our young people through our schools and retaining for our adults. An example is the "boot camp" for GE workers through the community college. We need to give people skills in order to earn a living, giving them a sense of pride in themselves. The young, elderly and disabled need our help and support. But to give people incentive (money) not to work is wrong. I grew up on a tobacco farm and I know what it is to work in the tobacco field, and not have everything handed to you. I graduated from Northwest Ashe High School in 1966, and got my degree from Appalachian State University in 1982. I worked, raised a family and still strived to get a better education.

Gambill: Did not answer this question.

Q. What do you feel has been the biggest accomplishment of your time in office, specifically in the last year? If re-elected, what will you focus on during your next term?

Rhodes: My one and only promise is that "I will do my best to serve all of Ashe County." My areas of interest are education, employment, road improvement (to 4-lane highway 221 from Jefferson to Deep Gap), recreation facilities, health care, and environmental awareness.

Poe: I feel my biggest accomplishments are recruiting Smiths, GE to Ashe County, putting smart boards in every class room in our schools, building new classrooms at each school, keeping our tax rate low, and building a no frills energy efficient jail, and law enforcement center. To better understand what Ashe County needed in a jail, I visited different jails and law enforcement centers. When it came time to write a windmill ordinance, I visited 5 different wind turbine locations. I wanted to see for myself what best suited Ashe County needs, not a cookie cutter formula that fits all. When re-elected I will continue to work for technology in our schools, job retaining for our displaced workers and keeping our property taxes low.

Gambill: I feel my biggest accomplishments while in office have been further support of all levels of education and being fiscally responsible with county budget. Remember, we have the 9th lowest property tax rate in North Carolina.

Q. What is your opinion of your party's candidates for the NC House and Senate? What do you see as their biggest strengths and what do you see as their biggest challenges if elected or re-elected?

Rhodes: If I am re-elected commissioner, then I will work with whomever is chosen in the N.C. House and Senate. The Raleigh connection is how we receive our money and projects for our county.

Poe: I feel that as an Ashe County Commissioner it is my duty to work with all elected officials no matter which party they belong to. My focus is on what the needs of the people of Ashe County are, and the best way to address these needs. Every elected official, from the county level to the White House, are going to have to come together and work to get our economy moving and creating jobs.
Gambill: Did not answer this question.

Q. Closing statements

Rhodes: If I am elected commissioner, I am qualified to help make the difficult decisions that will have to be made in 2009. With my 35 years experience in business and my background in Economics/Business, I feel I can make these decisions for all of Ashe County.

Poe: No statement.
Gambill: No statement.

The Challengers

The three incumbents are being challenged by three more candidates for the Ashe County Board of Commissioners.

Dale Baldwin - Democrat
Gerald Price - Republican
Dallas Shatley - Democrat

Q. The market in Ashe County is seeing some tough times with nearly 500 jobs lost this year alone.

How will you work to improve this and bring new industry to the district and, if possible, specifically to the county?

Baldwin: I think right now, we've got the facilities with the empty buildings we've got. I think the first thing we should do is look at those empty buildings and see if we can get someone to come in and look at them and maybe move into them.

Price: To me personally, I foresee no substantial improvements until the burdensome rules, regulations and taxes mandated by our federal government, which encourages small and large business to leave America, are reduced and repealed drastically. We all need to remember that the root of the problem starts at the federal level and trickles down through the states into the local communities.

Shatley: I would work hard with the other commissioners to advertise the quality of workforce that we have. Our mountain workforce will be competitive with any workforce. We do and always have taken pride in our work. We need to sell ourselves. We will have competition for new jobs from other counties in the state. We must be in the forefront to make new jobs become available. The loss of jobs is the biggest challenge to our counties people. I think we need to look at the new jobs being created by the energy market.

Q. The Christmas tree industry in Ashe County remains an important part of the local economy, and many of the workers are immigrants brought here through the H2A and H2B programs. How do you propose to continue to bring in new workers legally without hurting the recently tougher job market for local citizens? Also, how should we deal with workers that are here illegally and the businesses that employ them?

Baldwin: I really think that would be a state problem instead of a county problem. I have a problem with illegal immigration, especially if they're getting all the benefits of the state and federal government. I don't go along with that part of it. But if they want to come up as guest workers, I have no problem with guest workers that the Christmas tree farmers need.

Price: If any person is in Ashe County legally, then they have equal opportunity of employment. Illegal immigrants and businesses that employ them should continue to be dealt with statutorily.

Shatley: Under these work programs the citizens of Ashe County have the first right of refusal on these jobs. If out of work, you would apply through the unemployment board. They would put the local citizen worker in touch with the farmer. This is in the contract with H2A, H2B, and the unemployment services office.

There are several undocumented workers in the American workforce. We need to put pressure on our congress and senate to make fair work laws.

Q. The prices of gasoline and energy is still taking a toll on the citizens of the county. How do you propose that we move away from our dependence on foreign oil? Also, what forms of alternative energy do you feel are the most practical? Example: Wind Energy in the mountains.

Baldwin: I think we've got to - there's no doubt about it - we've got to look at wind and solar energy. I'm not sure which way that would have to go, but we're going to have to look at wind and solar.

Price: There are billions of barrels of untapped oil reserves in Alaska. Also, within a hundred miles of the East and West coastlines are many untapped oil reserves. These resources need to be tapped with caution and due diligence which would supply the American people for many years to come. In reference to alternative energy sources, I am not sure until further tests and studies are completed. I am not opposed to a windmill being placed on my personal property.

Shatley: I think that offshore drilling is to our advantage. They say it will take 10 years for oil to come available if this is done. Personally I don't believe this. Second, this would give us oil until we could make a change in new energy alternatives. The issue is, we need to get to work on the alternatives instead of just talking about them. I think wind, water and solar are the way to go. Bio diesel and ethanol are too expensive with the consumption of our food sources like corn, barley and soy beans. This throws the food supply out of balance. These new ways of energy in our county must be well planned and managed. Again we can take the energy market and use it to our advantage by creating new jobs for the county.

Q. Rising fuel prices are driving the costs of everything up. That, compounded with rising taxes and stagnant cost of living increases to most workers, it seems that the middle class is becoming a thing of the past. What will you do to lessen the divide between rich and poor and bolster the economic status of hard working Ashe County residents?

Baldwin: I really don't know what the county could do about rising gas prices. The only thing I think the county commissioners can do, during these economic hard times, is to tighten their belt. Go easy on taxpayers and give them more pocket money to get by.

We also need to get more jobs. I feel like any job is better than no job, so any kind of job we can bring in is better than no job.

Price: Again, please look at the federal government that has blessed us with a national debt of 10+ trillion dollars (14 digits long), not including the Social Security and Medicare obligation. As more money is printed, the dollar weakens, and combined with all the different taxes (federal, state, county, sales, fuel, etc.) it causes the candle to burn at both ends, which can only last but so long.

Shatley: When you say middle class you are talking about the backbone of the county. These are the people that pay most of the taxes. The spread you refer to is real.I think people in the last few years have definitely felt this when trying to make ends meet. It is not a good time to be raising taxes. Again, I would suggest we be of the forefront of new job recruitment. Our county is in an low economic time. We don't stand alone here. but as a county we must be careful to not overburden the tax payers with infrastructure or other things that can be put off until our economy gets better.

Q. What is your opinion on your party's candidates for the N.C. House and Senate. What do you think are their biggest strengths and what do you see as their biggest challenges if elected or re-elected?

Baldwin: I think the world of both of them. Cullie Tarleton, by all means, should go back to Raleigh because he's doing a good job. Steve Goss, a state senator, is also doing a good job.

Price: I do not know my party's candidates for the N.C. House and Senate's strengths, but their challenge is: are they going to represent the tax-paying citizens of North Carolina by reducing spending, taxes and the hardships of permits, rules and regulations. Also, equally as important to me would be removing the North American union logo off the back of the North Carolina driver's license.

Shatley: I have the utmost respect for these candidates. I feel their biggest strengths are honesty and knowing the people of Ashe County and their constituents.

Their biggest challenge is to help replace jobs in this mountain community. The other would be the energy crisis and the aging population's needs.

Please feel free to make any specific points you feel are important, but were not mentioned in the above questions.

Baldwin: No comment.

Price: No comment.

Shatley: We must work with our youth at home and in school to instill good moral and work ethics. I write this to the young readers: A good education and good moral and work ethics are the gateway to survival in life.