Commissioner candidate Clayton Roberts (center) has his time with the mic as sitting commissioner Steve Pitman (left) and challenger Dewayne McKinney (right) listen April 12 during the Buladean candidates’ forum.
Five candidates for Mitchell County Commissioner attended a candidates’ forum Tuesday, April 12, hosted by the Buladean Community Foundation at the former Buladean School.
Republican challengers Jerry Prosser, Clayton Roberts and Dewayne McKinney were joined by current commissioners seeking re-election Jeff Harding and Steve Pitman.
Howard Larsen, the lone Democrat on the primary ballot for commissioner, could not attend due to medical reasons.
Each candidate fielded several questions submitted by audience members with topics ranging from taxes to goals and plenty in between. Each candidate also got three rebuttal cards.
After each candidate gave a brief opening statement, questions began with McKinney being asked why he was running and what he can bring to the table.
McKinney said he’s concerned with keeping children in the county when they grow up and enter the workforce.
“The biggest thing I look at is we need some jobs that are sustainable and grow,” he said.
He added he wants more for the seniors and the kids.
“It’s nothing about me,” McKinney said. “It’s all about the good Lord and you all. That’s how I look at things.”
The challenging candidates were then asked how many commissioner meetings they’ve attended since filing to run.
Roberts said one, McKinney said while he hasn’t been to any in person, he’s watched online for the past several months.
Prosser was then asked why he’s running and what he brings, to which he said he wants to see the county “move forward” and support the strengths of each area of the county.
Prosser added that if elected, he’d love to see regular meetings held in different areas of the county, giving citizens a way to be more in touch with the board.
Pitman, Prosser and Harding then fielded questions about food shortages and supply chain plans locally with the three agreeing that the community would have to work together.
Prosser added that supporting local food banks is always key.
Each candidate was asked what improvements they’d make if elected. Harding and Pitman leaned heavily on continuing the work the commissioners have already done.
Harding cited continuing to work on the multi-use recreation facility in Bakersville and seeing the new law enforcement center become a reality. Pitman echoed that, adding that he’s proud of the progress the county has made toward a new school for grades 3-8 and the work they’ve done to bring county employee salaries up to compete with neighboring areas.
Prosser said he would want to work to see the museum reopen at the Mitchell County Visitor Center and added he would address the fire departments and the plan for the schools that would be shut down to make way for the new 3-8 school.
Roberts said it’d be important to build on existing assets and utilize his connections within the community. McKinney said a jail is a big need and added it’s important to support and refine the local Meals on Wheels program and support the local fire departments.
McKinney’s mention of a jail and fire departments sparked more discussion with Harding using a rebuttal card.
Harding said the jail has long been a goal, but the problem is funding its operation, not necessarily building it.
“It’s not an easy fix,” he said. “There’s no easy answer.”
Harding said like a jail, recruiting new firefighters won’t happen overnight.
“It’s going to take a lot of work and a lot of discussions,” Harding said. “You can fix a lot of things with money, but it won’t solve all the problems we have.”
Prosser used a rebuttal card to say that before a jail is even built, an economic study should be conducted to see if the county could support its operation. He added that somehow, the commissioners should find a way to upgrade local fire departments.
Harding used another rebuttal and said he was ready to “throw it back to the taxpayers” while looking out at the crowd. He said funding a jail would likely bring on an 8-cent tax increase.
Likewise, increasing the fire tax and having the money go directly to local fire departments would mean taxpayers take an additional hit, he added.
“That’s what it’s going to cost,” he said. “For us to have the services, for the commissioners to make a tough decision, are you willing for it to hit your pocketbook?”
Harding pointed out that the commissioners don’t set the property tax revaluation, but that they will closely look at the tax rate before they set it for the next fiscal year.
Pitman flashed a rebuttal card to point out that given the number of inmates the county currently transports on average, it’s more cost-effective to transport them than pay to house them locally.
One of the final questions went to McKinney when he was asked what he would do if taxes increase.
“We’d have to look at why we’re increasing taxes,” McKinney said. “There has to be a reason.”
McKinney mentioned looking into building a shared jail between Mitchell and Yancey counties, with the costs split evenly.
Pitman used a rebuttal to say the current board has a capital outlay plan and has started to put money aside into a pool so a financial burden doesn’t happen all at once.
Each candidate ended the forum with a brief closing statement.
The Primary Election is set for May 17.
The forum was live-streamed by current commissioner Harley Masters and is available to view on her campaign Facebook page, Harley Masters for Mitchell County Commissioner.