Candidates meet in Farm Bureau forum (complete article from source)
Source: Jefferson Post, by Linda Burchette
April 21, 2008
Protection of farmland and agricultural heritage was the theme of last Thursday’s candidate forum among those seeking election to the county board of commissioners and representing Ashe County in the state House and Senate.
Sponsored by Ashe County Farm Bureau, the forum invited candidates to answer farm related questions as an introduction to voters prior to the May 6 primary. Although sparsely attended by the public, the forum was recorded for broadcast on local cable television.
The Republican Party was represented by five of the six candidates for county commission while incumbent Marty Gambill was the only Democrat candidate present for the forum. GOP candidates present were incumbents Larry Rhodes and Judy Poe, former commissioners Gerald Price and George Yates, and Jennifer Carter-Freeman who ran in a previous election as Jennifer Casey. Democrat candidates Dale Baldwin and Dallas Shatley and Republican Gary Roark could not be present.
Opinions varied on one of the top issues facing commissioners; land use planning. Incumbents Rhodes, Poe and Gambill defended the current grassroots effort to come up with a workable plan. “I feel Ashe County needs to look at itself, past, present and future,” said Gambill, noting that the ?blue ribbon committee’ formed to discuss such a plan includes members from all aspects of the county and seeks continuing public input into the process.
Poe said a land use plan would help protect land and the environment, and farmers need help in protecting their land and way of life. Rhodes agreed, saying that while the county has a farm preservation program, it is not enough and the committee chosen to work on a land use plan would help provide further protection for Ashe County and the state’s number one industry.
Yates said that while the county’s previous effort at land use planning was over burdensome and restrictive, he has hopes for this effort and without some kind of minimal planning the county could face more challenges from polluting industries. “This county is drastically changing and does need protecting,” he said.
Carter-Freeman said she supports such a plan as a way to protect the resources that maintain Ashe County’s heritage and beauty.
On the opposing side, Price said he is not familiar with the current planning process, that such plans put more and more restrictions on people’s private property. “I’m opposed to it,” he said, saying that it is working people who are paying taxes whose rights should be protected.
The only other question commission candidates were asked involved their opinions on the use of tax money to buy development rights on farmland. Price said constitutional rights are being taken away and that laws regarding minimum size of a farm should be repealed. “I want to see farmers go back to the way it was when I was a kid,” he said, when farmers could freely grow and sell what they wanted. Water and food issues are vital, he said, warning that a day may come when some foreign government could control Americans by controlling our food supply.
Gambill said that while land is desirable in Ashe County, hopefully much will remain in agriculture and the county is fortunate to have non-government organizations protecting land and resources, such as the National Committee for the New River and the Blue Ridge Rural Land Trust. He said he doesn’t see the question of using tax money to buy development rights on farmland as an issue affecting Ashe County at this time. Rhodes agreed, saying he is not that familiar with the issue and it would need further discussion before any decision was made by the county commission.
Carter-Freeman said she would be opposed to using tax dollars for this purpose, noting that agriculture zones protect farmland and the county’s heritage. Yates also said he would say no to using tax dollars for this purpose, that tax dollars would be better spent improving education and seeking better jobs for high school and college graduates. Poe said she didn’t know the answer to stopping farmland from disappearing, but the county is in vital need of a better trained workforce for today’s technically challenging jobs.
In closing, Price said he is focused on protection of families in the face of growing crime. Yates notes the importance of faith, families and farming as the basic infrastructure of Ashe County. Rhodes said Ashe County’s biggest asset is its people and he will continue to be conservative with tax dollars while seeking new industry to replace that which is being lost. Gambill said focus is needed on schools and education as well as efficiency and effectiveness in government services. Carter-Freeman said the election is not about who gets the most votes but in which direction the county wants to go, so vote and make that choice. Poe said she will look to future needs for the county and how to pay for them. “Standing still is not going anywhere,” she said. “We must move forward.”
Jerry Butler and Dwight Shook, Republican candidates for the 45th District of the North Carolina Senate, answered questions regarding priority water use for agriculture during restrictions and their opinion of using tax dollars to purchase development rights for farmland. Butler, a dentist in Boone, said he grew up in farming and is well aware of the needs of farmers, but his priorities for water during a restricted period would fall first to public drinking water and second to medical needs. Third would be the food supply and that would be farming. A community college business instructor from Taylorsville, Shook said he would support farmers having first priority during water restrictions because of the public’s reliance on its food supply.
Both Butler and Shook were opposed to using tax dollars to buy development rights on farmland. Butler said it could be a sticky political issue that he would be opposed to at this time but might reconsider if it became necessary in the future. Shook said he understood the question to deal with imminent domain and is opposed to government taking land from farmers.
Although Democrat 93rd NC House District incumbent Cullie Tarleton has no opposition in the primary, he was given the opportunity to speak for himself and for incumbent Senator Steve Goss who was unable to attend the forum. He commented on the recent funding of a forestry headquarters for Ashe County and hay relief program to compensate for losses during last year’s drought, and a half million dollar check to be presented to Ashe Memorial Hospital from the Golden Leaf Foundation. Speaking for himself and Goss, Tarleton said, “Both of us are working hard every day for the citizens of Ashe County and both of us would appreciate your vote for re-election.”
Tarleton’s Republican opponent for the General Election, Dan Soucek with Samaritan’s Purse in Boone, said he is seeking office because he lives in the community and is invested in its future.
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