Economic Growth and Jobs Tops List of Needs Among Commissioner Candidates

Developing jobs, protecting and preserving water, improving county roads and bridges, asserting commissioner rights, attracting business…these were the main topics of discussion during a Prowers County Commissioners candidate’s forum sponsored by Voices of Southeast Colorado, Thursday, May 31.

Perhaps three dozen residents and all seven candidates vying for two Prowers County Commissioner seats this November attended the forum.  The candidates took questions from the audience and presented opening remarks at the outset.

Candidates Stagner, Hixson and Parker

While some candidates have held elective offices in the past, such as Roger Stagner and Henry Schnabel, all the candidates have served on various boards, commissions and service groups from the area.  All seven candidates have various levels of business experience, whether from owning their own local business, to being employed at various managerial levels for corporate operations.  While there wasn’t much disagreement among the seven on priority needs for the county, the voters will probably decide how well they feel their candidate of choice will be able to enact those priorities once they become a county commissioner.

Don Suefer

Some topics addressed the need for water to stay in the county, although candidates agreed water rights are property with the owner having the right to sell their commodities.  One suggestion advanced before was to create a fund to buy water and lease it back to the farmer.  Discussion on how to generate or administer that fund was not outlined.

The coal-fired Repowering Project in Lamar came under criticism after the question of the need and location for the plant was brought before the candidates.  On a governmental level, the Prowers County Commissioners had little involvement with the project, other than health regulations for emissions and fly ash control, but the majority of candidates agreed that more public awareness was needed before the project moved forward.  Asked if the community should have the right to vote to prohibit such ventures in the future, Roger Stagner explained that governing bodies did not have the right to prohibit such commercial ventures.  Using the private prison development efforts from years past, he said use of water would have been the only criteria for voting at a municipal level.  Doug Thrall said he believed future commercial ventures would exclude communities where potential development was put through a voting process.

Doug Thrall and Wendy Buxton-Andrade

The viability of Prowers County Development Incorporated came under discussion, when the candidates were asked if the community had gotten any significant return on investment from the organization.  They agreed that there had been significant improvement over the past several years.  The key factors being; reducing a top heavy board of directors from 25 to 10 and the hiring of Lisa Nolder as executive director two years ago.  Henry Schnabel, the county liaison to PCDI, pointed out that because of confidentiality clauses in business agreements, the public wasn’t always directly aware of the role that PCDI had played in helping local businesses grow or developing new ones in the county.

The candidates explained what they felt were priorities when asked how they would apply a hypothetical $5 million windfall to benefit county residents for short term and long term goals.  Incumbent Commissioner Henry Schnabel said he would review county employee salaries as it has been four years since they’ve received a cost of living adjustment, infrastructure improvements would go on his list as well as water retention investments and job outreach programs.  Roger Stagner said upgraded infrastructure such as roads and bridges would be prioritized.  “If you’re going to draw people and business into the area, you have to have infrastructure that will support them,” he explained.  Candidate Jillane Hixson suggested taking time to evaluate the county’s needs.  “Our situation today could be completely different in three years, in five years,” she said.  Hixson recommended investing for interest gains while considering options.  Mike Parker suggested a savings plan, as well as making investments to bring good paying jobs into the community.  Candidate Don Suefer said as a commissioner, he’d meet with county department heads to review their needs first and bank a portion for job growth.  He added he’d use his experience in water affairs and farming to offer conservation ideas in the county.   Doug Thrall said as a windfall, he’d put $2 million into a water conservancy board to purchase and lease back water to farmer’s considering a sale of their water outside the county.  $1 million would be used to help current businesses increase their revenue stream and upgrade their business through the internet for increased sales.  Another million would be invested in local health care upgrades with the focus on developing a retirement community in the area, attracting older residents to Prowers County.  The final million would be used to purchase a plastics company in Denver owned by entrepreneur Louis Brown.  Thrall said the relocation to Prowers County would automatically open up jobs for 15 people and create an additional local business opportunity.  Wendy Buxton-Andrade said she’d bank half,  and the balance would be used to help struggling local businesses market their products locally or on the internet.  Andrade said, “When more people have more money to spend in their community, everybody thrives.”

A primary vote will be held June 26 for the contested positions.  Seufer , a democrat, will face either Schnabel or Parker for District 1.  The District III contest is between republicans Stagner and Buxton-Andrade.  That winner will go against democrat Hixson or Thrall.  Hixson received 80% of her county assembly vote this spring to be put on the ballot, and Thrall is on the primary as a write-in candidate.  Early primary voting will start June 22 at the Lamar Community Resource and Senior Citizens Center on East Olive Street.

by Russ Baldwin