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Mitchell County Farm Bureau hosts candidates forum for general election hopefuls
by David Namanny, Press-News Editor
Virtually every office up for the Nov. 4 election this fall in Mitchell County is contested. Those offices include the District #2 Supervisor post, as well as the Sheriff and the County Auditor.
Incumbent Stan Walk, who is running District #2 Supervisor as an Independent after losing in the June Primary, is being challenged by Republican Lee Boerjan and Democrat William Squier. All are from St. Ansgar.
In the race for Mitchell County Auditor, Republican Lowell Tesch is being challenged by Democratic newcomer Deneen Schweiger. And of course there is the race for Mitchell County Sheriff, with Democrat Gary "Mick" Comisky challenging veteran incumbent Sheriff Curt Younker.
As a result of all the contests, Mitchell County Farm Bureau hosted a candidate forum last Monday to get to know the candidates and their positions a bit better.
Many questions asked by the Farm Bureau panel revolved around property taxes and budgeting, while other questions were focused on law enforcement techniques in this year's unique race for county sheriff.
This particular contest (more on the others later) involves a 23-year incumbent running for re-election, Sheriff Curt Younker; and a bar owner with no law enforcement experience whatsoever, Gary "Mick" Comisky.
Even though incumbent Sheriff Curt Younker was on vacation not in attendance, his challenger was, and the Farm Bureau panel posed two questions to him.
But first, Comisky was allowed to provide opening remarks about his candidacy and why he was running.
"Many people have asked, "Why am I running for sheriff? Citizens point out I have no law enforcement background. That is true," said Comisky. "What I do bring to the table is a desire to help and assist citizens of Mitchell County and a willingness to serve. I have owned my own business for over 25 years. During this time thousands of Mitchell County citizens have come through my doors."
Comisky said as time has progressed, he has heard a larger number of local citizens complaining about an alleged "lack of response" from the sheriff's department.
"Citizens are frustrated," commented Comisky, as he read from prepared remarks. "Citizens are not seeing positive results from the sheriff when that office is contacted for assistance but only receives excuses instead of a response."
Comisky continued, "Over the years, I believed one of our qualified deputy's would seek the position of Sheriff. None have. Yet, concerns about the lack of response to complaints, huge budget over-runs along with overtime issues and deputies being at home while being paid for being on duty has prompted me to making a run for this office."
Comisky said that because he doesn't have the law enforcement degree or background, he would appoint a competent deputy to oversee the law enforcement side of this office. "I would monitor their responses to public concerns," said the candidate.
In a letter sent to the Farm Bureau, explaining he was out state on a much needed and long-awaited family vacation, Sheriff Curt Younker summed up his candidacy. It should be noted that Younker's trip was planned long before the Farm Bureau's invitation to the candidate forum.
"If I were present, I would hope for an opportunity to talk about two new things we are doing at the Sheriff's Office. First is our K-9 program. We now have a fully-trained police dog and one of my deputies has been trained as the dog handler," Younker said in his statement. My deputy and "Winnie" will be putting on demonstrations as time and circumstances permit."
Secondly, we can now be pro-active in the investigation and arrest of the sex offenders who want to prey on our children," said Younker. "By using our new computer called a Forensic Recovery of Evidence Device (FRED), my specially-trained deputy and FRED have already been able to put one pedophile behind bars.
"Both of these new upgrades to the Sheriff's office capabilities have been purchased with absolutely no tax money involved."
Concluded Younker, "Being Sheriff is both exciting and satisfying work. I am asking the people of Mitchell County to allow me to continue being your Sheriff."
The first of the two questions posed to Comisky by the Farm Bureau panel was: Would you view yourself as an active or passive sheriff - searching for crime, or waiting for it to happen?
Comisky, who did not effectively answer the question directly, said he "does not have anything against any particular group," but that he does have a different view of local crime because of the late hours he keeps running a bar.
"The kids are the most important thing," he said.
The next question to Comisky is how he would handle special interests and fairness to all.
"I don't have a degree in law enforcement," answered Comisky. "We have a good department in general, but we could do a lot better. Changes definitely need to be made."
Comisky, perhaps, addressed both questions more completely when reading his previously prepared closing statement.
"Mitchell County needs a sheriff and an administrator who has the respect of all of his employees. Employees need to be on duty when on the county payroll," charged Comisky. "My deputies while on patrol, will physically leave their vehicles and check the doors of rural and small town businesses."
"My deputies will enforce speed limits in the smaller communities so our children remain safe and on areas considered hazardous in the rural areas.
My deputies will work with the mayors of the smaller communities to provide adequate law enforcement and other vital assistance. The small communities have a contract with the sheriff's department for law enforcement, and I will work with these communities to fulfill those contracts.
I am concerned for the youth of this county and I want my staff to work with this group to provide a positive atmosphere for living. I will insist the drug awareness program is actively provided to the youth."
Supervisors Race heats up
In the race for District #2 Supervisor, Incumbent Stan Walk seemed to also have well-prepared opening and closing comments he read to the crowd during Monday's Farm Bureau Candidates Forum.
While Boerjan and Squier recapped their personal backgrounds (which will be covered in the coming weeks in the Press-News), while Walk dived into touting his perceived accomplishments while in office.
"When first elected to the Board of Supervisors, a new jail was partially completed, a jail I did not vote for, yet one that was going to require substantial additional operating expenses above and beyond previous jail requirements," said Walk. "The second year into my term, I took the initiative to contact Mower County, Minnesota, about housing their excessive prisoners. Housing out of state county prisoners in an Iowa jail had not been done before. Today, Mitchell County guarantees Mower County 18 beds at a charge of $828 a day guaranteed. This move alone nets Mitchell County over $100,000 annually.
This statement would later be attacked by Democratic Supervisor candidate William Squier, who accused Walk for taking credit for something that occurred when he wasn't even in office. "Yes I was," said Walk. "No you weren't," said Squier, who held the District #2 Post from 1997-2001.
Questions from the panel included the role of the supervisor with the role of the auditor and other elected officials. All three candidates basically agreed that the supervisors oversee the budget, and work in conjunction with the auditors office to help prepare that budget.
Another question involved property rights versus wind turbines, livestock confinements and even the removal of a shade tree.
"A property owner should have rights on both sides of the fence in terms of sounds or smells," said Boerjan. "But I also believe in free enterprise, so there are two sides to every individual case."
"Right now the county has a planning and zoning board - and that is the best place to address those issues," said Squier when the question was posed to him. "As far as high set ups and windmills, these things create tax money, so we must look at all sides and act on appropriate recommendations."
"The Iowa Code is pretty specific on what can be done concerning issues like siting a hog confinement, said Walk. "They have a matrix system that takes care of that. As far as the county goes, we feel livestock is important part of the economy - but we do all the appropriate things, holding public hearings, and we simply pass the results along to the state with or without recommendations."
Finally, the panel asked if at one point, a "county administrator" be hired.
"We shouldn't hire one - we don't need to if we have three good county supervisors," said Squier.
"I agree with Bill, we don't need an administrator at this time," said Walk. "However, being a supervisor is getting close to being a full time job.
"We don't need to add another expense to the county budget," said Boerjan. "So my answer would be no."
In closing remarks, Boerjan went first, pledging to keep spending down and to do business locally. "I'll also work to bring in more jobs and industry," said Boerjan. "I would also add oversight to any county building projects, so we don't end up in litigation."
Finally, Boerjan said he wants to look out for the preservation of Mitchell County's clean air and clean water in his policies.
Walk, who again read from a prepared statement closed his lengthy remarks by saying, "The taxpayers and voters of Mitchell County need to ask themselves two important questions: Who will best understand all of the difficult aspects of the job of Mitchell County Supervisor and who will have the courage to see the job through to satisfactory completion? One name stands heads and shoulders above the rest, and that name is mine, Stan Walk."
Squier didn't have a prepared closing statement, other than saying that "he would not vote himself an 8.4 percent raise," as he looked at Stan Walk, referring to last year's approved recommendation by the County Compensation Board.
Auditor challenged by newcomer
In her opening and closing remarks Deneen Schweiger, Democrat challenger for the Office of Mitchell County Auditor, had some sharp language that seemed to be aimed directly at her Republican Incumbent rival Lowell Tesch.
"The person in charge of the Auditor's Office should be organized and detail-oriented," said Schweiger. "The office is one that should be held by someone qualified."
Responding in his opening remarks, Incumbent Auditor Lowell Tesch reminded those present that he has many years of experience, serving 14 years on the Osage City Council, where he was on the finance committee, as well as seven years of service in the Auditors Office.
A graduate of St. Ansgar High School, Tesch also reminded the public that he graduated from Hamilton Business College with a degree in general business.
In the first question shot to the auditor candidates, the Farm Bureau panel asked "What is the role of the Auditor with the Supervisors and What is the role of the Auditor with the Deputy Auditor?"
Tesch said that the auditor works closely with the supervisors and with the deputy auditor. The panel then followed that with "what is the auditor's role in the county budget process?"
"I make sure the budget is balanced," said Tesch. "And we watch the budget for each department to make sure they don't go over.
In his closing remarks, Tesch said he has a more "common-sense" approach to the office and seven years of experience on the job. "I would appreciate your vote in November," he said.
In her closing remarks, the challenger said she represents change you can count on. The 1982 Osage grad also graduated from Hamilton Business College with a double major - Accounting and Sales and Marketing. She is currently the bookkeeper for Spahn and Rose Lumber Company in Osage.
"There's no place for partisan politics at the county level," said Schweiger. "We need accuracy, not excuses. I will take the position seriously."
Story created Sep 16, 2008 - 10:54:56 CDT.
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