Four seek election to Eddy County Commission

Candidates answer questions posed by the Transcript staff

 With the 2018 mid-term general election just three weeks away, "New Rockford Transcript" publisher Amy Wobbema asked the four Eddy County Commission candidates to answer five questions about local government operations, successes and challenges to help undecided voters make an informed decision. The four candidates, Neal Rud, Michael Carter, Jeff Pfau and Dave Gehrtz are vying for two open seats on the three-member commission. Rud and Pfau seek re-election, while Gehrtz and Carter are running for their first term. The two candidates receiving the most votes on Nov. 6 will begin their four-year terms in December.

 1.What element of the county's government do you think is most effective, and why?

 Rud: Since I have been elected, the courthouse has downsized three employees to cut costs and has become more electronic and efficient. Also, social services is in the final stages of forming a district with Wells and Foster counties to share services. Senate Bill 2206 should fund the cost of those services.

 Carter: At this point I wouldn't want to say. What I would like to do is attend the city council and township meetings to find out what the people think. I believe this is needed to bring the county together and if elected I will be glad to attend these meetings.

 Pfau: I think the most effective element of the county commission is the teamwork approach we use to study a problem and make a decision with out it becoming battle. We do not always agree initially but are always able to calmly discuss the issue and come to a decision. I also think we do a good job of handling the questions or complaints we receive. If we do not know the answer immediately, we strive to find one as soon as we can.

 Gehrtz: I feel Eddy County is being managed well in all segments and departments as an outsider looking in. As a commissioner, I think its important to travel the county roads and talk with the township boards to help with their needs. The county and township roads are the lifeline for our rural residents and farmers.

2. What should be the top three priority areas for the county in the next five years?

 Rud: 1. Controlling taxes. 2. Road surfacing and maintenance. 3. Law enforcement.

 Carter: 1) Getting our medical service to a high standard, as our county's average age is older and quicker services are required. With this I would like to implement 911 address signs to make it easier for emergency services. 2) To make sure our law enforcement has what it needs to do its job. 3) Work with our public school to grow our educational standards.

 Pfau: 1) Maintain our infrastructure. 2) Continue to control costs through efficiencies to hinder the rise of property taxes. 3) Keep our ambulance service functioning.

 Gehrtz: 1) Watch where tax dollars are being spent. Commissions are in charge of the county residents' tax dollars and should be responsible for those funds.

2) Work to lower operating expenses in all aspects of county government.

3) Keeping our county employees at a living wage.

3. If new resources were available, what area of county services would you feel most needs those additional resources?

 Rud: The county servies I feel most would need additional resources are law enforcement and incarceration (jailkeep). The spiraling costs and increased crime make jail keep and law enforcement very costly. Roads also need additional funds considering the cost of asphalt, gravel, maintenance and engineering.

 Carter: Emergency and medical services are most in need of resources.

 Pfau: In the past when we have gotten new resources in the form of grants, state funding, tax breaks, etc, they have arrived already designated to certain purposes. The real trick is to figure out how to qualify those funds for needs we have.

 Gehrtz: That's a hard question to answer without knowing the workings of the different departments. The commission should have be a priority list of needs by department to address as resources come into play.

4. The New Rockford Airport Authority has asked the county to consider establishing a joint county-city authority for airport operations and levying county taxes to fund it. Do you think the county should pursue this?

 Rud: Yes, if the county taxpayers vote to support the airport.

 Carter: At this time I don't have enough information to make any decision on this subject. If it does come to a decision, I believe the whole county should vote on it.

 Pfau: In a 2005 Eddy County Commission meeting the City of New Rockford and the Airport Authority Board requested funding from the county to help with the local match of a federal grant for runway improvements. At that meeting an agreement was made to provide four mills for four years. At the end of the four years the funding of the airport was to be solely the responsibility of the city. Everyone agreed.

 In a 2009 Eddy County Commission meeting, a member of the Airport Authority Board pleaded with the Eddy County Commission to extend the funding for one more year to pay off a loan the Airport Authority had made for runway improvements. The county agreed for the one year funding extension with the express and firm condition that the county would not ever again provide funding for the airport. Everyone agreed. The plan proposed to us now would continue the taxes raised in the city for the airport while raising the taxes of everyone else in the county. I think those people should have a voice in that decision. At the very least, I would want a few public meetings with the citizens and get their opinions on this matter before I could support pursuing it.

 Gehrtz: The airport is an important asset to the county and the city, so yes it should be looked at. I would ask what is the cost going to be to the tax payers and what benefits will it offer to the residents of Eddy County.

5. What do you see as the biggest challenge for county government right now, and why?

 Rud: The biggest challenge is the uncertainty of state funding in these economic times and unfunded mandates. The state mandates that the county provide services without funding and the county has to pay the bill.

 Carter: Finding the money that it takes to accomplish everything that needs to be done. As we all know, money is hard to come by. If elected I will work hard to help find the funds that are needed.

 Pfau: One ongoing challenge is to maintain the county road system, especially the paved roads. We have been using the federal aid and state oil funds to repair the roads as those funds become available. I believe we have made good progress, with little cost to local citizens. Hopefully we will be able to continue to do so with out a large burden on local tax payers.

 Gehrtz: Funding! Government takes a little more out of our pay check, along with city taxes, sales taxes, and many more extra fees. When Eddy County residents have to visit other larger cities, there are extra restaurant and hotel fees paid and in some cases those funds are used for their city's repair needs. The county employees and all working people have to keep up on the income side to be able to pay these increases. I feel my experience with the numerus boards and years of service I have served on will bring knowledge on funding and budget spending to the Eddy County Commission.