Candidate interviews: Congressional, judicial, local.

As the last week of campaigning commences the Gazette thought its readers may like an opportunity to revisit some of the candidate interviews conducted throughout the past few months.

Become informed...make an educated decision on November 4th.

Click on the name of the candidate to read their interview with the Copper Gazette.

4th Congressional District:

Tom McClintock

Art Moore

Calaveras County Superior Court Dept One:

Commisioner Grant Barrett

Dana Pfeil

Calaveras County Superior Court Dept Two:

Judge Hugh Swift

Tim Healy

CCWD District 4:

Russ Thomas

Dennis Mills

Interview with 4th Congresssional District Candidate Art Moore

Why are you running? 

America is the best concept for good, prosperity, and freedom the world has ever seen and I’m tired of seeing it lose its force in the world because of a gridlocked and ineffective government. We’re losing ground on the world stage and we’re losing ground with our own people as they lose faith in their government.

I think veterans from the new greatest generation are a critical piece to making our country and government healthy and working again. I’m tired of hearing how bad our country is, and how it is destined to fail. We’ve been through tough times before, and I believe our greatest days are ahead of us, if we elect the right leaders to get us there.

I have the right mix of integrity, character, responsibility, accountability, service and experience to lead the types of coalitions that can get results for America and its citizens.

The 4th District is my home. I grew up in Auburn, and my parents still live in the district in Lincoln. I attended St. Joseph’s Catholic School and graduated from Placer High School. I spent 12 years in local Scouting, reached the rank of Eagle Scout and spent time in leadership of Auburn’s Troop 19 and summers in Soda Springs and Truckee as a shooting sports and wilderness skills instructor. I know the District and its people, and I know they want a Representative who lives here, and will work hard for their interests in Washington. I will keep an open door and work past gridlock. I will work for jobs, individual liberties, roads and water infrastructure, rational federal lands management, and ensure we keep our promises to America’s veterans and seniors.

We need ethically strong dedicated and motivated leaders to make tough and critical decisions for the future of the 4th District and for America.

What do you believe are your qualifications for this office?

I am a West Point graduate, Iraq War combat veteran and Bronze Star recipient, with a combined fourteen years of Active Duty and National Guard service, including thirty months deployed overseas. My career also includes eight years as a business executive in the building products industry and U.S. Intelligence Community. I am proud to have earned endorsements from former U.S. Senator and California Governor Pete Wilson, Congressman (Ret.) George Radanovich, The Fresno Bee, Combat Veterans for Congress PAC and numerous County Supervisors.

I experienced first-hand the consequences of defense and foreign policy decisions made in Washington. As an executive in the building products industry and as a management consultant, I experienced the challenges of trying to create jobs in the face of ever-growing regulations and red tape, taxes, and other mandates coming from unaccountable bureaucracies. As a life-long outdoorsman, I have seen how the federal lands of our District have changed as resource questions have been stymied by gridlock rather than guided by good science and sound management practices. I have seen and experienced how decisions made in Washington affect people, both for the good and for the bad, and as your Congressman my decisions will be guided by what is best for the people of this District.

What is your top priority currently?

My top priority will be to rebuild middle class jobs. While most coastal areas of California now show some jobs growth, this economic recovery bypassed most of the interior regions including the counties of the 4th District. More critically, this economic recovery skipped many of our middle class jobs, with job growth predominantly in the higher and lower wages. Unemployment remains unacceptably high. Even those with jobs face underemployment, working only part-time, and far too many have simply given up and left the workforce.

Rather than tackling the recession with actions to stimulate job growth, the federal government responded with decisions that made things worse. Tax increases hurt investment and left families with reduced incomes. New rules increased the cost of hiring new workers and therefore decreased the likelihood that new workers will be hired. Continued court rulings took federal statutes intended to conserve our natural resources, and turned them into an ungovernable mass of rules that hinder natural resource management and the jobs that depend on reasoned and balanced planning. A continuing stream of new regulations has increased costs, threats of litigation, and uncertainty to businesses trying to create jobs.

Interviews with congressional district 4 candidates

Beginning 9-25-14 the candidate interviews for congressional district 4 will be posted verbatim.
The candidates -Congressman Tom McClintock and Art Moore- each received the same questions and were given a deadline with which to reply. The answers are verbatim and the interviews will be posted in the order in which they were received.

Though some have questioned this form of "canned" interviewing, it removes any journalistic bias or spin a reporter may have on a certain subject. 

The following are the questions posed to each candidate:

Why are you running?

What do you believe are your qualifications for this office?

What is your top priority currently?

Tell me your position and why, on water rights.

Tell me your position and why, on the Affordable Care Act.

Tell me your position and why, on military support in Iraq.

Tell me your position and why, on military support in the Ukraine.

Tell me how you plan to create jobs.

And finally, tell me how you will help the over 100,000 veterans in your district with services, representation and care.

In closing, I would like to allow you to add up to a 300 word count statement so that you may touch on issues I have not put forth.

Interview with MTUESD School Board candidate Kendall Morlan

Why are you running for MTUESD School Board?

I have always been passionate about wanting to help kids to receive the best education possible.  Serving on the board will allow me, along with my fellow board members, to directly implement and monitor policies which meet the needs of all students.

What, do you feel, are your qualifications?

I served on the Copperopolis Elementary School Site Council for 4 years.  I also volunteer in the after-school Homework Club, so I am able to see the homework provided for multiple grade levels on a weekly basis.  Additionally, I am the 4-H Community Leader for Copper Hills 4-H, and I have been involved with 4-H for 10 years.

I grew up in a family of educators, and have been listening to lively conversations about education literally all my life.  My mother was a district administrator and my father was a teacher and coach, so I learned to appreciate both sides of many educational issues. I believe this background will help me to bring people together to accomplish the goal of achieving student success.   My daughter and I were both GATE students, and my sister was a Special Education student.  I, therefore, have a strong appreciation for special needs programs which serve the learning styles and needs of every student.

I have two bachelor’s degrees, and I was a business owner for 5 years.  I then was a stay-at-home parent for 15 years, and now I work part-time at Saddle Creek Resort. 

What will you bring to the Board that you feel will make a difference?

Along with the qualifications mentioned above, I feel that I am a rational, fair, thoughtful and patient person, who is able to work well with others to achieve the goal of providing the best educational experience possible for our students.  I am a good listener, and want to hear the thoughts and concerns of students, parents, teachers and administrators.  I thoroughly study all sides of an issue before forming my opinion and making decisions.

Courtesy photo

Interview with MTUESD School Board candidate Troy Williams

Why are you running for MTUESD School Board?

A school board is mainly responsible for:

     Setting the direction of the district schools, through a long-term vision plan

     Creating and maintaining an organizational structure for that vision

     Giving support to the superintendent, teachers, and staff

     Maintaining financial sustainability

     Keeping everyone focused on the two real goals:

           Student well-being

          Success in learning and achievement

I have three children in the district this year, and a fourth who will be there next fall.  I would like to actively participate, through board membership, in preparing all students of our community for their future.  Opportunities we haven’t yet envisioned for them, and educational situations, far greater than we can imagine now, are still yet to be discovered.  I would like to help our community bring forth even more excellence in education than we have now for our kids over these next innovative years.

 What, do you feel, are your qualifications?

 As a longtime resident of Calaveras County, I have ties that run deep within both Copperopolis and Angels Camp communities.  And, as an alumnus of Mark Twain and Bret Harte, I have an understanding of the history and values that mean so much to the people of this area.

In developing my own business these last fifteen years, predominantly large-scale commercial construction projects over Northern California, I have learned how to work with people of many dispositions, backgrounds, and educational levels.  I have also learned to be a strong listener, and discovered that there is great value in varied ideas and opinions.  Differing points of view can often open doors to a greater good.  Because I have employed and managed hundreds of people over the years, I have learned to build solid relationships, even in negotiations and other potential challenging situations.  I can offer strong people skills and a solid background in business, including experience in dealing with large budgets and contracts, as well as knowledge of construction and facilities planning and maintenance.

Interview with MTUESD School Board candidate Timothy Randall

Why are you running for MTUESD School Board?

As a parent, teacher, and former coach, I believe in the importance of our youth's education. I first ran for the school board because I thought I could help make a positive difference, and offer voters the opportunity to continue my efforts for another term.

What, do you feel, are your qualifications?

My activity within the community, my experience within the classroom as a teacher, and, not least, my years as a parent provide what I view as a broad and compassionate perspective in making decisions for our students' education.

What will you bring to the Board that you feel will make a difference?

A willingness to listen and not overreact, to help establish policy and not micromanage, and to recognize that I represent act as only one voice of the board.

Courtesy photo

Interview with Russ Thomas - CCWD Candidate for District 4

Why are you running for the CCWD Board?

Throughout my life, I have felt a desire to be personally involved in shaping my community. Over many years, I've enjoyed holding positions of responsibility as an appointed member of an Arts Commission, a County  Planning Commission, a Community Plan Committee, and a Fish & Game Commission.

In 2006, I was elected to be the Fifth District Supervisor of Calaveras County,  representing Copperopolis and the Rancho Calaveras Subdivision, near Valley Springs.  I spent 4 years, working very hard to serve the citizens of the District and Calaveras County, however, in November of 2010, the voters of the district chose another person to fill the position.  (We all know how that turned out.)

Naturally, I was disappointed that I didn't have the opportunity to continue serving Calaveras County, but another exciting opportunity immediately became available.  Since January of 2011, I've been managing construction projects in Mogadishu, Somalia, working with companies that serve the needs of the United Nations Mission in Somalia --important work that is providing stability in a nation that has been fighting a civil war for over 22 years.

In June, when I returned home from my last 13 months in Africa, I learned that Dennis Dooley was not going to seek re-election to his seat on the Board of CCWD.  Others have encouraged me to run for this extremely important seat, and I also view it as an excellent opportunity for me to renew my efforts to improve my community.  That's why I'm running!

 
What are your qualifications?

First, in the area of education: I earned a B.A. in Business Administration from California State University Stanislaus.

In the area of job related experience: For over 20 years, I was a masonry contractor and a leader in the masonry industry of California --holding the office of President of the state-wide Masonry Contractor's Association. I've also had many years of experience as a Management Trustee on Union Pension Trusts and Health and Welfare Trusts.  In my capacity of being a union employer, I have negotiated many collective bargaining agreements.

In the area of Public Service:  I've listed most of my previous activities in the previous answer, but here, I would like to stress the importance of my 4 years on the Board of Supervisors.                                                                                                                 

During each of those years, I worked closely with the board of CCWD, building strong relationships, and working to formulate a Water Element for the General Plan of Calaveras County.  While I believe that my prior experience (and training) as an elected official makes me a very qualified candidate, my opponent has publicly expressed the opinion that voters should avoid electing any candidate who has previously held public office.  Since this particular candidate has made two previous attempts, seeking a public office, I wonder how he would feel if he had been elected?

Finally, voters should consider this: The fact that I've spent the last several years, working in war-torn Somalia, should be a clear indication that I'm not afraid of a challenge.

What will you do to protect our water rights? 

A very serious problem that will be facing the next CCWD Board will be in trying to prove to the State's Regional Water Control Board that Calaveras County has realistic, present and future plans to "consume" many thousands of acre feet beyond the level of current consumption.  In my opinion, the only easy way of proving that Calaveras County is justified in preserving our existing water reservations (aka- rights) is by having a County General Plan that designates areas within the county where significant population growth is expected.  Therefore, I will immediately insist that the CCWD board must reach out (again) to the Board of Supervisors, and hopefully, we can convince them to adopt a more aggressive growth policy.  Clearly, we cannot protect water rights by merely saying they need to be protected.  We'll have to show how the water is going to be used, and this can only be done with a collaborative effort.

Interview with Terry Strange - CCWD Candidate District 2

Why are you running for the CCWD Board?

Water is probably our County’s most precious natural resource and how we manage it may be the most important challenge we face this generation.  The Calaveras County Water District is one of the most important elected agencies in the County, and certainly the most important water agency throughout Calaveras County.  It plays a vital role not just in the daily lives of its ratepayers (like me) but in the economic development of the entire County.  A well-managed CCWD is crucial for the future economic well-being of Calaveras County.

Unfortunately, constant upper management turnovers have cost CCWD hundreds of thousands of dollars while an aging infrastructure is poorly maintained.  Worse, CCWD’s Board of Directors hit it’s hard-pressed customers with huge rate increases while at the same time building a new multi-million dollar Administrative building.  But what is the most damaging is the breakdown in trust between CCWD’s Board and many others, including ratepayers and other elected officials. This cannot go on.

Calaveras County faces many challenges, but we can never hope to make progress when one of our most important public agencies, CCWD, either cannot or will not engage in dialogue and successful collaboration with its own customers and other County agencies.  So, I’m running for CCWD first and foremost to restore public trust in the agency. I believe this can only come with new leadership committed to improving customer services and improving communication across the board.  Only then will CCWD become a useful and respected partner in the sustainable economic development of our County.  I am confident that my extensive experience in water resource management and policy, commitment to improving communication and collaboration with the Board, and desire to improve the communities in which we live and work, and will help to restore the public trust and respect in CCWD.

What are your qualifications?

I have prepared myself well for this position as a result of my education, professional experiences, and commitments to improve the community in which I live, work, and raise our children. I received my master’s degree in Watershed Management from Humboldt State University in 1989. The graduate degree compliments my undergraduate degrees in Fisheries Biology and Wildlife Management from 1984.  My entire professional career has been focused on water resource management as a professional biologist, professor of natural resources, watershed coordinator, and public service employee.  I am also a rate payer that is very concerned with the direction of CCWD over the previous years and recent decisions that have come from the board room.  I am familiar with many of local projects owned and managed by CCWD as I have provided professional services to CCWD on several local water reliability and water rights extension projects in Division 2.  I worked closely with many local community members when we formed the Upper Mokelumne River Watershed Council in 2003 and I was the watershed coordinator for the Council from 2004 to 2007.  I have worked collaboratively alongside CCWD staff, local and regional water agencies, and interested community members to develop programs that protect and enhance water quality and land use planning throughout Calaveras County while protecting our water rights.  The local relationships I have developed in the past several years will provide great benefit to CCWD moving forward.  My experience running private businesses and training as a certified facilitator for dispute resolution, will allow me to work effectively with a range of people and perspectives – both within and beyond the board room.  I know water, and I look forward to working with the CCWD Board and staff, and other elected officials to rebuild effective working relationships across the board.

What, if anything, will you do to protect our water rights?

I believe that above all, the most important responsibility of a CCWD Board Director serving the ratepayers and residents of Calaveras County is to protect all existing and future water rights within this county.  Furthermore, it our duty and obligation as a board member to continue to plan several decades into the future to meet all conceivable demands for water and wastewater services throughout the county.  The challenges we face from competing interests for our water resources will continue to be great, and we must be up for the challenge to protect our dedicated rights to our water with whatever means necessary.  Water has become the liquid gold in California, and Calaveras County has been blessed with a significant amount of water rights for future use.

The ability to protect our water rights will essentially require that we perfect it and put it to beneficial use.  With sufficient demand, one of our biggest economic challenges to protect our water rights is the requirement that we use water.  To do this will require that we develop the capacity to store (both above and below ground), delivery, and if necessary to treat the water.  To accomplish this, it may require significant investment in new and existing infrastructure.  By prioritizing water use in locations with existing infrastructure will allow us to reduce such investment.  However, increased water demand can also be accomplished by supporting additional water uses in a cost effective manner that does not burden the existing customers or tax payers.  Additional options to increase water markets and revenues within the county include the expansion of water use to support Calaveras agriculture, and to consider water markets outside the County.  Above all, we must be able to support our ability to protect our existing and future water rights by increasing its use. 

Interviews with CCWD Candidates

The Copper Gazette emailed an identical set of interview questions to each CCWD candidate in each district on September 3, 2014 to the emails listed on the county candidate list with a deadline of 9:00 am September 8, 2014.  The questions were emailed to the following candidates:
District 1: Scott Ratterman, Michael Dell'Orto.
District 2: Paul Stein, Terry Strange.
District 3: Donald Stump, Bertha Underhill
District 4: Dennis Mills, Russell Thomas.

While Copperopolis is represented by District 4, and can only vote for one of the two District 4 candidates, the reader base of the Gazette extends beyond Copperopolis and we felt it was important to hear what other candidates had to say on the same issues, as they too represent not just their own district, but the County as a whole.

The following were the questions posed to each candidate:

Why are you running for the CCWD Board?

What are your qualifications?

What, if anything, will you do to protect our water rights?

Do you support the wild and scenic designation of the Moke River?

What is your stand on fleet gas cards and accountability of CCWD vehicle use via GPS or other means?

Will investigation into the alleged depletion and/or disappearance of the reserve funds be a priority?

What new programs/policies would you like to see implemented?

What do you feel is working within CCWD well and would leave alone?

Will you or will you not, push for the completion of the sewer line on Little John Road? Why?

Do you support or oppose groundwater regulations?

Please explain the your understanding of the North Fork Stanislaus River Hydro Electric Development Project.

At this point you may add a prepared statement of no more than 300 words.

Interviews will post in the order in which they were received beginning 9-9-14.

Candidate interviews

The Copper Gazette will try, dilgently, over the next few weeks to provide interviews of candidates representing our district in hopes that you can make an informed decision regarding your representation.

Its not too late to register for the November election. Just postmark by October 20th and your voice can be heard.

Please stay tuned.