Candidate forum provides informational venue for Adams County voters

The Ritzville branch of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) hosted a candidate forum in the Ritz Theatre, a venue perfectly suited for the event. The evening covered topics and candidates on the upcoming General Election ballot, being sent to voters on Oct. 16.

Erika Hennings served as the moderator for the event, with response times being monitored by AAUW members. The evening began with East Adams Rural Hospital CEO/CFO Gary Bostrom giving a brief overview of the proposed hospital bond and answering questions from audience members.

Bostrom introduced the bond, explaining last year the hospital went to voters for $10 million for the construction of a new hospital, but after the bond failed, the hospital was cited for a variety of fire, life and safety issues within the existing hospital. In order to become in compliance, the hospital board of commissioners committed $4.9 million from reserves and funds for the project, which must be completed by May 2015. The bond amount is set for $6.4 million for renovations and upgrades within the current building.

Bostrom explained the bond is expected to cost taxpayers an estimated $.59 per thousand. He said he believes that if the bond does not pass, the hospital will likely have more compliance issues in the near future and would require the board of commissioners to return to voters for support.

An audience member questioned Bostrom regarding the guarantee that the hospital district will maintain the facility and not continuously be coming to the voters for support. Bostrom said maintenance is always ongoing, but the current hospital has a long list of renovations needing to be made to coincide with today’s standards. The bond money helps the hospital be proactive in completing renovations and making upgrades before facing additional citations from the state. Bostrom said he and the board of commissioners have made sure to budget for future maintenance costs.

Bostrom explained the majority of the necessary projects needed to be completed by May will begin next month. Products have been ordered to complete the projects and bring the hospital into compliance.

Bostrom was also asked to discuss the advantage of the helipad being located on the roof of the building. Bostrom explained the upgrade has been recommended by MedStar, and provides a large safety improvement as passersby will no longer be at risk when the helicopter lands. Currently, Bostrom describes the ground level helipad at the street intersections and near the ER and oxygen storage as a “dangerous situation.”

A question was also raised regarding the ambulatory service and Bostrom explained, if the hospital goes away, the ambulance service goes with it, as the hospital currently manages the service. Bostrom estimated it would cost an additional $1 million for ambulatory services in the area without the hospital.

The forum continued with the Ritzville District Court Judge candidates, incumbent Judge Adalia Hille and opponent Carolyn Benzel.

Each candidate had three minutes for an introduction and opportunity to explain career experience.

Benzel explained she earned her bachelor’s degree in government, before passing the bar and earning her doctorate. She continued her career as a practicing attorney for 20 years, before serving as a deputy superior chief prosecuting attorney and an administration law judge. She currently serves as a deputy prosecutor for the county.

For the past 23 years, Hille has served as district court judge, and prior to that, served as a paralegal assistant. In 1991, Hille served as a non-attorney judge. She served as district clerk and assistant before returning back to school to graduate from Gonzaga University and passed the bar in 2001.

The first question asked the candidates to respond about their judicial philosophy.

Hille responded saying she believed equal justice should be provided to all within the courtroom. She continued to state all individuals should have the same opportunity to be heard, regardless of standing or legal representation.

Benzel replied saying all decisions should be fair, efficient and predictable, meaning judges should be unbiased and uphold the law instead of legislating from the bench. The most important aspect within the courtroom is to make sure constitutional rights are safe-guarded, Benzel said.

In response to the question regarding why the candidates were seeking election and past experience, Benzel stated she believes it is an honor to be a judge and she has spent the majority of her career serving within the legal system. With her experience with the justice system, Benzel believed she could bring a long-term and efficient commitment to the position.

Hille has 23 years of experience as judge and as the elected pro-tem superior court judge that strengthen her knowledge of the position, she said. During the 14 years as the pro-tem judge and throughout her role as district court judge, Hille said she has developed the qualifications necessary for the position and also has preserved the principles and trust required in the courtroom.

The changes the candidates wanted to see within the court system varied, as Benzel discussed the need for holding all offenders accountable and creating a probation department, where Hille discussed the accessibility of the court to the public through the creation of a website.

Benzel stated there is currently frustration with the court system, as offenders are not being held accountable and a probation department should be created for the safety of the community. Hille explained a webpage would help the court by providing the public with accessible information, rules and regulations. She also responded to Benzel, saying an unofficial probation department is in effect with all defendants having to comply with the laws and regulations.

At the conclusion of the discussion, Hille and Benzel stated their plans for the future if elected. Hille said she is committed to the community and to the justice system, and intends on serving with honesty and integrity. She wants to continue to serve until she is 75 when she would then provide free legal service to those in need.

Benzel stated she has spent the majority of her career serving the public and serving as judge is a great achievement. She said she believes there needs to be a change in the justice system, and she can help provide a long-term commitment as an active member of the community.

The county commissioner candidates followed the district court judge forum and incumbent Jeff Stevens and opponent Jessie “Weno” Dominguez had an opportunity to address the audience.

Dominguez has spent 10 years working with the county in the juvenile department, and currently operates his own entertainment and event coordination business. Stevens began his career as a funeral home manager before serving as a county commissioner since 1998, and said he intends for this to be his final term.

The candidates discussed their primary points of concern within the county, with Stevens focusing on the communication system and Dominguez putting an emphasis on public safety.

Stevens said the highest priority issue is the communication system, as currently law enforcement officers have dead spots in their patrol routes where they are unable to communicate with dispatch. Stevens said the county is working on a plan to install an additional communication tower for safety purposes, but with his biggest concern being the financials of the county, Stevens said the commissioners are focused on remaining conservative.

Dominguez focused on public safety, emphasizing the high rate of crime and the presence of drugs throughout the county. He stated the Sheriff’s Office is understaffed, making it difficult to control the rise of crime, and the overcrowding in the jail is also an issue. He said all leaders from all communities from law enforcement to council members share the same public safety concern countywide.

The next questions revolved around economic development within the county and the top priorities to help provide a sustainable future for the county’s residents. Both candidates agreed water is the number one priority in the county, and the county is helping to build itself up under the direction of the new Economic Development Director Stephen McFadden.

Stevens discussed the needs for a larger workforce within the cities, such as Ritzville, to support the businesses moving there. He explained larger businesses, such as Love’s, are currently busing employees in because of the inability to find a consistent work force within Ritzville.

Stevens said the primary plan for development in the area, and the business types Ritzville is best suited for is warehouses and distributing companies. With the presence of the county being increased through McFadden and the Adams County Economic Development Council’s (ACDC) efforts, Ritzville needs to have the work force to continue to grow, Stevens said.

Dominguez currently serves on the ACDC board, and encouraged Ritzville to focus on bringing in the Ag Discovery Center and promoting the historic downtown area. He continued to say Ritzville is unique with having been able to preserve the history of the town, and a restoration project of the historic buildings would be a good promotion for the city,

He continued to say it is crucial for all of the communities to have the infrastructure in place to attract new businesses, as well as attracting people to move to the towns. One of the primary issues all of the cities within the county face is the issue of water, Dominguez said, and it is crucial to have ample water supply within the county.

Stevens agreed, stated that without water, the county cannot do anything, people cannot do anything. The commissioners are continuing to work towards the expansion of the basin.

The candidates responded with long-term plans and the hopes for the future of the county.

Stevens said he hopes to see the Ritzville area grow significantly, bringing in warehouses and drastically increasing the population. He also voiced his hope to see the water situation rectified in order to handle the growth.

Dominguez said his vision for the future is to make Adams County one of the most desirable counties to live in, with museums and industry helping to grow Ritzville, as well as making it a top historic site. He said his main goal is to make the county a safe and beautiful place to live.

Those in attendance also had an opportunity to hear from Congressional Representative candidates Dan Newhouse and Clint Didier.

Didier introduced himself first, briefly discussing his experience growing up on a farm in Eltopia before having the opportunity to compete as a football player in the NFL. After completing his football career, Didier returned to farming with his family and described himself as living the American dream.

Newhouse also grew up on a farm and is currently active in farming with his family today. He spent a large portion of his life serving as a leader in the Ag Forestry program at Washington State University, being active in the Hop Growers Association and in 2002 served as a Washington State of Representatives for four terms.

The candidates shared concerns about the future of the country, with both men stating they had a long list of concerns at the national level. Newhouse said the national debt and unsustainable path to the future is concerning, while locally agricultural issues, immigration reform and water top the priorities for citizens.

Didier spoke to the size and scope of the issues at a national level, discussing those in office may have experience, but are not proving effective. He stated he believes the nation should be run by common people, and the current representatives do not have the political will to do what needs to be done.

Didier also spoke in support of completing the East-High Canal in order to provide accessible water to the eastern portion of the state. Without the water, the area will be a desert, Didier said, and it is going to take more voices and unity to help make the project a reality.

Newhouse stated the Columbia Basin project is one of the most successful projects ever. Citizens are still faced with water issues, initially led to believe that deep wells would be replaced by surface water, but it has not been the case. Newhouse said he believed a way could be found to fix the issue, as citizen’s livelihoods lay in the balance.

The candidates also discussed the increasing concern of the railroad, and the future it may hold for citizens.

Newhouse explained the competition for track time is getting worse, but the federal government plays a small role in the management of the railways. He expressed his hope for a partnership to be created to allow for more sidings on the rail lines and addressing the traffic issues to find solutions to safety concerns within communities.

Didier explained the issue is the rail lines are owned by Warren Buffet, and the Keystone Pipeline is causing a huge issue for the nation as all natural resources are being shipped to another country. He expressed a desire to keep those resources within the country and work to expand jobs surrounding those industries.