The most pronounced differences at an Oct. 11 election forum were set out by candidates for Okanogan County Public Utility District (PUD) commissioner, incumbent Jerry Asmussen and his challenger Joseph Enzensperger.
The Twisp Valley Grange invited candidates for PUD commissioner (District 3), Okanogan County commissioner (District 3), Okanogan County coroner, and state representative (District 7) to answer questions prepared by the grange and submitted by the audience.
Jon Neal and Lloyd Caton, both Republicans running for county commissioner, agreed on many issues, affirming their support for property rights and looking to the private sector to build affordable housing, although there were nuances and differences in approach.
Asmussen, an auctioneer and rancher who highlighted his record as a volunteer and public servant, said he wants to continue to serve the PUD and its ratepayers with “reliable, reasonable, low-cost power for the community.”
PUD commissioner
Enzensperger, a plumber in Oroville, said he’s running for the seat because he sees an urgent need for change, both locally and across the country, because of climate change. The PUD can assist with programs that will lower energy consumption, by supporting access to energy-efficient appliances, insulation and rooftop-solar programs, particularly for people with limited income, he said.
Enzensperger supports training a new generation of local contractors to install energy-efficient appliances and create solid jobs. “The PUD has a powerful role to play in increasing the economic strength of Okanogan County,” he said.
To help address climate change, Enzensperger said the PUD should work to reduce overall energy consumption, which would build resilience and leave power in the grid for other uses. Increasing solar energy and putting powerlines underground would help prepare for a warming climate, he said.
The most important step in dealing with climate change is for the PUD to maintain and harden its current systems, Asmussen said. The PUD should invest in technologies that will provide additional power to prepare for increased needs such as charging electric vehicles, which are expected to double the demand for power, he said.
Because the entire western power grid is tied together and driven by demand, if the PUD invests in solar or wind power and puts that power into the system, it would be taken away, Asmussen said.
Enzensperger supports immediate removal of Enloe Dam to benefit salmon and relieve the economic burden on ratepayers. He said funding is available for removal. The old powerhouse for the dam could become a historic visitors’ center, he said.
Asmussen is concerned that, until they find a way to work out the economics of dam removal for PUD ratepayers, removing the dam could burden neighbors up and downstream of the dam with costs.
The PUD should look for grants to extend its broadband network, since building it is very expensive, but funding has been difficult to obtain, Asmussen said. Enzensperger agreed that the PUD is in a bind and needs funding to expand the network. But the PUD also needs cooperation from internet service providers, which set the retail rates, Enzensperger said.
Enzensperger favors holding PUD board meetings in the evenings to make it easier for the public to attend. Asmussen said he is always available and follows up with all ratepayers who call him.
County commissioner
Neal and Caton are running for the commissioner seat being vacated by Jim DeTro, who didn’t seek re-election.
Neal is a life-long resident of Oroville who has spent 21 years in Oroville city government, the last six as mayor. Caton is a fourth-generation county resident who served 12 years on the Tonasket School Board and on the county’s fair advisory board.
Asked about how to keep water rights from being sold outside of the county, both candidates said they don’t want to see that happen. But they stressed their support for property rights and acknowledged that people have the right to sell their water. Caton would explore water banking, where the county could purchase water to preserve it for homes, businesses and agriculture. Neal said water could be leased, rather than sold, to preserve it for future uses in Okanogan County.
It’s important to allow areas in the county to create their own guidelines and priorities for development, since locals know their area the best, Neal said. But these areas still have to follow the rules — even rules that are “ridiculous,” because they were drafted by people in other parts of the state who don’t take into account the different climate here, he said.
Caton encourages local input in planning, but said he’s reluctant to have each part of the county take off on its own path.
To address the county’s need for affordable housing, Caton wants to involve private industry. “I’m not anti-government, but I believe that private industry can always do the job better than the government can,” he said.
Neal agreed that the private sector is better equipped to build new housing. The county can assist by simplifying the permitting process, he said. He also wants to explore the potential for using a state excise tax that can be put toward affordable housing.
They agreed that the county jail needs to be replaced or significantly renovated. Caton would like to explore the potential for a regional jail.
Asked which communities in the county are most underrepresented and how to reach them, Neal said that, while he wants to provide a bigger voice for the northern part of the county, he’d represent everyone, including the Methow Valley. Hispanics and Native Americans are least represented, Caton said. As commissioner, he vowed to visit these communities to learn about their needs, fears, and how the county can help.
Caton and Neal agreed that the county commissioners should be willing to put in more time and potentially meet add a third meeting day.
Coroner
Rojean (Jeannie) Hughes and incumbent Dave Rodriguez are competing to be county coroner. Initially Hughes was the only one to file for the seat, but Rodriguez filed as a write-in candidate and obtained enough signatures on a petition to be listed on the ballot.
In her opening remarks, Hughes cited her long experience in providing death notifications, starting with having to tell her young children that their father had died. “It’s not an easy thing to do … but it is part of the job that we do as a coroner,” she said.
Hughes has been a deputy coroner (a volunteer position) and emergency medical technician (EMT) for Ferry County for 20 years, where she gained considerable experience and built connections with other coroners, she said.
Having served as the county’s coroner for eight years and previously worked as an investigator in law enforcement and an EMT, Rodriguez said he brings the right experience to the job.
Asked how to handle the coroner’s increased workload, Rodriguez said he plans to meet with the commissioners this month to encourage them to add a deputy coroner.
Hughes has been advocating for three people in the coroner’s department. She lives in the northern part of the county, and would also like to see a coroner in the Methow and another in Brewster/Pateros to reduce response time.
For autopsies, the county contracts with Snohomish County, which has state-of-the-art equipment, Rodriguez said. Hughes would like to work with pathologists in Spokane County, which she said would save the county money because it’s closer.
Hughes questioned why Rodriguez had decided to run after previously stating he planned to retire. Rodriguez said he isn’t ready to retire.
State Representative, District 7
Incumbent State Rep. Jacquelin Maycumber (R-7th Dist.) was unable to attend the forum because of a family emergency, but she submitted a statement that was read by a member of the grange. Her opponent, Lonny Ray Williams, was present and also read a statement.
Maycumber said she ran for office to ensure “our children have the same opportunities as we did, from education to economic freedom.” She highlighted her goals of decreased taxes, economic development, affordable health care, and parental rights.
Maycumber is concerned about the effects of “Olympia’s tyranny” on her constituents, such as the economic impacts of low-carbon fuel standards and the decriminalization of drugs, which she said has led to an epidemic of drugs and homelessness.
Williams, who publishes “The Pamphlet,” which focuses on Constitutional liberties, said his No. 1 priority is parental rights. Parents are the “primary stakeholders” in their children’s lives — that means that the $18,000 Washington allocates per student should be provided to parents to use for whatever school they choose, whether it’s public, private or religious, a charter school, or home-schooling, Williams said.
People can watch the forum on the grange’s website at http://twispgrange.com.
