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Following are the initial questions from Blue Mountain News and the complete unedited answers from Tony Currin:
BMN: Why do you want to be Commissioner (in three or four sentences)?
TC: I will bring a fresh set of ideas to the table and the needed changes that will allow the people of our county to grow and prosper.
BMN: What are the three most important issues that will face the Columbia County Board of Commissioners in the next four years?
TC: The budget is one of my main concerns. I really want to evaluate the budgets of the different departments to make sure that the money spent is being used effectively and productively. I feel that there are some areas that can be greatly improved. I want to make sure that the people are informed of how their tax money is spent.
I also feel that economic growth is a major issue that needs to be addressed. Everyone will prosper if we can increase the economic growth in our county. I want to spend some time evaluating how we can improve in this area by developing an economic plan. I feel that the Wind turbines fall into this category because they bring in jobs and money. If we can find a good economic plan that includes the wind turbines but also takes a view at the concerns in this area, we can find a solution that benefits the county as a whole.
The road department is an issue that I'm concerned about too. With the new shop that is under construction at this time, many people are wondering if the timing is right for such an expensive project.
BMN: Can you give some specific examples of work experience or things you've done in the past that demonstrate that you will be a highly effective Commissioner?
TC: I ran my own successful business for seven years having between 10-12 employees at a convenience store/fuel station. You have to go through hundreds of thousands of dollars to make a small profit. Any little thing can affect the bottom line. It has to be run very efficiently and carefully, reviewing the spending and income at regular intervals. I know the importance of sticking to the budget and controlling spending.
I also learned how important it is to get along with people and keep the lines of communication open to improve the overall performance of the business. Listening to the customers was another key to providing a service that they wanted.
Since then, I have been involved in agriculture by raising hay and cattle. It seems no matter what business you are involved in the overhead continues to rise. In order to stay in business, you have to be up on all the factors that influence that business and make the appropriate decisions to maintain it. You run into many unforeseen factors that influence a business and you also have to be flexible enough to meet those demands. I will run our county in the same manner making sure all expenditures in all the departments are within the budget.
BMN: What do you see as the biggest difference between you and your opponent? (We'll try to present this in as non-negative a way as possible.)
TC: I will listen to the people and keep them informed of the changes going on. I will bring in a fresh prospective and hopefully bring about the needed changes to improve our county.
BMN: If you are elected, what one thing would you like to be most known for four years from now?
TC: I believe sticking to good fundamentals of running a successful business will bring good results. I want to be known for improving the internal structure of the county and improving communications between all the departments and the community.
After receiving the initial responses from Currin, we sent him a set of follow-up questions. Here are those questions and his complete, unedited answers:
BMN: On your list of important issues, you put the budget first. Can you give any specific examples in the current Columbia County Budget where you think budget items and/or amounts should have been different?
TC: I would like to go through each of the budgets to see if any beneficial changes can be made.
BMN: Do you have any specific suggestions for changes you'd like to see in the county's 2009 budget?
TC: After talking to the public, there is a concern about the fairgrounds. Hopefully we can make room in the budget for some needed improvements in this area.
BMN: Regarding the second issue you listed, do you have any specific economic development projects in mind, other than wind energy, that you hope to work on as Commissioner?
TC: Economic development has been a tough issue in the county for some time. With the economic turmoil that is going on nationally, I'm sure it will continue to be a problem for a while. We need to figure out a way to make it beneficial for a company to come in.
BMN: Regarding wind energy, do you feel that the recently adopted changes to Columbia County's zoning ordinance regarding wind turbine setbacks are appropriate, or should they have been more or less stringent?
TC: A plan needs to be in place before the design is implemented. There is only a limited window of time to have standards in place that is suitable to all those involved. These standards need to be discussed and the concerns of the people need to be heard and taken into account when they are set.
BMN: You said you're concerned about the road department, and specifically the new county shop. Do you feel the county should not be building a new shop? Do you have any other specific concerns about the road department, or changes you think should be made?
TC: I realize that the new road shop has already been bought. Paying for it is a major concern to many people in the county. Citizens feel it was approved too fast without considerable notice.
BMN: Have you been attending any Columbia County Commissioners' meetings in the last year?
TC: I have been to meetings for personal business matters. When I need to get specific information, I just contact the commissioner's office.
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