- Large crowd met the candidates last Wednesday
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MEET THE CANDIDATE • A "Meet the Candidate" event was held last Wednesday in the Juab County Commission chambers. Above, Nephi Mayor Mark Jones explains the ground rules to those attending the event.
By Myrna Trauntvein
Times-News Correspondent
[Note: Though each candidate presented the information they wanted to share, and did not present their qualifications, this reporter prefers to allow voters to discuss the issues with the candidates by contacting them personally. I will, therefore, list their qualifications as they have presented them in their campaigns and one small quote from each. It is so close to election day that one accidental misquote might haunt us all. "Famous remarks are very seldom quoted correctly." said Simeon Strunsky]
The county commission chambers were crowded on Wednesday night for the Nephi Kiwanis Club's Meet the Candidate evening.
In fact, extra chairs were brought in and set up and there were many still standing at the back as the event commenced. Nephi Mayor Mark Jones acted as moderator of the event.
Wayne Andrews, president of the Kiwanis Club, turned the time over to Jones who announced that each candidate would be given five minutes to address the crowd and that the order had been determined before the meeting.
Each candidate was then allowed to answer a question posed by a member of the audience in reverse order of the way they presented their speeches. That answer could only last two minutes.
"This is not a debate," said Jones. "Each candidate has drawn the order on how they will present."
He said that each candidate had an impressive biography, were each great individuals with outstanding credentials and he was not going to attempt to introduce any of them but would let them speak for themselves.
"We are going to hold this meeting to one and a half hours," said Jones.
The candidates are: for Commissioner A slot: Bob Garrett, (D), and Clinton Painter (R); For Commissioner B slot, Rick Carlton, incumbent, (R).
Other county offices are as follows: Juab County Assessor, Shirl Nichols, unopposed incumbent, (R); Juab County Attorney, Jared Eldridge, incumbent, (R); Juab County Sheriff, Mike Tischner (R) and Douglas Anderson (D); Juab County Clerk/Auditor, Sharon Jarrett (D), and Alaina Lofgran (R); Juab County Recorder, Craig Sperry, incumbent, (R), and Robert Williams (D); Juab County Treasurer, DeEtte Worthington, unopposed incumbent, (R).
Nichols was not present at the event. He had Worthington read his comments because he had recently had surgery on his left hip and so could not attend. He said that he had worked as assessor for 16 years and tried to maintain an open door policy.
Garrett, first to speak, has been a Juab County employee for over 25 years and has worked as the Juab County Road Department Supervisor and Weed Department Supervisor. He has also been a small business owner, has volunteered his service as a Ute Stampede committee member for 46 years, served as a Nephi City council member, is currently the president of the Juab County Livestock Association and has assisted in implementing various new events for the community.
"Government is designed to serve the people. I feel that it is important to give back to the community and not just take," he said.
Painter is the controller at AZOMITE® Mineral Products, the current president of the Nephi City Chamber of Commerce, was the Director of Finance at FranklinCovey Company creating multiple $10 million plus budgets, was the vice president of the Nephi Chamber of Commerce, and co-chair of the Mt. Nebo Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation.
"I have a passion for our community. I am running for Juab County commissioner because I feel I have the desire, energy and drive to devote to being the county commissioner for all of Juab County's residents," said Painter.
Eldridge has been the Juab County Attorney for the past 12 years. He began the Drug Court program in Juab County and also developed the victims' advocate program in the county.
"I try to treat all people with respect and dignity and I try to be fair," he said.
Worthington said that she had been the county treasurer for eight years. She was running for a third term and had raised her two daughters in the county and now had two grandsons growing up in Juab. This past year her office had taken over the motor vehicle licensing.
"Every source of revenue on the county level ends up in my office," said Worthington. "In one year, $20 million goes through our hands. I have a great staff."
Anderson served as a Section 1 Lieutenant for the Utah Highway Patrol (UHP) for three years, was Lieutenant/Manager for the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification for seven years, was a concealed Firearm Instructor for Permit Programs, Utah Brady Firearm Section, Utah Bail Enforcement Licensure and Regulation, Private Investigation Licensure and Regulation, Fleet, Personnel, Equipment, Training, Criminal and Traffic Operations and Budgetary Management, Field Sergeant UHP for four years, Field Sergeant for Nephi City Police Department for two years.
He was with the Utah Department of Public Safety, HP for 22 years, Phoenix PD for three years, Utah Protective Services Division Utah State Capitol for one year, Nephi Police Department for three years, Snow College Security for one year, Motorcycle Squad, Dignitary Protection Unit for the Utah Governor's Office, Utah Department of Public Safety SWAT Team, Firearm Investigator, Firearm Instructor, Trained and Certified Utah Concealed Firearm Instructor monthly for seven years, Annual concealed Firearm Program Status and Progress Report to the State Legislature, Advisory Board Participation for Concealed Firearms, Bail Enforcement and Private Investigator Licensure and Appeals, Provided Regular Firearm Training to Department Personnel, Speaker at Annual Federal Firearm Licensure Conference, Taught General Safety and Driver Education at Utah Public Schools, and is a National Rifle Association (N.R.A.) Member.
He has three points to his campaign: "Employee development for a safer environment, proactive policing for a peaceful community and departmental organization for a better future."
Tischner has served as chief deputy for the Juab County Sheriff's Office for the past nine years, knows the job and has the experience, has knowledge of the jail and dispatch, has served in the courts, in investigations, and taught R.A.D. for women, worked on the Drug Task Force and as an investigator for sex crimes, has a good relationship with DCFS, and as chief deputy supervised and worked with road deputies and supervised the Search and Rescue.
"I am committed to serving you and this county. I have always had the mentality that if you have a job to do, you must do your best and do it right. People might not always agree with everything I have or will do, but they will know that I was fair, and I did my best for all involved. I take pride in a job well done. I take pride in this great county we live in," he said.
Jarrett has worked for seven plus years in the county clerk/auditor office and has worked with accounts payable, marriage licenses and elections. For 18 years she was a business owner at Total Video and Lilies-N-Lace Floral. She attended Stevens-Henager College, is Certified in U.S. Department of State Passport Application Processing, is trained for Utah State Marriage License Issuance, has continuous education on county finance program, has volunteering experience at J Cee's, Relay for Life, Chamber of Commerce, Girls Graduation Luncheon, and as an election poll-worker, counting.
"Elections are a big job," said Jarrett. "Early voting begins on October 21st and goes to the 31st in our office. Remember to vote early or to vote on November 4."
Lofgran said her service to the county started as a correctional officer at the county jail. Over the last 23 years she has worked on jobs ranging from Jail Sergeant to Detective on the Major Crimes/Drug Task Force.
"I have extensive experience with report writing. I understand the importance of accurate records and maintaining required deadlines," she said. "With the skills and abilities I have acquired, I am confident that I will be an asset to the clerk's office and to Juab County."
Sperry has been the county recorder/surveyor for more than 30 years and has extensive experience in the job. He has been educated in real estate, mining, surveying and recording laws and is dedicated to accurate land transaction records. He is a certified instructor of the Utah Association of County Recorders.
"We are in the process of getting even better," said Sperry. "We have a lot of new section monuments. I am proud of the job my staff has done."
Williams is fairly new to the area and bought the property known by older residents of the county as the Doc Steele Ranch, located between Mona and Rocky Ridge, and moved there from Utah County.
He served 10 years a the deputy recorder, treasurer, and then as the recorder for Pleasant Grove City. He spent 28 years teaching math and English in secondary schools, for BYU Independent Studies, and at Utah Valley University.
"If I am elected, I would keep the staff that is there," said Williams.
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