Candidates attend forum
<p>From left Commissioner Ron Smith, Commissioner Dan Dinning. LeAlan Pinkerton and Pam Stout, take a break during the candidates forum Friday night.</p><p></p>
Nine candidates answered questions to about 100 citizens of Boundary County at Kootenai River Inn Friday night during the candidates forum.
With the primary election approaching fast — it’s set for Tuesday, May 15 — the candidates spoke about their positions pertaining to the community.
Rick Braun hosted the forum and said he sent invitations to every state and local candidate and the nine who responded besides two who said they would not be there. The others never answered. He said it was not a Republican Central Committee event.
Those who attended were:
Incumbent Ron Smith (R) Boundary County Commissioner who is being challenged by LeAlan Pinkerton (R) for the District 1 office.
Commissioner Ron Smith:
“I have been the commissioner a total of 16 years and sheriff of Boundary County for abort five years, one of the things I am looking forward to should I be re-elected, we a have about 150 employees want to continue to get back working with them, working with legislatures and our congressional delegation,” Smith said. “We provide $3,000 for NIC tuition for any resident of Boundary County and we pay for that out of the liquor tax.”
LeAlan Pinkerton:
“I was born and raised here in Bonners Ferry and became a logger, I went to NIC and then I took a step in a direction that I am damn proud of, I became a Border Patrol Agent,” said Pinkerton.
He retired after 25 years as a sector chief.
“I am a firm believer that government has gotten too big, I retired for specific reasons, and I am here to be county commissioner to fight on behalf of the county.”
Boundary County Commissioner District 3 Incumbent Dan Dinning (R), and is running for seat Connie DeCoe-Munier (R).
Connie DeCoe-Munier:
“I was born and raised in Sacramento Calif., and I graduated from the Sacramento Police Academy, I also received my POST certificate, and served in the SPD for 22 years,” said DeCoe-Munier. “I couldn’t stand retirement for very long and want to do something to help this community.”
Commissioner Dan Dinning:
“My wife and I are life-long residents in this community we have three children, one has served three terms in Iraq, one teaches at BCMS, and my daughter lives in Utah. I have lived personally all of the consequences we have discussed to night, I have watched this community have economic downturns and upswings, and we are in a a downturn today, I care about this community and its future.”
Donna Capurso (R) is running against incumbent Eric Anderson (R) of Priest Lake for Idaho House of Representatives legislative District 1 seat A. Anderson did not attend the forum.
Donna Capurso:
“I am a small business owner. I own Selkirk Mountain Real Estate in downtown Bonners Ferry but I moved it to my house several years ago because of the economy, I am not the federal government so I can’t just print more money when the funds run out,” Capurso said.
District 1 Senator Danielle Ahrens (R).
“Federal Money comes with strings attached, Federal money is other peoples tax payer money it and we need to stop going to the trough and bringing home the pork, I am a hog farmer if I want bacon I’ll grow y own. It is time to stop being in debt,” said Ahrens.
Pam Stout Idaho House of Representatives, Legislative District 1, Seat B.
Pam Stout:
“Only a few years ago I became concerned about the nation’s overwhelming debt felt it was my obligation to stop the downward spiral of our nation,” said Stout.
Jeff Ennis (R) running for Boundary County Sheriff against incumbent Sheriff Greg Sprungl (R).
Sheriff Sprungl:
“A lot of people wonder why I am running again and the bug reason is after putting almost eight years back to back, we have built a very good group of individuals who are a lot of fun to work with and I would like to continue doing that. I logged in this community with a log haul truck before I started as an officer in 1990.”
Jeff Ennis:
“Of the four candidate vying for the position of sheriff I have the most experience overall, 24 years total, leadership 35 years private and law enforcement, the only candidate certified both for jail and patrol and worked in metropolitan areas,” said Ennis.
Candidate for sheriff Gary Leonard was present, but did not participate in the forum. Also running for Sheriff is Shane Foutch (D) who was not present.
Senator Shawn Keough (R) and Rep. George Eskridge (R) also did not attend.