When asked what they think the main difference is between them, Yacolt mayor candidates Skip Benge and Jeff Carothers both had a similar response – the amount of time each has given to the town over past years.
"There’s not a lot of differences between us," Carothers said. "I think the only difference between my opponent and I is the amount of time I’ve given to the town over the past few years, like I said, I attended 16 of the past 20 council meetings."
Benge said the only difference between himself and Carothers was Carothers’ statement about giving more time to the town over the past few years than he has.
"I spent about 25 years doing community service in this town," Benge said. "I worked with the Little League and I’ve helped with numerous other community service projects."
Benge and Carothers, along with the rest of the Yacolt Town Council candidates, were given the opportunity to show the community who they are and what they stand for during an Oct. 6 Candidate Meet and Greet, held at Yacolt Town Hall.
Cindy Marbut, Yacolt town clerk, facilitated the event and said they had received about 60 questions from Yacolt citizens for the candidates via email, online and through the mail. Several questions were combined in order to make the list shorter, and questions were put into the category of either everyone, council or mayor questions.
Benge, 70, currently serves on the Yacolt Town Council in position No. 2. He was appointed to the position in May after James Weldon stepped down from the position to take over as mayor. Benge served as council member for three months in 1979 and stepped down from the position when he was unable to devote enough time to the council.
Previously a timber cutting supervisor for Columbia Helicopter for 15 years, Benge said he was out in the woods everyday checking the work quality and safety. He said he did the payroll and documented weekly safety meetings, and also took care of all business forms as needed.
Carothers, 52, has not yet been involved with the Yacolt Town Council and has no political experience as of yet. He is a retired U.S. Marine and currently works in sales with propane. Carothers has lived in Yacolt for a little more than five years.
When asked how he will bring respect and dignity to the town if elected mayor, Carothers said he would make sure council members and town staff were no longer putting up with rumors and false information going around the town.
"People shouldn’t be doing it, stop doing it if you are, we need to hold people accountable," Carothers said.
Benge said he agreed with what Carothers said about the rumors, but also said that when people live in a small town, there are always going to be rumors that don’t go away.
"We need to get people educated on that this happens in a town like this," Benge said. "You have to tolerate people because they have the right to speak if they sign up (at the meetings)."
Some of the main issues brought up in questions during the forum included visions of the growth of Yacolt, the possibility of the Modoc Railroad Academy coming to the town and the future possibility of a sewer system.
Regarding the sewer system, Benge said he agreed with many of the other council candidates that Yacolt needs to at least be prepared for the possibility in the future. However, he said he thinks the council members and staff need to make sure they know all the rules and need to make sure they have all the facts before they even start to move forward with anything.
Carothers said he also agreed with Benge and the other council candidates that they need to plan for the future, but should move forward cautiously.
"We need to get all the facts and make sure the facts are straight and relevant," Carothers said. "We also need to get the rest of the town involved. We need to have special meetings to find out what the majority of the people want."
Another question submitted for the forum asked: Do you support resolutions to acknowledge former councils and mayors? Carothers answered yes, and Benge said no, saying he doesn’t believe public servants working for the people should need a reward.
The question candidates were asked was what their top three goals would be for the town if elected. Benge said his three are that the town needs to get a good audit and keep future audits that way, quit increasing fees to small businesses and to make sure the town remains financially conservative.
Carothers said his three goals include remaining fiscally responsible and transparent with the budget, coming up with more ways for youth to be involved and to make sure the Town government works together as a team.
The general election is Tues., Nov. 8.
