Heated exchanges part of candidates forum

ALBANY — Candidates offered “three-minute” responses that stretched well beyond that limit, audience members attempted to shout down candidates as they answered questions, and some candidates turned up the heat on opponents at a forum that drew 12 … make that 11 … candidates and one highly-placed substitute to the Albany Civil Rights Institute Tuesday.

And while event coordinator — and ACRI director — Frank Wilson had to threaten to have some audience members removed and one local politician who had no part in the forum was incensed that her likeness had been used in a candidate’s campaign literature, there were plenty of fireworks supplied by the candidates as well.

“I am not going to call any names, but I just want the people of Dougherty County to know that I have not endorsed any of the candidates in these races, and I have not given anyone permission to use my likeness on their campaign literature,” state Sen. Freddie Powell Sims, who had no challenger qualify to run against her, said. “There are some great candidates running for these offices, but it is not my intention nor is it my duty to endorse anyone.”

While Sims chose not to specify, House District 153 incumbent Darrel Ealum handed out campaign literature that included a photograph of Sims.

The ongoing squabbles among members of the Dougherty County Commission were mentioned prominently during the evening, with District 2 challengers Sherrell Byrd and Victor Edwards, as well as independent candidate for the commission chairmanship Harry James, mentioning the infighting among commission members in that board’s quest to name a permanent county administrator.

“We’ve lost Merck and we’ve lost Cooper Tire and no time in the last 12 years (during incumbent District 2 Commissioner John Hayes’ tenure) has there been an effort to replace them,” Byrd said. “And now we’re facing a $3 million lawsuit (brought by interim County Administrator Mike McCoy). We need to bring accountability and honor back to this seat.

“At the end of the day, the people deserve better.”

Edwards, who served as a member of the County Commission for 10 years before “the Devil tricked me” and he was arrested on drug-related charges, said he would not try to “capitalize on what’s going on” with the commission.

“This is not about Victor and John — he’s a friend of mine — it’s about this being my time,” Edwards, who wore overalls “in honor of my granddaddy and to show you people that I’m ready to go to work for you,” said. “Not to run now would be me not doing what God wants me to do.”

James, who served on the County Commission before being ousted by current District 5 Commissioner Gloria Gaines, said the issues with the commission are “leadership issues.”

“The most urgent thing the commission must do is work together,” James said. “That’s not happening now, and the county is on the verge of bankruptcy in a matter of 2 1/2 years (since I left office).”

James is challenging current Chairman Chris Cohilas for his seat, while Edwards and Byrd are challenging District 2 incumbent Hayes. A fourth qualifier in that race, Joyce Jordan Jones, gave an impassioned speech before surprising everyone by bowing out.

“My doctor told me I should not run, so I am throwing my support behind Sherrell Byrd,” Jordan said. “She is the right person to serve this community. If you want this same type situation to continue, keep doing what you’re doing and sending the same people back to the commission.”

Edwards later responded to Jordan’s comment by saying, “I’m not here playing games, I’m here to win this.”

Cohilas, who hinted at the news that around $65 million in HUD recovery funds had been released to the state of Georgia earlier in the day, told the crowd, “You need somebody representing you who will look you in the eye and tell you the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”

Later, when asked about possible consolidation of the county government with the city of Albany, Cohilas was in the middle of explaining the consolidation process when an audience member said, “I want to ask a question.” Cohilas told him to go ahead and ask, but Wilson told the man that a question-and-answer session would come later. When the audience member insisted, and accused Wilson of “rigging this for Cohilas,” Wilson threatened to have him removed.

Hayes did not address the current flap with McCoy. Instead, he offered a list of accomplishments he said the board had achieved during his tenure.

“Our state invested $30 million of taxpayer money to build a facility (the Flint RiverQuarium) that a lot of our citizens haven’t set foot in because they can’t afford to,” Hayes said. “We need gainful employment in this community, not only to improve the quality of life, but to help curtail our crime issues.”

Incumbent District 2 School Board member Milton Griffin said he did not feel up to staying for the entire forum, but he told the crowd he was “proud of the work we’ve done for the students in the county.”

Debra Trice Wiley, who along with Kenneth Florence is challenging Griffin for the seat, said students in the district should get the same quality of education as students at other, more successful schools, in the district.

“Every student deserves a quality education,” Wiley said. “For that to happen, somebody has to stand and fight for our children. I choose to stand and fight.”

Florence also decried the “failing schools in District 2.”

“Sometimes people say parents don’t care because they don’t engage with their kids’ teachers, but some of those parents are working two or three jobs,” he said. “We need to find a way for our students to engage with their teachers with their parents present. We can make that happen.”

Ealum said he will focus on gun control, improving the state’s criminal justice system, Medicaid expansion and rural development if he is re-elected. He also said his military background would be important if another BRAC study threatened the local Marine base.

“First of all, we are not going to close that base,” Ealum said. “If it were ever in jeopardy, it will be important to have someone with military experience in office.”

CaMia Hopson, who is challenging Ealum, painted a picture of a “vibrant, blooming city where people want to be,” but noted wryly that that city does not currently exist in Albany.

“But we can have that city,” she said. “We can do that by taking advantage of the beautiful natural resource — the Flint River — that God has given us and by working to fix the things that are broken. I want to help you do that. I want to be the voice for the people who for so long have had no voice at the state capital.”

Barlow, a registered nurse who is challenging Gerald Greene for the House District 151 seat, pointed to a number of issues that she said needs to be addressed in the district that includes all or part of nine counties. Among them, she said, are education, health care reform, expanding broadband into rural areas, and “economy, economy, economy.”

“I was part of the last BRAC, so I know the process,” Barlow said. “That Marine base is one of our region’s largest employers, so we have to protect it. And we have to protect our water rights so that our farmers — the people who feed us — are not pushed off their land. All of these issues are intricately tied together.”

Dougherty District Attorney Greg Edwards appeared at the forum to speak in support of Ken Hodges, who is running for a judgeship on the state Court of Appeals.

“This is a nonpartisan race, so you need to ask only one question: Is he qualified?” Edwards said. “I’m here to submit to you that Ken is qualified. And he is the only candidate south of Macon running, so we need the geographic diversity that he represents. We need someone who knows our area representing us.”

Primary races in the state will be conducted May 22. The general election is scheduled Nov. 6.