A LIFETIME OF PUBLIC SERVICE, TO MY COUNTRY, MY STATE, AND NOW TO MY COUNTY.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

letter from Craig Brookhart


Vote Walt Wagner for Crook County Judge
Published in the Central Oregonian, Tuesday, October 30,2012
            
      Since the beginning of the year, we’ve been talking about making changes in the way our county operates. You’ve heard about the principles of Constitutional government, the need for improved communications and accountability to the people - transparency, effective planning and much more. Many have felt the sting of high unemployment, housing foreclosures and generally have been asking where we are headed as a county.
        It’s certainly been a long year and like you, I’ve heard more than enough campaigning.  The many candidate forums have left little doubt who has the clearer picture of the issues, and who can communicate plans and solutions to deal with them.
        You were told to be afraid of change by an “outsider,” but look around, have you noticed all the changes? Were you asked? Did you know we are still fighting to protect our reservoir, or that even more changes are on the way? 
        After a contentious primary and an even 3-way split, Walt Wagner threw his hat into the ring recognizing we need a change in our local government. Opportunistic?  Yes, absolutely. Two thirds of you opted for new management and I expect you are still hoping for it. Well, now is your chance. 
        It’s time for principled leadership and an improved outlook for our county. Let’s make it happen in this election cycle. The best ideas are on the table, so let’s take advantage of them when we cast our vote.

Sincerely,
Craig Brookhart
Prineville

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

A REAL OPPORTUNITY IN CROOK COUNTY!


A REAL OPPORTUNITY!
published in the Central Oregonian, 10/30/2012

In response to the Tuesday, October 16, Central Oregonian editorial blurb about the judge's race,  I'd like to stress that the editor has never interviewed me; he has never attended any forums in which I've participated; he has appeared at no County Court meetings over the last five months, at least none I've attended since I was asked to run after the May primary.  Yet Vance Tong pretends to know what motivated me to run for Crook County Judge. How many newspapers across the country do endorsements without a candidate interview?

Vance called me an "opportunist."  It is an opportunity, yes, to implement my ideas as well as some of those of the incumbent's two primary challengers, Brad Bartlett and Craig Brookhart, both of whom support me.  It's an opportunity to really do some good for this county and to change "business as usual." Communication with county residents has been virtually non-existent on a scale large enough to be effective. 

Where has this editor been for the last four years?  Apparently the 66% of voters who chose someone else in the May primary saw something that the newspaper editor did not.  Where has he been involved? What voters has he contacted to test the climate of this election? My support at this time comes from many prominent Crook County residents:  Republicans, Patriots, Independents, and Democrats.

So I ask again, why no candidate interview? 

Walt Wagner
Powell Butte