Klamath Falls Herald and News

Editorial

October 24, 2010

   Kirk Oakes and Dennis Linthicum are running for Klamath County commissioner in a race largely defined by “conservative vs. liberal” issues combined with stands on Klamath County Ballot Measure 18-80 and the Klamath Basin Restoration Agreement.

   The KBRA, of course, proposes to deal with water rights, streamflows, irrigation water, power rates, dam removal, money for forest land for the Klamath Tribes and much more. The advisory measure would tell commissioners whether or not voters want them to remain involved in working for or working with stakeholders on the KBRA and dam removal agreements.  

   The vote would not be binding and, while it’s possible the vote could affect thinking on implementation of the agreement, it would have no direct bearing — the next steps in implementation are beyond local control.

   Oakes, the Democratic candidate, favors the KBRA and opposes 18-80. Linthicum, who won the Republican nomination by defeating incumbent John Elliott, opposes the KBRA in its present form and said he favors 18-80 as a way to slow the process.

   Still, during a roundtable discussion at the Herald and News, Linthicum said if elected, he expects to stay involved in the KBRA process, even if 18-80 is approved. So did Oakes.  

   If Measure 18-80 and the KBRA’s wide-ranging attempt to resolve natural resource issues are the only things you care about in this race, you already know everything you need to know.

   But there is more. We won’t try to tell readers how to think, but we might offer a few things to think about.

   For one, this is clearly a partisan race. Oakes is a Democrat; Linthicum is a Republican. There’s no ignoring that fact. They’re coming at issues from those points of views.

   But that’s not all, either.  

   Not every county issue will vibrate with deep philosophical undertones. Actually, most won’t. Much of the time county business is about just doing what has to get done. Like getting the best price on a contract. Or settling an employee problem. Or getting a street paved. Nuts and bolts.

   Klamath County government has a system that makes each commissioner an overseer of a number of departments, each of which also has a department head. Some of those department heads are elected — the treasurer, clerk and sheriff for example. It’s a pretty odd system, when you think about it, but it’s ours and there are other counties with similar arrangements.

   We can’t say for sure how these two candidates would handle that role, but we hope   they do so with some caring and a tad of diplomacy. We know that bullying, drama and harping won’t do much good. Commissioners need to take firm leadership positions, but they’ve got to be the ones who get people to work together.

   There is the matter of personal perceptions — how each candidate comes across in public forums. Which candidate strikes you as the one most likely to deliver on promises, to energetically pursue ways to improve Klamath County, to know when the county is better off compromising for half a loaf, and who can deal with the minutiae of county government without losing a grand vision of what Klamath County can become?  

   Some other issues:

   • Ways to improve the local economy. Both candidates brought up proposals to help private industry. Linthicum wants an effort to reduce governmental restrictions on private development. Oakes wants to use necessary government contracts offered in a way that maximize the ability of Klamath County people to participate.

   • Make more efficient use of money. Both said they are in favor of consolidating or co-locating departments and services with the city of Klamath Falls. Gee, how can this miss? All seven of the candidates for the three open positions on the Klamath Falls City Council said the same thing. Both commissioner candidates were receptive to the idea of a more unified approach to law enforcement in the Klamath Falls urban area.  

   • Use of grant funds. These generally are state and federal funds coming from taxpayers that provide significant help to local government. Linthicum has expressed reluctance in the past on seeking grants because he fears local government would have trouble sustaining the revenue; but when presented an example of grants that come into the local area — such as replacing or upgrading woodstoves — he said he’d be in favor of taking them. Oakes said grants are essential to supplement tax revenue.  

   Both candidates were a bit of a mystery to the public before they ran for office and, to some extent, they still are. In the local area, neither has a record of elective service, though they belong to a variety of organizations. But we can recall how both of these candidates talked back before the primary elections, and there’s a contrast to how they both talk now. They talk with more depth on a wider range of issues and seem more willing to reach out and shake hands with people from all over the spectrum.

   And there, we’ll leave things.