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Three GOP commission candidates vary on issues By JILL BRISKEY Mail Tribune Three Republican candidates vying for county commissioner position 3 may be in the same party, but their ideas are in different worlds. Diane Davidson Age: 56 Home: Rogue Valley resident for more than 50 years Family: husband Cliff Davidson, two adult children and four grandchildren Occupation: WSP Consulting, consumer marketing director for Luhr Jenson and Sons, Big Bear Shopper owner, general manager of Black Bird Shopping Center. Education: 1964 graduate of Medford Senior High School Political experience: President of Jackson County Republican Women; committee chairwoman of Oregon Federation of Republican Women; president of Landowner Resource Management Corp., Medford 549C School Board member; Jackson County Women's Commission; appointed by three governors to serve on various statewide councils. Community participation: Medford Chamber of Commerce board of directors; Oregon Hunters local board of directors; United Way allocations; and Medford School District budget committee. Sams Valley rancher Walt Fitzgerald, an active member of several water, land and soil conservation groups, wants to create a government that balances the needs of the community with the rights and liberties of the individual. It's a trait that's sorely lacking in Jackson County, he added. Small business owner Diane Davidson of Central Point is pushing for a change in leadership to halt bureaucratic regulation she feels is strangling the economy. Davidson is relying on her diverse political background to get the job done. And incumbent Ric Holt is banking on his previous work in office, the current board's accomplishments and a deep love for his job. The Ashland resident who was first elected in 1991 has often asked the community "if it's not broke, why fix it?" Voters must choose between the three Republican candidates in the May 21 primary election. Dave Gilmour, a Democrat and Central Point councilman, will appear on the ballot, although he is running unopposed. The Republican primary winner will take on Gilmour and Independent John Michaels, a Medford councilman and production artist, in the November general election. Information regarding Holt has been gleaned from previous stories and interviews. Holt declined to be interviewed for this article. Fitzgerald filed his candidacy after more than a decade of being a county watchdog, a task he said involved studying up on the issues and attending public meetings. Fizgerald's campaign contributions for this election have come from one source - himself. Walt Fitzgerald Age: 54 Home: Lifelong resident, 50 years in Sams Valley Family: Single, two adult sons and one grandchild Occupation: Property manager/landlord; rancher; food product inspector; and lumber, orchard and hospitality industries. Education: Crater High School graduate, 1970 graduate of George Fox University (bachelor of science). Political experience: director of Jackson County Soil and Water Conservation District; Resource Conservation and Development Council; Resource Lands Review Committee; Board Seven Basins Watershed Council; Rogue Basin Coordination Council; Sams Valley Citizens Advisory Committee board member; and Rogue Basin Local Advisory Committee. Community participation: Sams Valley Awareness Day Committee and Jackson County Traffic Safety Board. "I don't want anyone to think they are going to have an influence," he said of his decision. "At this stage, I want to say I'm completely neutral." If he wins the primary, Fitzgerald acknowledged that he will be forced to accept contributions. "I will be representing the whole Republican party," he added. Davidson - president of Jackson County Republican Women and the Land Owner Resource Management Corp. - is no stranger to politics. In 1998, she participated in the successful campaign to re-elect Holt. The decision to run against Holt this year is based on a need for change, she added. "It isn't going to be done by sitting in closed-door rooms and coming up with a solution that makes no sense to the public," Davidson added. For several years, Davidson has been a participant in halting or encouraging change on the county level. In 1996, Davidson and her neighbors successfully rallied to keep the state from building a prison at Simpson Park north of Medford. In 2000, she once again campaigned to halt the county's master plan for its White City Sports Park. Davidson recently became the spokesman for the county's pilot association, a group fighting a county policy that eventually reverts ownership of airport structures built by tenants back to the county. She said attempting to work with the county to resolve those issues also motivated her to run for office. She believes communication with the county must be open. Ric Holt Age: 64 Home: Rural Ashland resident. Family: divorced, and two children. Occupation: U.S. Air Force; restaurant management; Gulf Oil Corp.; marketing; corporate liaison to Disney Corp.; government relations in seven western states; and business owner. Education: General education certificate (GED) during military service (1956) and certificates in restaurant management and real estate. Political experience: County commissioner since 1991; Attorney General Advisory Committee; Western Oil and Gas Association; Jackson County Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee; Fire District 5 Budget Committee; chairman of Bring Back the Trains; Salvation Army board of directors. Community involvement: American/Asian Affairs Committee; U.S. Clean Cities Program; and Jackson County reserve deputy sheriff. "I'm running because I've tried and tried and tried to get county leadership to address these difficult issues," she said. "It's not how our government is supposed to be structured." Holt, a Southern California native, has been asking voters to look at his past achievements. "I love this job. I've put together many beneficial things for the county," Holt said in a previous interview. Past accomplishments he touts include organizing a timber summit in 1993 and helping to reopen a rail line over the Siskiyous in 1995. Holt serves as the board liaison for county aviation as well as the clerk, assessor and surveyor departments. He spearheaded the area's Y2K task force and formed the organization Bring Back the Trains to create a rail service over the Siskiyous that would pass through Southern Oregon. Earlier, Holt said that in the past he's gotten a bad reputation as being anti-environment, adding that his efforts to clean up the air with natural gas vehicles and expose the effects of MTBE have been overlooked. When it comes to the Elk Creek Dam, however, Holt has no qualms about catching fire in his efforts to see the structure completed. Holt opposes a proposal to notch the structure, and in the past has spoken about the dam's potential as a water storage resource for Southern Oregon. If elected, Holt said his priorities would include delving into alternative fuel programs, protecting senior citizen and veteran programs, reducing air fares, developing alternate transportation and encouraging local living-wage jobs. "I think I'm doing a good job. I'll just continue to be me," Holt said earlier. Both Fitzgerald and Davidson see a need for change within the current administration. Fitzgerald wants to build a government that doesn't rely on fees for budgeting, perhaps by creating an alternate tax structure if residents support the idea. "I would like to see change. I don't intend to rock any boats, but slow its direction," he added. Fitzgerald also opposes how the board rubber-stamps many "unnecessary ordinances," such as a recent ruling allowing animal control officers to enter private property without permission to offer aid to pets in specific situations. "In essence what they are is a legislative body that meets every week," he said. "The people have no control." If elected, Davidson wants to simplify the budget process and land use ordinances. "It's much more complicated than it needs to be. Right now it has no respect and no one trusts it," she said. "It's going to take a new approach." One new approach may be to fight for change at the state and federal level, she added. Davidson said she would also like to see the county support activities and programs for the region's youth. "While the county may not be able to fund them, they can provide the leadership," she said. Reach reporter Jill Briskey at 776-4485, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2001 Mail Tribune, Inc.