Published: October 24, 2008 10:06 pm      

Todd Churchman

The Duncan Banner emailed some questions to all the candidates running for political office that members of Stephens County will be voting on Nov. 4. What follows is this candidate's responses to these questions.



Questions for Todd Churchman, Democrat candidate for Stephens County Commissioner:



1) What qualifications do you have for running for County Commissioner in Stephens County?



My twenty years experience in the paving industry and sixteen years of business management have prepared me for the job of Stephens County Commissioner. I have worked a crew of men for sixteen years and know how to get the work done. Managing this business will be an asset for me as I address the business at the Stephens County Courthouse. My Uncle, Gary Ledford, is a former Stephens County Commissioner of District 3 which gives me a unique perspective of the duties required for the office of County Commissioner.



2) Why are you running for County Commissioner in Stephens County?



Stephens County is my home and I am proud to live here. I am interested in the future of Stephens County. By running for the office of Stephen County Commissioner District 2, I will have the opportunity to serve the people of this county and help the district be productive.



3) What is the most important issue to you and how will you work to alleviate the problem if elected?



There are no unimportant issues in regards to the Stephens County Commissioner's office but one of the most important issues are safe bridges. I plan to aggressively address the bridges of District 2. Some bridges need repair and others need to be replaced. The areas around every bridge and intersection should be cleaned up and trees removed to make these areas more visible to traffic which makes them safer. Maintaining the roads has to be a priority but the best roads shut down when bridges fail.



4)What have been some “positives” that have happened during your campaign?



During my campaign I have visited about 12,000 homes total for the primary and general election. In that time I visited people that I have not seen in years, renewed old friendships, and made new friends. The people of Stephens County have shown me every kindness. We talked about issues, family, and what makes Stephens County special. If elected as Stephens County Commissioner I will do everything I can for what I consider to be Stephens County's greatest asset--THE PEOPLE!



5)With the ever increasing costs for construction materials, road construction/maintenance costs are increasing exponentially, what can be done to alleviate the problem? In other words, can the number of road projects remain steady or will the number of projects need to decrease yearly unless taxes are raised?



Construction costs have increased several times over the past few years. Roads that could be chipped and sealed for $4000 six years ago now cost about $15,000 today. Stephens County is blessed with sources of revenue that some counties don't have. The road and bridge fund draws its revenue from fuel taxes, vehicle excise taxes, and gross production taxes. The actual dollar amount each years changes but with the ever growing cost of construction and maintenance it is extremely important to be able to plan and prioritize to maintain our roads and bridges.



6)In February of this year, the jail inspector from the Oklahoma State Department of Health met with the commissioners and said that the jail beneath the courthouse does not meet state standards and if they are not fixed heavy penalties could be layed on the county. Possible solutions include trying to repair the problems of the old jail and even building a brand new jail. What do you want to do to help resolve the issue. Where will the funds come from?



Without all the information concerning the parts of the jail that don't meet the state standards it is difficult to make a hard stand on this issue. But let me say the most economical way to alleviate this problem with the information available is to repair the old jail. Building a new jail would not be cost effective. There are some major obstacles in the construction of a new jail such as where to build it. You would likely have to build on another site which involves land cost and staffing a separate facility.