Mayoral candidates disagree

The candidates disagreed on whether the proposed fire
district is an issue this year.

By D.A. WILKINSON

VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU

SALEM — The major mayoral candidates are disagreeing over the issues in the upcoming campaign.

Republican Jerry Wolford, a Perry Township trustee, said Friday he is thinking about an independent forum where all three candidates could talk at length.

“We could stay on the issues,” Wolford said.

Democrat councilman Clyde Brown is also seeking the post.

Gregory A. Shaffer has also filed to run as a write-in candidate.

Wolford said the issues include economic development, jobs and drug problems in the city.

“In the next four years, we need to get to work,” Wolford said.

Brown has also pushed economic development.

Wolford recently rapped Brown for his no vote on part of the legislation to ease traffic congestion on the east side of town.

Brown initially decided not respond, but changed his mind.

Fire district issue

While Wolford maintains the issue of a community fire district is dead, Brown said what he calls the “fire district debacle” is very much alive.

Council and the Perry Township trustees had agreed to eliminate their fire departments and create the Quaker Community Fire District.

Council wanted to save money, but the State Employment Relations Board ruled the fire department had a contract with the city and couldn’t be dissolved.

Brown said he wasn’t raising the issue — but voters are.

Since Wolford supported the fire district, Brown said, “I would assume that [Wolford] would want to pay even more attention to what people are saying.”

Brown said that the outcome of votes in recent years shows the intent of voters.

Two years ago, Brown and three other council members defeated the sitting at large council members and the president of council.

In the primary this year, three ward council members who supported the fire district were defeated.

The fourth, and remaining ward councilman, Greg Oesch, was unopposed in the primary but then decided not to run again.