The Post Online - Candidates attend forum in Cedar Bluff

Aug. 18, 2008

Most candidates take advantage of forum in Cedar Bluff

CEDAR BLUFF – A majority of the candidates for municipal office in Cedar Bluff were present Thursday night at a public forum, where they spoke to voters and briefly discussed their vision for the future of the small town on the shores of Weiss Lake.

A crowd of around 100 attended the event, held in the activities center at Cedar Bluff First Baptist Church. The welcome was given by Jim Pickelsimer, whose company, A&G Gutters, sponsored the event.

Moderator Jerry Baker of WEIS-AM described the gathering as “an opportunity to come together and meet the candidates you may not know so that you can make a good selection when you go to the polls.”

District 1 candidates Billie Burkhalter and Tim Miller declined to attend the event. The remaining candidate, attorney Evan Smith, said he cares about the town and wants to serve on the town council.

“I think I can bring the town together,” he said.

District 2 candidates Donald Sanders and Lenora McWhorter both attended the forum.

McWhorter, a retired teacher who taught at Cedar Bluff for over 20 years, called the town “a wonderful place to live” and said she is running for a spot on the town council because she feels she has something to offer the town.

Sanders, who previously served the town as both a member of the town council and mayor, said improved city streets are among his priorities.

“We've got 23 miles of roads and probably 22 ¾ of them need to be repaved,” he said.

The only District 3 candidate in attendance was Martha Baker, the current mayor, who is not seeking reelection to that office.

“I have a lot invested in Cedar Bluff,” Baker said. “I'm interested in this town and I care about this town and I think I can make unbiased decisions.”

In District 4, candidates Tammy Crane, Mark Hicks and Herb Sherwin all attended the forum. No District 5 candidates were present.

Two mayoral candidates, Ethel Sprouse and Jimmy Wallace, spoke to voters. Sprouse, who has been a member of the town council since 2000, said she hopes to continue the progress she has been a part of for the past eight years. Wallace, who serves as the town's building inspector, said he would like to see Cedar Bluff maintain its small-town atmosphere but also “be prepared for growth that has already begun.”

After the candidates from each race took turns introducing themselves and making remarks, they fielded questions from the audience.

Cedar Bluff High School Principal Bobby Mintz asked the candidates why the school was scheduled to stop receiving a 20 percent share of the town's income from alcohol sales. Baker informed the crowd that the town council has already made known its intentions to proceed as scheduled with the annual payment to the school, which in the past has averaged around $25,000.

The council had discussed suspending the payment until pending litigation against Cedar Bluff over the sale of alcoholic beverages is decided.

Common themes discussed by candidates during the event included a better working relationship between the town and Cedar Bluff School, upgrades to the city park, improvements in city streets and more harmonious relationships among members of the town council.

The election will be held Aug. 26.