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A series of eight questions placing the
focus on economic development were asked of Mayor Beth Davis, Pat
O'Neill, Dale Voyles -- all Republican candidates -- and Tom
O'Donohue, an independent candidate.
The one Democratic candidate, Jan
Tabor, respectfully declined to participate.
Patrick Doolin, president of the
chamber's board of directors, welcomed the early risers, and chamber
gov/ed chair Wanda Lee Rohlfs served as moderator.
The Republican candidates all hold
positions on either the city council or county board and all have
been busy continuously keeping up with other meetings. Yet, they all
returned again to another platform at the end of the very same day.
At 7 p.m. Mayor Davis, O'Neill and
Voyles took the stage at the Lincoln Community High School for their
second forum of the day, the fourth forum in two weeks' time. All
three attended a student-sponsored debate open to the public at
Lincoln College on Jan. 24. Tabor declined to participate in that
one, and the independent party registration had just opened, so
O'Donohue hadn't had time to get into that debate. The Republicans
were also hosted at a party forum on Jan. 25.
The now well-honed candidates
addressed a crowd of just over 50 in the second debate targeted for
the general public's benefit. Tabor and O'Donohue, who have no party
opposition for the primary, were identified in the audience.
Candidates responded to a variety of
questions chosen and asked by local media representatives Jan
Schumacher, a freelance writer who provides opinion for The Courier; Jan Youngquist,
editor for Lincoln Daily News; and Mike Fak, a guest
commentary columnist appearing weekly in The Courier. They provided about four rounds of questions, which
the candidates answered in just under an hour.
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this article]
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Courier editor Jeff Nelson welcomed
the crowd and served as moderator. Courier advertising manager Rob
Eilts timed the responses.
A relative sense of where each of
the candidates would lead Lincoln developed through the course of
questions, which spanned economics, infrastructure development,
choice of department heads and a sense of what the community is and
can be in their eyes.
The candidates understandably showed
moments when they seemed fatigued and unable to connect to a
question as well as they might have if they had known the question
in advance and had a prepared statement.
Equally so, they had their shining
moments where their vision, personality and desires for Lincoln were
clear to all.
Each mayoral candidate has been
invited by Lincoln Daily News to submit his or her own
position paper. Their positions will be posted in the order that
they are received and will remain on the
Where They Stand page
in LDN until the general election.
The primary election for each party
to select the representative who will enter the general election
will be on Feb. 22.
The general election with the final
vote between the Democratic, Republican and independent candidates
for mayor will be April 5.
[Jan
Youngquist]
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