Third forum brings higher turnout

Allison Brophy Champion / Culpeper Star Exponent
Published: October 25, 2007

In spite of a steady rain, more than 120 people attended Thursday night's orderly political forum at the high school to hear from seven candidates running for four constitutional officers' positions.

Three of the races - sheriff's office, commonwealth's attorney office, and the commissioner of revenue - are contested in the November 6 election, while Jan Corbin, Culpeper County Clerk of the Court, is running unopposed. Treasurer David DeJarnette was unable to attend Thursday's forum, the final of three meetings sponsored by the Lignum Ruritan Club.

Moderator Tom Seay, a Culpeper farmer and host of RFD-TV's "Best of America by Horseback," speculated on the evening's higher-than-average turnout.

"Either the Board of Supervisors are boring or this attractive bunch gains more attention," he said of the previous night's forum, which attracted about 40 people. "I'm not sure which."

Whichever the case, each of the candidates came prepared to answer a variety of questions submitted by the audience. Following is a summary of the highlights from each race.

Commonwealth's attorney
Incumbent Gary Close, Culpeper County commonwealth's attorney for the past 16 years, touted his experience as a major issue in the upcoming election. Culpeper County will select a new sheriff November 6 and the town recently got a new police chief. Close contended his office was the third rung in that triangle and that at least one of the offices should have occupational experience.

Challenger Kevin Smith represented the opposite - change. Though the private practice defense attorney has lived in Culpeper just four years, Smith said he has set his roots deep.

If elected, he said he intended to reinvest resources back into the community to prevent crime.

The commonwealth's attorney candidates answered the same four questions regarding plea bargains, the reentry of inmates into society, a new jail and their take on the most pressing issue facing Culpeper.

Both candidates said plea bargains should be considered only after taking a victim's wishes into account. In addition, both said plea bargains can save resources, money and time.

Smith emphasized that he would never allow a pedophile "to walk out on a plea."

In response to a question about establishing programs for newly freed inmates, Close said that's not something for which the commonwealth's attorney office is responsible.

"My main concern is that those who do re-enter society, like sex offenders, register as they are supposed to do," he said. "And if they don't, we will prosecute that vigorously."

Smith, on the other hand, said a commonwealth's attorney should take a more proactive role to ensure that ex-convicts don't re-enter the system. Without such programs, former inmates often have a hard time finding jobs and turn back to a life of crime, Smith said.

"I think it is imperative to try and prevent that next victim," he said.

Close and Smith agreed on the need for a new jail with the incumbent specifically favoring a regional approach versus the more costly local jail proposal. Close said regional jails receive double the state funding compared to the local approach.

Smith said a proposal to build a new local jail could prove to be an extreme tax burden and how the current jail is "extremely overcrowded."

"Culpeper County has its back against the wall in terms of liability," he said of current conditions.

Close said growth was the most pressing issue facing the county and Smith named its young people as his top priority.

According to Close, Culpeper recently surpassed Albemarle County in terms of caseload, which he said is a first during his tenure.

"It affects everything," he said of the growth.

Smith called for more involvement from the commonwealth's attorney with youth in an effort to keep them out of the criminal justice system.

Sheriff's office
Culpeper County Sheriff's Major Jim Branch and his opponent Culpeper Police Sgt. Scott Jenkins received the most questions at nine, an indication of increased community interest in their race for office.

The questions covered everything from initial goals, fitness standards and illegal immigration to the new jail, technology and gangs.

Branch began his remarks by talking about his law enforcement background in Orange County and with the state police.

"I have been a boot on the ground," he said, mentioning his participation in numerous high-speed chases "Am I perfect- No, but I strive to do the very best that I can."

Jenkins plugged his native ties to Culpeper on more than one occasion as well as his long history in law enforcement. If elected, he said he would institute a procedure by which his deputies could file grievances regarding hiring and firing.

"I consider the people in the sheriff's office like family," Jenkins said.

During his first 90 days in office, Branch said, not many changes would have to be made. However, he said he was very much in favor of community policing.

"We will continue the service that we have been doing," Branch said. "And we have been doing a tremendous job."

Jenkins said his first 90 days as sheriff would be "quite busy."

The first thing he would do is address equipment needs as well as work to institute his new policy for employee grievances.

On the topic of fitness, Jenkins he would use himself as an example "to lead the way for a better conditioning program."

Branch, on the other hand, assured the audience that he is physically fit and is already leading the deputies in that regard by example.

Both candidates said they would support a regional jail versus a new local jail and both favored in-car computers for all deputies. Neither would reveal their choice for chief deputy or lieutenant of criminal investigations if and when elected.

On the topic of gangs, Branch and Jenkins recognized a problem, but at different levels.

"I do not believe it is an epidemic or an out-of-control problem" Branch said, though mentioning that the sheriff's office had acted proactively on the issue, including recent training in Chicago for five deputies.

Still, said Jenkins, the office could improve its gang enforcement by looking to the counties to the north and borrowing from their already well-established programs.

"Back in the 80s, we had a war on drugs," he said. "Now, we need a task force on gangs."

Commissioner of revenue
Culpeper County Commissioner of the Revenue Terry Yowell and opponent Irvin Bennett Jr., a former county supervisor, answered four questions regarding their plans for the taxation office. Like in the other races, the incumbent touted experience and the challenger, change.

Bennett, a Gulf War veteran and Air Force fighter pilot, said he has proven leadership skills based on his military and local government experience. Yowell stood on her many years of hands-on work in the many areas of the commissioner's office.

"The important part is integrity in this election," she said.
Bennett said he would get aptly trained in the specifics of the job through the state's commissioner of the revenue school.
"I would rely heavily on the staff until I got up to speed," he said.

Yowell mentioned her 12 years of experience in the office and how she conducts training for new commissioners.

"I have a strong business background. I know the law and what I can and cannot do," she said.

In conclusion, Yowell challenged Bennett's assertion in a recent newspaper interview that her office had experienced 100 percent turnover since she became commissioner. Four of her five original staff members still remain, she said.

"I do ask that you take math skills into account when casting your vote," Yowell said.

Bennett said he's the right person to help recruit new business and industry to Culpeper, and that he has the values and leadership to get the job done.

Unopposed clerk
Jan Corbin, though running opposed for clerk of the circuit court, got a couple questions thrown her way. She repeatedly emphasized that it is her role to serve the people.

Corbin said she is working to convert more land records to electronic format and that she is pushing to increase her staff by one to include a clerk for the records' room.

"I am running unopposed but I don't take my job for granted," she said.

Allison Brophy Champion can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 101 or