Commissioner candidates to participate in debate

Candidates for Carbon County commissioner will answer questions from panelists and area business people during a live televised debate Monday night.

The candidates will debate on stage at Penn’s Peak starting at 7 p.m. Monday. Doors will open at 6 p.m. for a meet and greet with candidates for commissioner and all countywide offices.

BRCTV 13 will televise the debate live and make it available on demand for Blue Ridge Communications customers starting Oct. 30. The debate will also be featured at www.tnonline.com after that date.

The debate is sponsored by the Times News, BRCTV 13 and the Carbon Chamber and Economic Development Corporation.

The panelists for the event include CCEDC Executive Director Marlyn Kissner, Pocono Mountain Visitors Bureau President/CEO Chris Barrett, and Times News Editor Marta Gouger.

Kissner said the panel will represent the business community and in particular the area’s largest industry, tourism, as well as the issues important to the area’s residents.

She said they hope to represent the interests of the area’s smallest businesses up through the county’s largest employers.

“I think it’s important that our business community and our folks are heard,” Kissner said.

In preparation, the chamber has asked business people from around Carbon County to submit questions which will be considered, but not necessarily included by the panel. Questions can be submitted to marlynk@lehighvalleychamber.org and will be accepted through Monday.

Audience members will also be able to submit questions the night of the event.

The candidates set to appear include the two Republican and two Democratic nominees for commissioner, as well as a not affiliated candidate and an incumbent who did not win his party’s nomination. All the candidates have confirmed that they will be in attendance, Kissner said.

Incumbent Wayne Nothstein and newcomer Chris Lukasevich are on the Republican ticket, and newcomers Bob Jacobs and Rocky Ahner won the Democratic Party nominations.

Also appearing will be Gerald Strubinger, who is on the ballot as not affiliated, and Republican Tom Gerhard. Gerhard was not nominated in the May primary, but is running a write-in campaign to retain his seat.

Kissner said anyone who had announced their candidacy for county commissioner was invited to take part in the debate.

She said the chamber is not a political organization, is taking no sides in the commissioners’ race, and wanted to give the opportunity to everyone who is running for the position.

“It’s important that we provide the public with that opportunity to hear from the folks who are excited to run for the position,” she said.

The debate will be 90 minutes long. Candidates will be able to make a 30-second opening statement and a 60-second closing statement.

There will be a total of 12 questions. Each question will be directed at a single candidate. That candidate will have 60 seconds to answer. The other five candidates will have 30 seconds each to respond.

Candidates will draw straws to determine their speaking order and seating arrangements.

The meet and greet with candidates for all countywide offices begins at 6 p.m. There are contested races for district attorney, county controller, recorder of deeds, clerk of courts and prothonotary.