Gerhard sitting out of commissioners debate

Published October 25. 2019 03:33PM

<p>By Chris Reber</p><p>creber@tnonline.com</p>

Thomas J. Gerhard says he will not participate at Monday’s televised debate featuring candidates for Carbon County Commissioner.

Gerhard, a Republican who has served on the board of commissioners since 2012, is running a write-in campaign to retain his seat. He did not win one of his party’s two nominations to be on the ballot for the Nov. 5 general election.

The candidates for Carbon County Commissioner are scheduled to debate on stage at Penn’s Peak on Monday at 7 p.m.

The debate will air live on BRC13.

Republican nominees Wayne Nothstein and Chris Lukasevich, Democratic nominees Bob Jacobs and Rocky Ahner, and independent candidate Gerald Strubinger have confirmed they will appear at the debate.

Nothstein is also an incumbent.

Penn’s Peak will also host a meet and greet for all candidates running for county-wide office prior to the debate, starting at 6 p.m.

Gerhard issued the following statement:

“I, Commissioner Tom Gerhard, after much thought, have made a decision not to participate in the Carbon Commissioners Debate 2019 on Monday, Oct. 28, 2019.

“Over the past eight years, the Board of Commissioners has worked together as a team for Carbon County and its residents. I believe that our record speaks for itself. I participated in one debate in 2011 and personally do not believe that any good comes from a debate. I feel that the debate will only turn into a “mudslinging contest.” The important issues at hand do not get properly addressed. If anyone wishes to contact me regarding current issues, my platform, or county business, they should feel free to contact me at 570-325-3611.

“I look forward to coming to work every day and am hopeful that the people of Carbon County will allow me the opportunity to serve them for another four years.

“Best of luck to all of the candidates.”

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Comments
Oh no there goes ignorant Lukasevich's clown show! He'll actually have to say something meaningful instead playing the school yard bully.
Lukasevich, he's "trained to kill!" That's the kind of militaristic freak show Carbon County needs! 🤮
Write in Tom Gerhard, civility and class.
Chris L. has been putting down his own party & bullying from the beginning just shows you the kind of guy he is! Very Unprofessional & Unpleasant!!! I will NOT VOTE for someone like this to put him in office!

November 5th Vote Tom Gerhard 2019
And what has his own party been doing to him? They violated their by-laws by not supporting the 2 Republican nominees that were elected in the Primary with the most votes - those two nominees being Chris Lukasevich and Wayne Nothstein. Before you go pointing fingers you should make sure that you don’t live in a glass house.
Ask Tom why brother Barry borrows 3,200 hundred dollars from senior citizen and then refuses to pay it back? Tom said he will talk with his brother and get it taken care of. Its been over a year and he hasn't seen a penny. Civility and class?
Gerhard lost in the primary, didn't he? Why should he be in this debate? I guess he's no good at debating or knowing the facts so he's chosen not to be on board.....then why continue as a write in candidate? We need commissioners with good/relative educations, management/budgeting experience, the hutsva to tackle some of the more complex issues facing the county,and an outstanding work ethic. Decide and vote wisely.
I think the voters made a statement that they didn’t want to give him another 4 years with a huge paycheck and get nothing in return for their vote and their tax dollars. It’s not so much that Gerhard lost, it’s more like THE TAXPAYERS/VOTERS WON. They have taken back control on who they want working for them.
Lukasevich is also a disgrace to the military. He uses his uniform for personal and political gain. He's slapping every veteran in the face. He's an unhinged punk.
Between my husband and I, we have a total of 47 years of active military service. COL (Retired) Chris Lukasevich IS NOT a disgrace to the military and he IS NOT slapping every veteran in the face. He is the epitome os a soldier’s soldier. You should be ashamed of your comments and if you had 1 oz of the backbone that he has, you would post your name and call him an “unhinged punk” to his face. It is because of people like Chris Lukasevich that allows you to make the stupid comments you do in an attempt to ruin a good man’s reputation. The Times News Online should revoke your subscription.
Too bad he won't be there. Would have been far more interesting. Looking forward to watching the debate.
Yes, the record does speak for itself, which is why he lost the primary, in part. If this current administration did care about the issues, they would have been listening to people all along. Instead, typical of politicians, they listen, you feel good after having said something because you think your issue will be addressed but nothing ever happens. The jail, for example, went to hell for years and nobody batted an eye. Instead, it was about money. Weatherwood went to hell for years and nobody batted an eye. Don't forget about Packerton Yard. Again, money. What Gerhard is doing by skipping the debate is saying, "I don't want to be challenged on the poor decisions I (we) made since 2012 because that will make me lose the election by more. Instead, Nothstein can speak for us since his name alone will carry him in the election, and he doesn't really have to worry about losing." With any luck, Nothstein can go the way of Gerhard too and leadership can return to the office.
I agree. Chris is a bully, tyrant and lunatic because he has the courage to speak out against what is wrong with this county and it’s so-called “leaders”. The current administration has no clue how to lead. They operate a social network for the benefit of their family and friend. Employees are afraid to speak up for fear of being black-listed or even worse, losing their job. The CC Correctional Facility needs help; the sale of Weatherwood netted $5 million (what happened to it?), money is committed to non-profits with no accountability on how the money is spent and what was accomplished, and the Commissioners seem to make decisions with little involvement of the stakeholders resulting in failed projects and wasted taxpayer dollars. The nay-sayers and Gerhard/Nothstein supporters are going to continue their blind support because they lack the ability or education to look at the history of these incumbents. But voters know better, they see that there’s and educated man, military or not, that has the passion and will to go to work for this county’s residents. He doesn’t need this job, he wants this job because he wants to show Carbon County residents that there can be a better life right here at home. If the voters don’t see this, well then I won’t feel sorry for them because they chose their own future.
And to the lady who called him a “raving lunatic” on a Tom Zimmerman FB thread. You;re probably right because it takes a raving lunatic to run toward bullets coming at you when everyone else is running the opposite way. You can now thank Chris for his service to allow you to speak freely in this country.
And while I’m at it, let me address the woman on one of the Weatherly’s FB pages. The one who threw Chris’s ad card in the garbage can with the picture of him in uniform face up. Then posted some rude comment. That woman owes an apology to every man and woman who ever wore a U.S. military uniform an I take that post as a personal assault to my 23.5 years on active duty in the Army. You, ma’am, should be ashamed of yourself to stoop so low. It you don’t like the man, that’s one thing. BUT BY GOD, DO NOT DISRESPECT A UNITED STATES MILITARY UNIFORM.

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