FORKS — Mayoral candidate Joe Soha has embraced a proposal to have Clallam County sheriff deputies share space with the Forks Police Department, while his opponent, council member Bryon Monohon, wants to look into the idea before making up his mind.
The two spoke during a Thursday night forum featuring candidates on the Nov. 3 general election ballot.
About 100 people attended the forum for the two mayoral candidates and Forks City Council hopefuls Tom Scott and John Hillcar — who are running for Position 2, now held by Patricia Mansfield, who is not running for another four-year term — and Position 3 candidates Randy McAvoy and incumbent Bruce Guckenberg, as well as Port of Port Angeles candidates.
Guckenberg, 57, manager of Sully’s Drive-In, was under going a scheduled surgery, and was unable to attend the forum, sponsored by the Forks Chamber of Commerce, the weekly Forks Forum, and Forks Radio.
Soha, 26, said he was in favor of the idea of the two agencies sharing quarters, which Clallam Sheriff Bill Benedict broached to the council Monday.
“It makes the most economically sound sense, because they will be paying rent,” Soha said.
“I’d have to hear a really good reason why they shouldn’t be in there before I’d change my mind,” he added.
Work on issues
Monohon, 46, who is in his sixth year serving on the council, said he was not opposed to the idea, but that he would have to work on some issues first.
“There were some real issues when they were asked to leave in 2003,” by Mayor Nedra Reed, he said.
“They were not working well with the city, and there are things that can likely be worked out, but those are things that probably need to be addressed first.
“What we don’t want is the sheriff coming in and telling us what to do and how to handle things, because we already have our own identity and have had 50-plus years of having had a police department.
“We need to be careful in how we proceed in the long run.”
Reed this week was adamantly opposed to relocating West End deputies into the Forks Police Department building, saying that the Forks officers had been subjected to disrespect and had to pick up work for deputies who were unproductive when the two agencies had shared quarters earlier.
The Clallam County Sheriff’s Office deputies on the West End shared offices with the Forks Police Department under a 25-year lease that ended in 2003, at which point Reed requested the deputies be relocated.
Monohon — a mental health case manager for Forks Community Hospital’s West End Outreach Services — and Soha, who owns the property and building of the Mill Creek Bar and Grill, and manages the bar for the owner — are vying for the position to be vacated by Mayor Nedra Reed, who is not running for a third term.
Forks has a strong mayor form of government, in which the mayor is elected specifically to that office, and serves as the city manager. It is an unpaid position.
Personnel changes
Neither Soha nor Monohon would comment about making personnel changes, either in general or in regard to Chief of Police Mike Powell, who has been the center of controversy for the past two years.
Three police employees — including Tom Scott who is now running for City Council, JoElle Munger and Deanna Dematteis — were fired in January 2008.
The three had advocated Powell’s dismissal, citing a host of reasons, including loss in faith in his leadership and sexual harassment charges. Two investigations cleared Powell of the sexual harassment charges.
Soha said he would have to look into any issues after he was in office before deciding if he would make any changes.
Monohon said he wanted to hear more information from the public.
“People need to step up and let us know exactly what they want to happen,” he said.
“There are many different ways this could be resolved, but I want to know what people really think.
“They need to come to City Council meetings and publicly state what they want.”
Soha said more information was needed, and that people he knows haven’t stepped forward out of fear of retaliation.
Non-voting member
The three council candidates who were present at the forum liked the idea of adding a non-voting member to the council to represent residents who live outside the city limit, but who are still impacted by city actions.
Scott, 54, proposed such a position in answer to a question about how candidates would improve the Forks City Council, if elected.
“I would like to see a position on the council — it would have to be non-voting, of course — to represent those living outside the city,” Scott said.
Hillcar, his opponent, agreed that the idea was feasible, and said that, if he were elected, he would look into the feasibility of such a position.
Hillcar, 35, is a rock crushing operator and truck driver.
When moderator Chris Cook, Forks Forum editor, asked the audience who was interested in such representation, McAvoy, 56, raised his hand, along with about 20 others.
A need for more recreation was another point all three council candidates agreed upon.
McAvoy property
McAvoy — who retired to Forks after selling his business, McAvoy Construction, Inc. — talked about adding recreational opportunities to his own property.
The candidates had been asked what each would add to the town if they could pick anything.
Scott — who owns and operates Scott’s Appliance Repair and Olympic Paragliding in Forks — said he would place the emphasis on getting a motor sports park up and running.
“There are a lot of options that come to mind,” he said.
“But getting the motor sport facility for our local drag races is really important.”
The West End Thunder drag races are now held at the Forks Municipal Airport, but the Federal Aviation Administration has told the nonprofit club that it must find a new home before 2012.
“I would like more recreational things to do in Forks,” Hillcar said.
“Perhaps we could have an [all-terrain vehicle] area designated for no hunting, with a campground and trailheads.”
McAvoy said he too would like more recreation and has already begun working on that issue.
“I have a plot of property that I’ve been looking into trying to add a zipline course to it,” he said.
“John mentioned quads, and the area of my property could really handle both.”
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Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
