WS Chronicle

COUNTY OFFICES

Board of Commissioners At-Large

(You may vote for only ONE)

The Chronicle chooses not to endorse anyone in this race.

Keenen Altic

A.L. “Buddy” Collins

Ted Kaplan

Keenen Altic is a Green Party candidate running for County Commissioner At-Large. According to his website, he is running to “create rent control tied to wages, stop the County detention center from being used to lock up immigrants, demilitarize the Sheriff’s department, create property tax exemption for working class people and a graduated property tax increase on the rich, and make the electrical grid powered by renewable energy and democratic ownership.”

A.L. “Buddy” Collins is a Kernersville attorney who practices law in Forsyth County. Collins was previously a member of the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board for 16 years, and recently resigned as vice chairman of the North Carolina Board of Education. Collins seems to be supportive of job creation through economic incentives and will prove to be a great ally for local schools from the commissioner level given his experience in local and higher education. Collins is certainly a conservative and will bring that perspective to the county commissioners if elected.

Democratic incumbent Ted Kaplan has been the biggest surprise in his latest term in office. Kaplan has conspired with Republican Debra Conrad in the N.C. General Assembly to de-annex the airport from the citizens of Winston-Salem, which would force the city to raise taxes or cut services to come up with the lost revenue. Thank goodness that the local state delegation did not support their efforts. Kaplan has the potential to do great things for the urban core of Winston-Salem, but we have seen very little effort except for his airport interests. Kaplan did recently support improving teacher supplements with his vote to attach teacher pay to the proposed referendum for a quarter-cent county sales tax.

If the voters give him another chance, he has nowhere to go but up in his support for our community. Veteran legislators are always held to higher standards in the offices that they hold.

Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of Education

The Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools Board has had some interesting challenges and has celebrated some significant successes. The Board has dealt with toxins in the groundwater at Hanes/Lowrance, mold in Ashley Elementary, falling behind peer counties in teacher pay, and failing schools in the urban core. We have seen successes in the hiring of more African-American principals and we have seen educational growth in schools like Carver, W-S Prep, and Atkins. In 2016, the voters approved bonds that will ultimately improve technology and renovate several schools in the urban core, specifically east of Highway 52. It’s important to have quality school board members that will continue the work that has been started. The Chronicle endorses the following candidates for the Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Board of education:

Board of Education At-Large

(You may vote for THREE)

(D) Elisabeth Motsinger*

(D) Deanna Kaplan*

(D) Andrea Bramer*

(R) Robert Barr

*Note: Robert Barr did finally come out and express support for Ashley Elementary at the last school board meeting on 10-9-18. Hopefully it’s not too little too late …

Board of Education, District 1

(You may vote for TWO)

(D) Malishai Woodbury*

(D) Barbara Hanes Burke*

Board of Education, District 2

(You may vote for FOUR)

(D) Marilynn Baker*

(R) Lida Calvert-Hayes*

(D) Rebecca Nussbaum*

(R) Dana Caudill Jones*

*Note: Leah Crowley is a candidate that has galvanized excellent community support as a political newcomer.

Sheriff

(You may vote for ONE)

William (Bill) Schatzman

Bobby Kimbrough, Jr.*

Bill Schatzman is a former FBI agent who has served as Sheriff in Forsyth County for the last 16 years. Schatzman has worked well with city and county leaders and has done a relatively good job with keeping suburban Forsyth County safe.

Bobby Kimbrough is a retired special agent with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency and is in his first run for public office. Kimbrough handily defeated his challengers in the Democratic Primary. He has challenged Schatzman at every turn on his handling of the local opioid crisis and the tragic deaths at the Forsyth County Jail. Schatzman has been a good sheriff, not many can debate that. We feel that Kimbrough, being a city native, has a better understanding of the issues that face our communities. Kimbrough has offered up innovative initiatives and new ideas, and we believe that he has the energy and experience that’s necessary to lead Forsyth County for the next 16 years.

The Chronicle endorses Bobby Kimbrough for Forsyth County Sheriff.