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LOCAL The Times, Gainesville, Georgia | gainesvilletimes.com Midweek Edition - May 13-14, 2020 5A Ej ELECTION 2020 | u.s. house 9th district representative 3 Democrats challenging for Collins’ seat BY JEFF GILL jgill@gainesvilletimes.com Three Democratic candidates are vying for the chance to fill what’s been a Republican- dominated seat in the U.S. House’s 9th District. Devin Pandy, Brooke Siskin and Dan Wil son are on the June 9 primary ballot seeking to oppose the Republican candidate — now a crowded field — in the general election this November. Both parties are seeking to replace U.S. Rep. Doug Collins, R-Gainesville, who is hop ing to unseat U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler. Some Hall County voters have received absentee ballots with an incorrect congres sional district listed, although the candidates listed are correct and the ballots can still be used. The incorrect ballots include a heading for Georgia’s 1st Congressional District. Hall County is in the 9th Congressional District. Ballots in Towns and Stephens counties don’t have Siskin’s first name listed, but, according to the Secretary of State’s office, both her names will be on absentee ballots going forward and for in-person voting. Pandy, 46, retired from the U.S. Army after 21 years, said he was looking for a way to serve his country again, “but I was thinking more along the lines of putting in more volun teer hours or something like that.” Then, he was asked by a few people if he would consider running for office. He said he thought he should support someone first, but then decided on a bid of his own. He has a few key issues, but the big one is his support for universal health care. “People can choose to get their own private insurance, but everybody should have the option,” Pandy said. Also, health insurance should not be tied to an employer. “There is no reason that someone who works for a living and pays their taxes should lose their insurance because their employer goes out of business,” he said. He also believes America needs to improve broadband infrastructure in rural areas. “Broadband needs to be offered as a util ity,” Pandy said. “It needs to be offered along with gas, water and electricity.” Brooke Siskin, who has been a small busi ness owner and otherwise politically active, said she ran because she has ’’issues that I’ve dealt with in Washington that I want to solve, mainly because I’m a disabled person.” “I want to represent people who don’t have a voice,” she said. Siskin, 51, said universal health care is a top issue for her. “I believe universal health care is a right, not a privilege, and that everyone has access to it,” she said. “And people like me who have a disability need to have affordable access to health care.” She said she also is concerned about home lessness, domestic violence and the middle class. “I believe those are people who cross party lines,” she said. “I don’t look at party. I look at the issues.” Also, Siskin said she would like to see the minimum wage raised, an issue that came to light with many low-income workers losing their jobs during the COVID-19 pandemic. “People are working two and three jobs just to make ends meet,” she said. Dan Wilson, a retired United Methodist Church minister, said several things led to his candidacy, including frustrations with Collins’ representation in the district and Congress’ ability to get things done. “Democracy is on life support if we can’t figure out how to start talking to one another again,” he said. Wilson, 67, said compromise worked during his ministry, but it isn’t happening in govern ment, “and this is a major warning sign histo rians talk about when they look at the collapse of civilizations.” He got involved with the local Democratic Party and was later asked if he would be will ing to run. He said he resisted at first but then decided to run. “A key part of my campaign will be how we can get back to bipartisanship and finding things we can work on together,” Wilson said. The top issue for him is health care “because it impacts so many other areas.” People’s inability to pay insurance premi ums “impacts virtually every aspect of peo ple’s lives, even the business community and the overall economy. I see that as a human right, anyway.” Candidates on 3 issues Budget and national debt Pandy: “Debt doesn’t always have to be looked at as a bad thing. It just depends on what that debt is buying you. All this $3 tril lion (in stimulus) has done has enriched the top 1%, the corporations that support this administration, and it has benefited people on Wall Street.” Siskin: “We need to be funding small busi nesses. When we talk about bailing out big banks or large corporations, we don’t talk about the small business owners, and those people are struggling now more than ever.” Wilson: “We virtually have no choice, if we want to protect lives, but to spend money (for stimulus). This is a matter of life and death for many of our citizens. The deficit could be corrected when we come out of this. Whether or not we will have the politi cal will to do that is up for debate. Our tax structure is totally out of whack.” Health care Pandy: “There needs to be universal health care. There is no reason why the greatest country in the world cannot offer its citizens the human right of health care. If that has to start with a simple expansion of Medicaid, I’m all for that, as well. We need to start somewhere.” Siskin: “I believe universal health care is a right, not a privilege, and that every one has access to it. And people like me who have a disability need to have afford able access to health care.” Wilson: “There are opportunities to do something about health care and not make it a right just for people who can afford it, but make it a human right. I think we’ve got to look at a public option in our health care system, so that health care needs can be met before we reach a crisis point.” Illegal immigration Pandy: “There should be restrictions on who can and cannot legally enter the country, but denying legitimate asylum seekers entry into the country is not who America is. Refusing to allow doctors to provide flu vaccinations to immigrants at the border is not who we are, either. And unless a parent is recognized to be a crimi nal or a danger to their child, separating children from their parents is not who we are.” Siskin: “Do I think we should build a wall that costs taxpayers money? No, not Devin Pandy Age: 46 Occupation: retired from U.S. Army Political experience: first run for office Residence: Commerce Brooke Siskin Age: 51 Occupation: a small business owner and active in Gwinnett, including with a group bringing alternative transportation to the county Political experience: unsuccessfully sought House seat in 2012 Residence: Gainesville Dan Wilson Age: 67 Occupation: retired United Methodist minister Political experience: first run for office Residence: Rabun County necessarily. If you want to come to this country to work and live here, you need a path to citizenship.” Wilson: “I propose we bite off smaller pieces of this (issue) and build consensus around them. One of the things we know right now is ... we do not have enough immigrants currently coming into the country to sustain the economy. Also, everybody agrees we need border security ... the (issue) is we have a whole category of asylum-seeking (people), and there are laws we have ignored or discarded and declared everyone illegal.” Ej ELECTION 2020 I GEORGIA HOUSE DISTRICT 103 REPUBLICAN PRIMARY 2 challenge incumbent in state House primary BY JEFF GILL jgill@gainesvilletimes.com Two political newcomers are taking on a four-term Lawrenceville incumbent in the Georgia House District 103 Republican primary. Timothy Barr, A construction company owner who took office in 2013, is facing Der rick McCollum and Donald Schmidt in the June 9 election, with the winner facing Demo crat Clifton Marshall in the fall. District 103 covers portions of South Hall and North Gwin nett counties. Barr, 39, said he sought re-election because “the passion to preserve my kids’ freedom and myself — and that of everybody living in our district — is still paramount.” Key for him is putting a stop to “bad” bills. “I don’t think folks understand how many bad pieces of legislation get put forth,” Barr said. “My top priority is stopping these bad ideas that take our freedom away.” Also, he said that with the state economy expected to take a beating from the coronavi- rus pandemic, “I feel I’m uniquely positioned to help get the economy moving again, being a small business guy and (with) my years at the Capitol.” He added that he’s a member of the House Appropriations Committee, a key cog in the process of “going forward with the Georgia state budget.” Barr also is a big gun rights supporter, saying he has “authored every pro-Second Amendment legislation since I’ve been down there.” McCollum, 51, of Gainesville, said that as someone who served as a Marine and as a firefighter who has worked in Hall and now Habersham counties, “I enjoy helping people.” That was a primary motivation behind seeking office. “I feel like, as a state representative, I can continue serving my community,” McCollum said. And that includes helping with “even the simple things, such as a driver’s license or something like that. To me, that’s huge in being a representative — hence the name.” A top issue for him is public safety, a nod to his years in that field. “From police officers to fire service, that’s going to be top of my list—taking care of pub lic safety, not only for the public but for (those serving),” McCollum said. He also wants to strengthen the technical college system. “College isn’t for everybody, and we’re going to need tradespeople — welders, plumbers, the whole gamut,” he said. “At the high school level, I would like to work on something that would give students that avenue. I think everybody is kind of steered toward college.” Donald Schmidt, 22, of Dacula, hasn’t sought office before, but he has worked on gubernatorial, congressional and local politi cal campaigns. “I understand how the political processes work and ... you start to realize that there’s not really a concern (among politicians) over that Georgia is ranked 42nd in the country in education or Georgia is ranked 43rd in health care,” said Schmidt, who works for an infor mation technology development company. “The main concern is should I vote this way to get this nicer office or vote that way to get a better title. I’m more interested in finding ways to lower the taxes or cut deficits.” A top issue for him is public education and common core, which is a set of educational standards for teaching and testing. “Common core does not allow teachers to access their unique abilities to teach their stu dents,” Schmidt said. Also, health care is a major concern, par ticularly the survival of rural hospitals, as well as the need for more clinics “rather than people visiting emergency rooms,” he said. Candidates on 2 issues Economy, projected budget shortfalls Barr: “I’m on the (Georgia House) small business development committee and we’re looking at a number of proposals that will help restart small businesses that have been shut down in many different facets. Because we’re on the front end of that, I can’t really put my finger on a magic bullet, but we’re def initely working hard on that. There aren’t a lot of specifics right now because everything is on the table.” McCollum: “I think (legislators) are going to have to be very creative going forward. I think I bring a lot to the table, having fresh ideas. Being a problem solver — that’s taught in the Marines and fire services — and from owning a small business, I’ve seen a lot of aspects of running on a tightrope as far as a budget.” Schmidt: “The amount of people who are becoming unemployed, the amount of cash reserves that are dwindling for a lot of these small businesses, that is just terrifying. And the government can only support the econ omy for so long. There has to be a point where we open the economy, and I stand with what Gov. (Brian) Kemp is doing (in that area).” Health care Barr: “My priority is the patient-doctor relationship and making that as smooth as possible, and absolutely, surprise billing would be part of that. In a bigger picture, with the health care needs we’re going through (with COVID-19), (an issue is) seeing what needs (hospitals) have and how state resources can jump in and help out. I want the best care for folks.” McCollum: “This is going to be a huge issue, Timothy Barr Age: 39 Occupation: construction company owner Political experience: took office in 2013 Residence: Lawrenceville Donald Schmidt Age: 22 Occupation: works for an information technology development company Political experience:first run for office Residence: Dacula Derrick McCollum Age: 51 Occupation: Habersham County firefighter Political experience: first run for office Residence: Gainesville especially with everybody staying at home and canceling all these (elective) procedures, such as knee surgeries. It’s killed all of our hospitals, so they’re all going to be struggling and looking for ways to make their budgets.” Schmidt: “We have a massive problem with rural health care. We have to find a way to introduce price transparency and cut red tape and regulation to allow for lower prices, more competition and opening more clinics.” Ej ELECTION 2020 I HALL COUNTY CORONER Hall coroner Merck faces rare challenger in Forrester BY NICK WATSON nwatson@gainesvilletimes.com Hall County Coroner Marion Merck, who has been unopposed in the past several elec tion cycles, is being challenged by retired Sgt. Doug Forrester. Forrester, who retired in November after 15 years with the Hall County Sheriff’s Office to pursue this office, said it is his “public ser vant’s heart” that drew him to this race. “I feel like it’s a calling to be a public ser vant. I could have chosen probably any office to run for, but I feel like (the coroner’s office) lines up closer to who I am and what I am,” he said. Forrester said he feels it is a political office with a personal feel, interacting with those who have lost a loved one. He said he wants to bring a few changes as well as a “new energy and a new vision.” Merck, who has served as Hall County’s coroner since 1988, said he is a “proven coro ner” who has worked death cases of all types for the past 32 years. Merck is also the funeral director and manager of Memorial Park Funeral Home. “I’ve been to school every year. I stay up on the recent things that are happening,” Merck said. The role of coroner is responsible for deter mining the cause and manner of death. Under Georgia code, the coroner takes charge of the body after being notified of “suspicious or unusual deaths.” “The coroner or county medical examiner shall, in the absence of the next of kin of the deceased person, take possession of all prop erty of value found on such person, make an exact inventory thereof on his or her report, and surrender the same to the person entitled to its custody or possession. The coroner, medical examiner, or peace officer shall take possession of any objects, anatomical speci mens, or articles which, in his or her opin ion, may be helpful in establishing the cause of death, manner of death, or identification of the deceased; and in cooperation with a forensic laboratory he or she may make such tests and examinations of said objects, speci mens, or articles as may be necessary or use ful in determining the cause of death, manner of death, or the identity of the deceased,” according to the Georgia code. Forrester said he would like to sever the coroner’s office’s ties to a funeral home and place it in a neutral, centrally located area. “If you think about it, there’s no other elected position that operates out of a for- profit business,” Forrester said. Merck said there have been few times where the coroner’s office has not been in a Doug Forrester Residence: Gainesville Experience: 25+ years in law enforcement, certified criminal justice specialist from Lanier Technical College. Local pastor with 38 years in ministry. Former local business owner. Age: 57 funeral home, but he stressed that he keeps the two entities separated. Forrester said he would also look at devel oping an application process that would put mortuary transport services — companies that transport the deceased to the funeral home or medical examiner — on a rotation. One company is currently under contract by the county for the past several years. “I’m going to look at the standard operating procedure of the office currently and update and make any changes as we need to,” For rester said. Merck put an emphasis on his work experi ence not only as a coroner but his time in the funeral industry, where he has worked with many families over the years. He has worked in the funeral business since he was 14. Marion Merck City: Gainesville Experience: 60+ years in the funeral home business, 32 years as coroner Age: 80 Merck also stressed his good working rela tionship with the medical examiners and the law enforcement agencies that interact with the coroner during death investigations. “My future plan for the coroner’s office is to someday get a morgue here where we’ll have a county morgue,” Merck said. “Right now we’re using coolers in funeral homes and things of that nature.” In recent years, Merck said his job has not only involved investigating the cause of death but potentially saving lives. He mentioned an example of a medical examiner discovering some potential hereditary health issues dur ing an autopsy, with Merck’s office working to coordinate with the family to inform them of these potential health risks. “It has come in the past several years .. that our office also feels that we were going to be instrumental in maybe saving some chil dren’s lives or their good health,” he said.
