League to host forum for primary candidates

By Alice Queen (1033)
alice.queen@rockdalecitizen.com

Wednesday, June 6, 2012
© Copyright 2013 Rockdale Citizen

CONYERS -- The Rockdale-Newton County League of Women Voters will provide residents an opportunity to learn more about candidates in the upcoming July primary elections through a candidate forum scheduled for June 12.

The forum, which will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Rockdale Auditorium, 903 S. Main St. SE, Conyers, will include candidates in contested July 31 primary races. Races included in the forum are Rockdale County sheriff, Rockdale County Commission Post 1, Georgia House of Representatives Districts 92, 109 and 114 and U.S. Congressional District 4.

Allene Eatman, president of the League, said the following candidates have confirmed as of Wednesday that they will take part in the forum:

-- State House District 114: Republican Tom Kirby;

-- State House District 109: Republican Steve Davis (incumbent);

-- State House District 92: Democrats Tonya P. Anderson, Doreen Carter, Kathy Harvey, Sherri Washington and Doreen Williams;

-- Congressional District 4: Democrat Hank Johnson (incumbent), Democrat Lincoln Nunnally, and Republican Greg Pallen;

-- Rockdale County Sheriff: Democrat Eric Levett.

Eatman said other candidates may be in attendance, but only those who are running in contested primary races will take part in the forum. Only candidates themselves will be allowed to participate; candidates' representatives will not be allowed to address the audience.

The forum will be moderated, Eatman said.

"We have prepared questions that we will ask the candidates, and if time allows then we will allow questions from the floor," Eatman said.

Questions from the audience will be collected on index cards and asked by the moderator.

In addition to the forum, the League will hold a voter registration drive Tuesday beginning 30 minutes prior to the forum. Information on voter eligibility, online registration and voter registration forms are available online at http://sos.georgia.gov/elections/vrinfo.htm.

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Women Voters plan candidate forum Tuesday ( October 5, 2008 )
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Two candidate forums slated ( July 10, 2012 )

Zo 1 year ago

Will someone please record this forum as well, so we can watch Levett fumble the ball again? Maybe the More Of The Same Partners can huddle up and try to put on a better performance and present a concise agenda for the sheriff's department. Especially, after I heard Ferguson will not be part of this forum...

My Question: Mr. Levett were you rated low in your evals regarding grammar and spelling ever? And do you feel those are essential skill sets to have when heading a department that rely heavily on documentation to assist in prosecution of criminals?

Frustrated 1 year ago

Why isnt Ferguson participating? He afraid of the questions he might be asked? Guess he can only answer what he has someone prepare for him ahead of time. Zo that the best you can come up with to ask Levett? Why not talk about Ferguson's evaluations as well? But I guess according to you they were all stellar.

Zo 1 year ago

Remember, I speak with FACTS, so they are stellar! However, Wigington rated Levett low (average). We currently have average we need stellar as sheriff. Ferguson is constantly keeping himself current.

Wigington question How do you coach average to below average deputies? Also, how are deputies that loss a case due to illegal actions handled?

Frustrated 1 year ago

Zo maybe you should ask the Sheriff's Office how it conductes reviews. I dont believe the Sheriff would be doing the evaluation but the officer's immediate supervisor.

Elmo 1 year ago

If Fergie is "constantly keeping himself current", then why is he avoiding the meeting? Zo, don't take off on another tangent like you usually do, just answer the question. Can we expect him to skip out on public meetings if he gets elected? I read a news story where one of his past supervisors said that he "shouldn't deal with people"...is that what it's about? Doesn't an elected sherriff deal with people on a daily basis? That's something every voter should worry about, a sheriff who "shouldn't deal with people". That's enough to worry a lot of folks.

Elmo 1 year ago

@Frustrated. I agree...Ferguson should attend. He shouldn't be afraid of the questions, after all, for according to his website he is about to earn a degree from Grand Canyon (on-line) University. Zo claims he is the "most qualified", so his appearance at the forum should knock our socks off! Maybe a good candidate debate would be in order, as well. Maybe we could get some of his former supervisors from Fulton County to speak up for him, too. It should be a real show...don't forget your popcorn!

Zo 1 year ago

Will the BOCWATCH video record this forum?

VPublicola 1 year ago

Maybe we should have a spelling contest!

Zo 1 year ago

Ferguson is obtaining his Ph.D from a Christian college, Grand Canyon University(http://m.gcu.edu/). But I think this will be a good point for the more of the same partners to establish their really just more of the same.

VPublicola 1 year ago

Zo,

Please stop falsely representing Ferguson's personal leadership development efforts. GCU does NOT offer a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership, which is not an academic pursuit. It's an Ed.D. I know PhD looks and sounds better than EdD, but we all know its about projected image not substance!

From a financial perspective, your candidate could have been fiscally responsible by choosing attend a Carnegie course on Leaderhsip and Organizational Development rather than spend about $10,000 per alphabetic letter to follow his name. Again, projected image not substance!

Zo 1 year ago

vpubic, that man can pick what matters to him. Ask Wigington & Levett to just go to school. You folks are haters when it comes to accomplish Blacks. Remember, we free now we can make up our own mind what path we want to follow. So Ferguson picked Ph.D & Sheriff.

VPublicola 1 year ago

Zo,

I don't speak for others, but I dislike individuals who misrepresent themselves and their backgrounds. It is disappointing that some people label individuals who hold high values of honesty and integrity as 'haters'.

I agree, he can pick what matters to him and it seems to me that most of what matters to him is how many awards, certificates, accolades etc he can accumulate. Many of which, in my opinion, are meaningless. Again, image over substance.

Organizational leadership is not an academic pursuit. An Ed.D. is not a Ph.D. And, again, GCU does not offer a Ph.D. in Organizational Leadership. This is an incontrovertible fact: http://www.gcu.edu/degree-programs/ In fact, I have noticed that since this FACT has been presented several times on the Rockdale Citizen web comments Donald Ferguson has since changed his previous misrepresentation of this online degree as pursuing a "Doctorate in Organizational Leadership -Servant Leadership in Law Enforcement" from Grand Canyon University on his campaign website to reflect the truth. Otherwise, I am convinced that, if not having be called on it, this misrepresentation would have continued in earnest. Yet, you continue to perpetuate the previous misrepresentation.

Elmo 1 year ago

I think the spelling contest is a great idea. LOL

AWOL 1 year ago

It is so disappointing. I see a lot of comments on an article and think, "Good, there are some people discussing this and I will see what others in the community are thinking." Instead, it's just ZO ranting on about things he doesn't know about and making people mad because he has no sense coupled with rudeness. False alarm again.

Zo 1 year ago

Wo, I would love to see one of those I don't know what I'm talking about. Sorry, but the virtual hood community will conduct business differently online. Those baseless, racial, bias, unthurthy, let's pick on Blacks day is over.

Elmo 1 year ago

Zo, just wanted to tell you that I passed your favorite Chevron station today, and I'm just glad to report that there were no cop cars there. Just thought you would like to know,,,LOL

Zo 1 year ago

Glad to report NO crime reported today, see that patrolling pays off.

VPublicola 1 year ago

Not true:

Case Number: 12-046374

Date: 6/10/2012 7:30 PM

Location: 1100 BLOCK WEST AVE

Description: MOTOR VEHICLE THEFT 16-8-2

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