2008 City Commissioner Race

Date: Oct 31, 2007

2008 City Commissioner Race

Date: Oct 31, 2007

Anonymous wrote:

How about this for a possible 2008 commissioner race?

A May primary would be needed to cut it down to eight.

Phil Gregory, Incumbent

Joe Shelton, Incumbent

Bruce Farris, Incumbent

Dennis Lynch, Incumbent

Ed Tye

Alan Onkst

Suze Razmus

Betty Comer
Joe Butch White

Trey Pennington

Amos Miller

Samantha Swindler

Trent Knuckles

Janet Hagan

Jerry Bird

Terry Joe Martin

Troy Foley

Bronson Fugate

I'll add:

Dave Huff Jr.
Rex Huff
Brian Freeman
Brent Freeman
David O Smith
Tom Blair
Joe House
Jim Malone
Steve McBurney
Dora Mobley
Kyle Perkins
Don Ashley
Terry Pugh
I think they all live in the city limits, if not, cross them off.

Date: Oct 31, 2007

Those are two good lists.

It's good to see some younger names on it too. The old cronies would just drag us down like the past commissions.

Date: Nov 2, 2007

The Freemans and Terry Pugh do live out of the city.

How about Bruce Hodge, Donna Davis and ex fireman Greg Cord.

Maybe John Wooley too.

Date: Nov 2, 2007

Kyle Kersey and Walt Goodman's wife both live in town. Also don't forget about Wayne Fritz.

Date: Nov 2, 2007

Junebug Peters is still alive. he would make a good commissioner.

Date: Nov 3, 2007

Good lists.

Date: Nov 3, 2007

If the election were this year I think the four incumbent commissioners would be hard to beat.

Date: Nov 15, 2007

I think Lynch is vulnerable. I'd like to see Ed Tye go back on. He goes to my church and is a good man. The other three are doing a fine job and can stay.

Date: Nov 15, 2007

Anonymous wrote:

I think Lynch is vulnerable. I'd like to see Ed Tye go back on. He goes to my church and is a good man. The other three are doing a fine job and can stay.

I like Ed Tye, but I believe the best commissioner we have now is Dennis Lynch. He has courage and cares about the people of Corbin. He also has some good business sense.

Date: Nov 16, 2007

Nope, we need some new blood in the mix.

Joe Shelton is a must run, he's the only one with any vision for the future.

Farris and Gregory are thorns in our side IMO. Gregory has nothing else to do, and Farris is a puppet for who ever feeds him.

Tye, sorry, a good man, but he never gave a straight answer to any question posed to him through all his years he served. He is a goalonger. We've got that already.

Donna Davis, an outstanding candidate, along with Suze Razmus. Maybe Suze will run now that she's seen the alter ego of Estep, and will run to fight him and Tipton. Maxine VonGrineguien and Betty Comer are also perfect for the job.

John Wolley, I don't know him, buy have heard good things.

Date: Nov 16, 2007

Phil Gregory is a good commissioner. He was the top vote getter the last two times and he will continue to be on top if he runs for re-election. A few on this board tried to bring him down last time and that only got him more votes. He is honest and watches the city money closely. He has the backing of the Lodge and Varsity Club. He is also an agressive compaigner.

Joe Shelton is a good commissioner. He is backed by the Bartons, Bank of Corbin and the sports crowd. He has to work and hold down a job while some of the others are retired and can spend more time at city hall. He is strong for recreation but I have heard that some the soccer and football people don't like him now. I doubt that will amount to much come election time. If he chooses to run he will get back in

Bruce Farris is a good commissioner. He is a CPA and probably understands more about city finances than some of the others. Like Shelton, he also has to work and run his office and don't have the time that the retired ones have to stay at city hall. He is not in any clubs that I know of and probably don't have the voter backing that some of the others have. This board links him to Gregory but whether that will be good or bad at election time remains to be seen. If he chooses to run he will get back in.

Dennis Lynch is a good commissioner. He barely got in last time. He was two or three hundred votes behind the three above. He is a good man but is perceived by the voters as not to offer much. He questions things he doesn't understand and from reading the newspapers there must be a lot of those things. Lynch appears to be moving slow these days. If he chooses to run he might get back in.

Ed Tye sat on the commission for sixteen years and never opened his mouth. That is probably why several city employees think he was a great commissioner. He did not rock the city boat. I doubt he offers anything for the voters except possibly the Jimmy Vance crowd. He will run hard but will not appeal to enough voters.

Suzie Razmus is hailed on the message board as a great potential city leader. I sort of doubt that she would be. She didn't get her way with tourism on the web site issue and that is what it takes to be an effective leader. The ability to get along with others and be able to convince them that your way is good. I also think she got used on that issue and let the user's special interest cloud her decision. That could be a warning sign since there is a lot more at stake on the city commission.

As for the others mentioned ... Donna Davis, Bruce Hodge, John Wolley, Betty Comer, Joe White, David Smith, and the many others ... all are fine people but ... they don't stand a snowball's chance.

Nevertheless, if some new people do get elected to the city commission I hope they will take action on some of the deadbeat city employees. It would be long overdue.

My call is that Gregory, Shelton and Farris will win regardless of who runs against them.

Date: Nov 16, 2007

Gregory appeals to the older voters, the ones who vote, and that's it. If the young people get out and vote, like they did for the alcohol vote, he's a goner. People like Amos Miller will be out there stumping for him, but, now that we know about Amos, that might be a hinderance.

Shelton will be the next mayor pro-tem. He'll get the majority now, as we've seen his hard work and dedication. He's the example that we all want.

Farris, is an also ran. He'll be re-elected depending on who else runs. If some of those mentioned ran, he'd be hard pressed to be the fourth commissioner. He started out good with the revamp of he privledge license issue. It needed to be adjusted for years, and he stood up for it and did it. But, he aligned with Gregory who is in Estep and Carpenter's pocket and that'll hurt next time.

Lynch, appeals to the other group of voters that Gregory didn't get. Lynch is a straight shooter with his questions, but, will his health hold out. Who cares if he asks lots of questions, we need that. Not asking questions is why we're in the shape we're in now. I say ask away. Many times, his questions are also the ones the people of the town want to know.

Tye, is a coin toss, pure and simple.

Suze, well, it's obvious you want a follower and not a mover and shaker. You want a go along person, to fit in, to aggree without question. We, the people, need a person like Suze to stand up for our town and ask questions and point fingers.

Joe White would do extremely well, but I don't think he's interested now.

All that said, would you mind expalining your "deadbeat city employees" comment? Just what are you talking about? Seriously.

And what about the mayor. Will Willard run again. If not, who. As long as it's not Williamson or Miller again. We had our fill of them.

Date: Nov 16, 2007

I think Lynch is dead in the water. I hear some parents in the youth leagues are mad at him. The other incumbent commissioners will win easy. My ideas for a good fourth commissioner

Bruce Carpenter
Joe White
Ed Tye
Joe House

That's about it.

Date: Nov 17, 2007

Lynch will get many of the older voters, as will Gregory. But those voters get fewer and fewer each year. The younger people in the city want progress and forward thinking.

Bruce Carpenter, really, that's like the cat watching the mouse, the mouse watching the cheese.

Joe White, an outstanding candidate. He should have won last time, and would have the next election, but we'd have to convince him to run. You talk about integrity and honesty, then Joe White is the man. He and Joe Shelton would take this town up a few notches.

Ed Tye. He had his day, he's a good man, but stands for nothing. He goes along, makes no waves, never agrees or disagrees. We've had those before, we don't need them now.

Joe House, another excellent choice, but, I believe he moved out of the city limits, or is planning to. I heard that just a few months ago, but I belive he lives out in the county now. I believe Knox County. Maybe we could get him to run for magistrate, and he can get done what Cima can't, get corbin's share of he occupational tax from Knox county.

That last poster must be a sexist, no women in HIS list. Typical of most corbin political clowns.

Betty Comer, Maxine Vongrineguen, Marcee Hopper, Suze Razmus, Donna Davis, June Martin to name a few. Or Tammy Freeman, or Jenny Hungebuler.

Date: Nov 17, 2007

Anonymous wrote:
Lynch will get many of the older voters, as will Gregory. But those voters get fewer and fewer each year. The younger people in the city want progress and forward thinking.

Bruce Carpenter, really, that's like the cat watching the mouse, the mouse watching the cheese.

Joe White, an outstanding candidate. He should have won last time, and would have the next election, but we'd have to convince him to run. You talk about integrity and honesty, then Joe White is the man. He and Joe Shelton would take this town up a few notches.

Ed Tye. He had his day, he's a good man, but stands for nothing. He goes along, makes no waves, never agrees or disagrees. We've had those before, we don't need them now.

Joe House, another excellent choice, but, I believe he moved out of the city limits, or is planning to. I heard that just a few months ago, but I belive he lives out in the county now. I believe Knox County. Maybe we could get him to run for magistrate, and he can get done what Cima can't, get corbin's share of he occupational tax from Knox county.

That last poster must be a sexist, no women in HIS list. Typical of most corbin political clowns.

Betty Comer, Maxine Vongrineguen, Marcee Hopper, Suze Razmus, Donna Davis, June Martin to name a few. Or Tammy Freeman, or Jenny Hungebuler.

freeman, hopper both live outside city. if young people want progress then you have a lot of older women listed
only one is worth being a candidate - figure that one out

Date: Nov 17, 2007

So which one of the women do you figure is worth it?

Young people will follow who listens to them. That's why they think so much of Joe Shelton. Farris could be a good one, but he follows Gregory around like a puppy. Farris hasn't said anythign since he redid the privlidge licenses's for the city business's. Everyone hates taxes, but, they needed upating.

Lynch got the same votes that Gregory did. You had to pick 4, remember.

Trae Pennington made a good showing for his first time running. If he'll run again, he'll pick up lots more votes. I think he lost by 700+. Not bad for a first time. If he'll start now, he'll have a shot.

Date: Nov 17, 2007

Anonymous wrote:

Lynch got the same votes that Gregory did. You had to pick 4, remember.

Trae Pennington made a good showing for his first time running. If he'll run again, he'll pick up lots more votes. I think he lost by 700+. Not bad for a first time. If he'll start now, he'll have a shot.

Wrong about Lynch. He was several hundred votes behind the other winners. Pennington was a big disappointment. I expected much more from him but he just came across as part of the bar crowd.

Date: Nov 17, 2007

Don Ashley would do well as commissioner.

Date: Nov 17, 2007

Ashley is a good man. He was magistrate once. Don't think he is interested in being a commissioner. I heard that Gregory and Lynch are running for reelection but that Shelton and Farris are not sure if they will run or not. I wouldn't blame them if they did not. Also heard that Gene Comer thought his name should have been on this thread.

Date: Nov 17, 2007

Tim Barnes of Bank of Corbin would be a good one too.

Gregory and Lynch will run because they have nothing else to do, so why not.

I sure hope Shelton runs, he's the only friend the young people of corbin have on the commission. Everybodby else are waitandseers. He's also the only friend the young adults have on the commission. Farris is like an absentee commissioner, he just goes along with Gregory.

Ken Cobb would do well.

Mike Sparks and Tom Blair would be excellent too.

Dave Huff, the son, and Rex Huff would be good ones too.

Date: Nov 17, 2007

If McBurney doesn't run again, who would be a good mayor.

Date: Nov 17, 2007

Now wait a minute Joe Shelton poster. I watch all the city meetings on TV two or three times so I can hear everything since the sound is so terrible. I don't ever remember where Gregory, Shelton and Farris have voted different on anything but you keep trying to act like Joe Shelton is head and shoulders above the others.

The biggest difference I have seen is that Shelton misses meetings like the October meeting where it was just the other three commissioners to help Mayor McBurney out with a room packed full of veterans. Thats Ok, duty called I guess, but you are wrong in trying to make people believe that Shelton is some kind of superhero commissioner and the others are not.

The commissioners usually all vote the same way. Anybody will tell you that. So what are you talking about? I think you are making up stuff here. Maybe you are the Shelton campaign manager or tied in somehow with the Barton and Watts or the Bank of Corbin or maybe you are just someone who cannot get Gregory or Farris to go along with your ideas so you are try to discredit them. In fact it may not have anything to do with Joe Shelton. You are probably just using him.

Date: Nov 17, 2007

Anonymous wrote:

If McBurney doesn't run again, who would be a good mayor.

I have heard Bruce Carpenter will run against McBurney. With his support from the News Journal he will be a strong contender. He will have control of Tourism, Chamber, Economic Development, and the City Commission. In a few years he will be a good bet to replace Congressman Rogers when he retires.

Date: Nov 18, 2007

Anonymous wrote:

Now wait a minute Joe Shelton poster. I watch all the city meetings on TV two or three times so I can hear everything since the sound is so terrible. I don't ever remember where Gregory, Shelton and Farris have voted different on anything but you keep trying to act like Joe Shelton is head and shoulders above the others.

The biggest difference I have seen is that Shelton misses meetings like the October meeting where it was just the other three commissioners to help Mayor McBurney out with a room packed full of veterans. Thats Ok, duty called I guess, but you are wrong in trying to make people believe that Shelton is some kind of superhero commissioner and the others are not.

The commissioners usually all vote the same way. Anybody will tell you that. So what are you talking about? I think you are making up stuff here. Maybe you are the Shelton campaign manager or tied in somehow with the Barton and Watts or the Bank of Corbin or maybe you are just someone who cannot get Gregory or Farris to go along with your ideas so you are try to discredit them. In fact it may not have anything to do with Joe Shelton. You are probably just using him.

Yes, I watch them too, and attend quite a few when my schedule permits. The meetings are moot when it comes to things getting done. All the work is done "behind the scenes" somewhat. In the hallways, on the phone, the mayors office, ball games, places like that. The meetings are only held to make motions and vote. I can't remember the last time I heard a "no" vote on anything. Why, because all the deals are made before hand. Now, if there has been some "no" votes, I've overlooked them, and someone please tell me when it was.

They don't discuss or bring up anything in the commission meetings unless it will be a unanimous vote, as if you vote "no", it looks like you disagree with the rest. SO, when a commissioner or the mayor doesn't agree with anythign, they just put it item off and keep discussing and changing it until everyone agrees. I think the last "no" vote might have been on the skate park, and if you'll remember, the made a site visit and all that and then the next meeting they all approved it. I think Gregory voted no, but I'm not sure.

Yes I put Shelton above the rest, because he is approachable, and he tells you the truth, not what you want to hear. The others, the mayor included, just patronize you or give you the old "no money" answer, or the "we'll have to talk to Hammons" answer. Shelton is the only commissioner that isn't independently employed, he has a schedule and people to take care of, and that's the problem. He can't tell his patients, "Sorry, I know you're sick, but I've got to vote on the trash collection fees tonite, and that's more important". That is another reason why the commission meetings should be moved up to 7 or 8pm, to give everyone a chance to come.

Gregory and Lynch and the mayor are retired, they would have no excuse for missing meetings. Farris is self-employed, he can change his schedule easily, especially when it isn't tax time. So he has no excuse.

Shelton can see past the trees and the forest, and knows what it'll be like on the other side. The rest are just there cause they have nothing else to do.

Date: Nov 18, 2007

The Joe Shelton Praise, Worship & Tailgating Team has struck again.

Date: Nov 18, 2007

Anonymous wrote:

The Joe Shelton Praise, Worship & Tailgating Team has struck again.

Everyone knows who it is, no secret there.