By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@Salisburypost.com
Two candidates for the Rowan County Board of Commissioners agreed on issues ranging from incentives to illegal immigrants during a forum Wednesday night.
Republican Carl Ford and Democrat Raymond Coltrain answered more than a dozen questions at the forum sponsored by the Salisbury chapter of the NAACP.
Two other candidates, incumbent Republican Jim Sides and Democrat Laura Lyerly, did not attend. Sides said earlier Wednesday he planned to attend church. Forum organizers said Lyerly never responded to an invitation.
Ford and Coltrain agreed on the need for incentives to attract industry and create jobs.
Ford, owner of Ford Broadcasting in China Grove, said incentives are part of doing business. He noted that in his business, he gives incentives ó a price break ó to lure new advertisers.
“Incentives are the ballgame,” Coltrain said, adding that county commissioners need to work with “not dictate to” the Rowan-Salisbury Schools to develop educational programs to meet the needs of industry coming to the county. He repeatedly stressed commissioners need to be business-friendly and project a positive image for the county.
Coltrain, the former superintendent of the Piedmont Research Station, cited his experience working in management in the N.C. Department of Agriculture.
Ford, who serves on the county’s Social Services board, said the experience has “affected me in a big way … there are people hurting.”
Coltrain and Ford agreed that illegal immigration is primarily a state and federal issue, but sounded a note of compassion.
Coltrain said many of the illegal immigrants are here doing jobs “that some of us feel too good to do the work. Maybe we need to look in the mirror … it’s a societal thing.”
Ford said he has heard that as many as 20 percent of illegal immigrants locally have gone home because of the poor economy. He said the county does provide services … “They are human beings.”
Ford and Coltrain agreed on the importance of a new Interstate 85 bridge over the Yadkin River. Ford said efforts are under way to get federal funds through Homeland Security, noting the bridge is critical to the economy of the East Coast.
Both said they oppose forced annexation and would like to see the General Assembly change the state’s annexation laws to the pre-1959 language that allowed for the affected residents to vote on annexation.
They differed over possible legal action. Ford said he would vote to hire an attorney if county residents requested help from the Board of Commissioners. Coltrain said he would do everything possible to halt a forced annexation, short of legal action.
Both said they favor consolidation of the administrative offices of the Rowan-Salisbury Schools.
A member of the audience questioned the potential impact on the town of East Spencer of losing the school office, if consolidation of the offices occur.
Ford said it could be a plus for the town, noting a school proposal to consolidate its maintenance operations at the Long Street site and possibly a central storage facility.
Ford also noted that Kannapolis, his hometown, was floundering when Pillowtex shut down, but it’s now rising stronger than ever as a bio-tech hub.
“If you can get us another David Murdock, we’ll take it,” came the response from the audience.