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Ron Briggs declined to give an opening statement.

Todd Schwenk opened with an overview of his business and a statement about the importance of Home Based Business' in El Dorado County and the importance of  supporting home based businesses and business owners if elected.

Norm Krizl described his Forest Service experience and his current job as Owners of a vineyard.  He explained that he would focus on strengthening the local community promoting economic development in the county including local agriculture.  He expressed a concern regarding county ordnances being developed an a fragmented manner which leads to inconsistencies.  He stated that he would work to see that ordinances were developed in a consistent and integrated manner if elected.

Question: Your position on the Casino in Shingle Springs?

• Todd Schwenk -- In favor of the good settlement made by the Board of Supervisors.
• Norm Krizl -- Important to move forward and face the reality of the Federal right of the tribe.  Believes that the $3,500,000 spent fighting the casino could have been better used for other county needs.
• Ron Briggs -- Absolutely against the Casino and states that the majority of District 4 residents are against it.  Vows to fight the Casino in every possible manner.

Question: Degree of Board participation in county government?

• Norm Krizl -- Board must avoid micro-management but must also insure that the staff is performing.  Observed that the County's previous lack of General Plan caused a problem with management but believes the newly adopted plan will provide a new focus and allow for better management of the County.
• Ron Briggs -- A supervisors job is to represent the people of their District.  Stated, "something is wrong in County government but I don't know what it is, I wasn't there."
• Todd Schwenk -- Although a Supervisor must allow the staff to do their jobs, the Supervisors must know the job of each staff member.  Equated it to a restaurant owner that has a staff, "but must also now everyone's job and be able to perform that job when someone doesn't show up".

Question: Have you read the General Plan and are there areas that concern you?

• Ron Briggs -- Yes. "Tree canopy retention" standards are too tight and need revision.  Winery Ordinance is a "give-away of ranch marketing to smaller land" owners.  Believes the Ag Overlay needs to reduce the set-back requirements.
• Todd Schwenk -- States that he is an outspoken environmentalist, but still supports the construction trades.  He is concerned that the Oak Tree Ordinance is to restrictive and needs a better mitigation element.  Supports the Winery Ordinance and does not think it is too tight.   Believes that TIM Fees should be reduced for "Granny Flats" (MFD).
• Norm Krizl -- Believes that the Oak Tree Ordinance is fundamentally flawed in taking a county-wide, one size fits all, approach.  Believes that the tree ordinances should be considered within ecosystem boundaries rather then governmental boundaries.  Sees many areas of the Plan that need to be made conforming within itself, but believes that this is a process of vetting and adjusting a Plan that is a composite of several different documents.

Question: What County appropriation areas do you think are high priorities and which are low priorities. 

• Todd Schwenk -- Set a high priority on emergency response times.  Does not believe that current response time are adequate and want more resources to reduce these times.
• Norm Krizl -- Public safety & Infrastructure are the areas of high priority.  Concerned about the amount of money and resources used to create documents for the County.
• Ron Briggs -- Public safety and roads.  States, "whatever they have is not enough."

Question: Who are your backers and where are you getting your money for your campaign?

• Norm Krizl -- I am proud of my diverse group of supports, the include farmers, developers, builders, agriculture, and wineries. My supporters come from a full spectrum of the county community. (see statement)
• Ron Briggs - $50,000 of my own money, $50,000 from my mother, $25,000 from others. (see statement)
• Todd Schwenk -- I am spending my children's college fund.  I also have many small contributors. (undisclosed - prior campaign)

Question: How do you describe a Supervisors Job?

• Ron Briggs -- To represent the residents of District 4.  My primary job is to direct as money to the Divide as possible. Second is the County.
• Todd Schwenk --  "There is nothing worst then a staffer run amuck."  The job of a supervisor is to see that the county workers are doing their jobs.
• Norm Krizl -- There is more to a Supervisors job then getting money back to the District.  A supervisor is both a representative of the people and a leader of the people.  Sometimes the best thing for the county is not always what the district wants.  In this case, a supervisor must be a leader of the people and do what is the best for the county.  A county supervisors job is doing what is best for the county.

Question: What is your relationship with, and did you accept money from the Shingle Springs Rancheria Casino backers or tribe.

• Todd Schwenk --  They have offered me a lot of money and I could use it, but I have not accepted any.
• Norm Krizl -- I have met with Nicholas Fonseca and discussed the issues with him, but I have accepted no money.
• Ron Briggs -- I have taken no money from them.

Question: What possible solution, such as the Auburn Dam, do you propose for solving the water problem on the Georgetown Divide?

• Norm Krizl -- I support the Auburn Dam.  Conservation alone will not solve the Divides water shortage.  We need a greater water supply for agriculture and we need to build greater storage capacity.  If we had a drought today, like that in the seventies, it would be a disaster for the Georgetown Divide.
• Ron Briggs -- We have recently acquired 5000 a.f. and an additional 7,500 a.f. from the Fazio agreement. (the 5,000 is non-ag water & the 7,500 is economically unusable)
• Todd Schwenk --  "Building a dam is an unnatural act!"  We must use run-off water better.

Question: Many issues in the county require cooperation with federal agencies, but are not always in the best interest of the county, can you address this?

• Ron Briggs -- We must understand  federal issues and cooperate with the Federal Government.  "Yes, we should work with the Federal Government." (*)
• Todd Schwenk -- Many federal program exceed the original intent of the Constitution.
• Norm Krizl  -- About 1/2 of the land in the county is owned by the federal government and we need to work to get the federal government to understand issues in our county such as timber harvests for economic development and for fire safety issues.

The candidates then made closing statements.

This review is provided by an observer of the forum and does not represent the views of the Tax Payers Association.