Thursday, October 29, 1998
Athens, Ohio
An Independent Daily Newspaper
Ohio University
Looking for local leaders
The Athens County Commission has changed leadership a few times in the past year, and on Nov. 3 we again will welcome new leaders to two of the three county seats. We might be able to help all county voters with the choice.
In the race to replace commissioner David Ratliff, who was defeated in the Democratic primary, we endorse Mark Sullivan, D-Amesville. As an Athens native with worldly and local leadership experience, Sullivan has the foresight and ideas to lead the county.
Finding more jobs for the county and economic development are at the forefront of Sullivan's campaign. To help ease economic stress on the county, he proposes a joint economic development district with Nelsonville, an extension of welfare-to-work plans between the county and Columbus and the construction of buildings to help spur industrial rebirth.
But Sullivan also recognizes that the needs of the county extend beyond economic concerns. His experience as a small business owner and Rural Action volunteer will allow him to respond to environmental concerns and bring sustainable development to the county. His idea to expand the successful Athens city recycling program into the rest of the county is a perfect example of combining a need for jobs with a concern for the environment.
Another lifelong Athens County resident on the commission will bring the same background and strong ideas for the county. In the second commissioners' race, we endorse Fred Davis, R-Athens.
Long-time involvement with the Alexander School Board and employment with GTE give Davis the ability to lead the many factions within Athens County. Davis' motto of "fix the disease, not the symptoms," will allow him to get to the root of county miscommunication and planning in order to prevent a problem from growing or beginning.
Davis stresses approachability in candidates and is the only candidate who volunteered to frequent Student Senate meetings in an effort to reach the students and to open communication with the university. This communication is necessary in working with issues like the sobriety center and economic growth.
Both Sullivan and Davis have their fingers on the pulse of Athens County and plan to become more effective leaders through communication and cooperation among the county, city and university.
Election issues often focus on education, Social Security and economic development. Rarely do they turn to environmental issues and animal protection.
This Nov. 3, however, Ohio voters will be asked to cast their ballots for or against State Issue 1, which would place limitations on hunting mourning doves.
The proposed law would remove the words "mourning doves" from the state definition of game birds and would not recognize a mourning dove hunting season. It also would place a statement in the law saying no person shall kill or take a mourning dove.
While proponents of the bill claim outlawing the hunting will eliminate cruel and unnecessary hunting of the birds and continue a tradition of animal protection, we see the law as an unnecessary regulation.
Hunting is legal, and unless the state or any group of people can prove hunting mourning doves is detrimental to the species or population, the law should not be passed. Hunting a mourning dove, which is not an endangered species, is not different from hunting any other bird the state classifies as game, including quails and pheasants. Voters should vote no on State Issue 1 because sufficient reasoning does not exist to prohibit the hunting.