After a spirited debate at the recent candidate forum held in Hovland, Cook County Commissioner District 1 candidates Frank Moe and Kristin DeArruda Wharton exchanged friendly greetings.
After a rigorous primary that saw a field of six candidates whittled to two, Frank Moe and Kristin DeArruda Wharton were left standing to see who will represent the east end of Cook County as its county commissioner after the November 4 election.
Both appeared before approximately 30 interested residents and answered a series of questions posed from the audience and from the moderator on Saturday, September 20. Each candidate had two minutes at the start of the forum and three minutes at the end to make their case about why he or she would be the best candidate to represent Commissioner District 1. The event lasted 1½ hours
While the forum was open to the public, the event was put together by the three candidates they defeated, Harry Drabik, Steve Fleace and John Bockovich, who wanted to find out the candidates’ views on a wide range of subjects. The men planned to then throw their support behind the candidate they felt most closely aligned with.
Wharton was clear she wasn’t participating in the forum to gain the support of Fleace, Drabik or Bockovich, while Moe said after the forum that he would welcome their endorsement.
The candidates were each sent a list of possible questions to be asked and each came well prepared. Questions ranged from tourism to jobs, county budgets to county departments, environmental issues to affordable housing, the role of government and the role of the county board in managing county business.
At the conclusion one audience member said she was happy to have two capable and knowledgeable candidates to pick from.
Moe summed up by touting his experience as a two-term District 4A DFL legislator in the Minnesota House of Representatives and his ability to work across party lines.
DeArruda Wharton talked about her 15 years of residency in Cook County and about the many boards and committees she has served on throughout the years and her commitment to making this a better place for her family to live.
One of them will replace incumbent Jan Hall who chose not to run again after a long career as a county commissioner representing District 1.
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