Salaries seemed to be the hot-button during a public forum Wednesday night for candidates running for the Freeborn County 5th Commissioner District seat.

Most of the candidates participating in the debate were hesitant in discussing their opinions about the issue of the salary appeal filed by Freeborn Sheriff Bob Kindler, citing not having enough information about the topic to make an educated answer.

“I think Sheriff-elect Kindler was put in a difficult spot,” said Curtis Smith, who did offer an answer. “If that were me, I’d keep my mouth shut and then come back to my bosses, work together on how to make it right, let some results speak and then come back. Doing it the first two weeks in office seems quite early.”

One of the two moderators, Tribune Managing Editor Tim Engstrom, pushed the other candidates to give an answer.

Tony Pestorious said it’s a unique situation with the sheriff’s position, as Sheriff Kindler was a deputy for many years and has now moved up, but because a minimum salary had been set, setting a ceiling would be a good thing.

“What they offered in December was about $16,000 more than what the minimum was,” said Mike Lee. “He’s experienced as a deputy but needs to be experienced as a sheriff. With the experience he has, he should be able to move up quickly.”

When the tables were turned, and the candidates asked if they would take a 10 percent pay cut if elected, all said yes except for Hugh O’Byrne, who said the pay has been established over the years and, “If we’re gonna do our jobs, we deserve the pay.”

Candidates vying for 5th Commissioner District seat sounded off at a public forum Wednesday night sponsored by the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee at Riverland Community College’s Albert Lea campus.

The debate was moderated by Engstrom and KIMT Weekend Anchor Cole Mathisen.

Six of the seven candidates participated in the event, including Smith, Pestorious, Lee, O’Byrne, Marilyn A. Roche and Doug Conn. Chad T. Hayson was not present.

The format was similar to previous forums, with each candidate making an opening statement before answering questions from the audience, which were submitted in writing to the moderators.

About 35 people attended the event, including 3rd District Commissioner Jim Nelson and 4th District Commissioner Christopher Shoff. The forum lasted about 90 minutes.

Bringing new business to the community and retaining the younger population, along with trying to find ways to cut taxes and tighten up the budget were common goals among all of the candidates.

Cutting taxes, tightening up spending and bringing new jobs to the area were cited as the most pressing issues facing the county. O’Byrne pointed out that with the Albert Lea Medical Center being the biggest employer in Albert Lea, that may be an area to expand which would add good paying jobs.

While all of the candidates supported the Immigrations and Customs Enforcement contract, some were cautious about its dependence on the federal government.

“It’s a very important contract and we should keep it going as long as can, but we need to be careful with revenue it’s generating and not be dependent on it,” said Pestorious. “What happens in Washington can change the whole outlook of that situation. We have to be very careful and not get addicted to that money.”

Lee suggested using the profits to pay off other bills in the county and set up a type of funding to help small business growth.

When asked when the last time was that they attended county commissioner meetings, the answers varied from Smith and Conn, who said it’s been a couple of years to Lee, who attended last week’s meeting. Reading the minutes and watching the meetings on the Public Access Channel 16 were ways the other candidates were keeping up on the meetings.

All of the candidates said they would keep their own health insurance versus opting to get on the county’s health plan except for Smith, who said he would see what the county had to offer and compare it to his own before making a decision.

When asked if they would be willing to travel to St. Paul to lobby for the county, on their own dime, all six candidates agreed they would.

The Shell Rock River dam, the Shell Rock River Watershed District Board, the candidates’ responses to the tornadoes last June, how they would attract more bicyclists and personal management styles were also among the topics discussed.

The field of seven will be narrowed to two in a special primary election on Jan. 18, followed by a special general election on March 15.

The 5th District comprises Pickerel Lake Township plus Albert Lea’s 3rd and 6th wards.

Three of the current candidates, Smith, Lee and Pestorious, ran for the position in 2008.

Former Commissioner Linda Tuttle defeated Lee on a vote of 1,752 to 1,548, to win the seat.

The seat of District 5 commissioner was vacated Aug. 1 when Tuttle resigned after being accused of using her company, Albert Lea Abstract Co., to divert money into her own accounts to pursue an alleged gambling addiction.

Tuttle was charged was charged in federal court in St. Paul Monday with one count of wire fraud. She is also facing 12 counts of felony theft by swindle, along with one count of racketeering.