Sheriff Candidates Spar at Debate

RAINA BARNETT/ Alachua County Today

 Supporters of all three candidates engaged in coversation following the debate.

 

NEWBERRY – An open debate was held on the evening of Thursday, Aug. 4 at Newberry High School between the three candidates for Alachua County Sheriff: incumbent Sadie Darnell (D) and challengers Zac Zedalis (D) and Jack Jacobs (R).

Opening statements allowed each candidate three minutes to state their mission and purpose in running for the Alachua County Sheriff.

“I have served in the law enforcement career unwaveringly for 38 years,” Darnell said.

Jacobs said his motto is to train others. “If you’re a supervisor, you should be mentoring someone to eventually take your position,” he said.

Zedalis is running based on a service-first method, which means focusing on the needs of others, especially team members, before consider personal needs.

“If you treat people with respect, whether you’re black or white, people will respond to that,” Zedlais said. “But you have to treat people with respect first.”

The top two topics discussed were budgeting and community involvement.

Darnell said she would not decrease the budget because she feels the department is understaffed and underfunded.

“It's increased by only $40,000,” Darnell said. “A $25 million budget over a six-year period has only increased by $40,000.”

Zedalis and Jacobs said they were interested in decreasing the budget.

“I’m talking about trimming the fat,” Zedalis said. “It is not helping us and is not protecting you. We have a lot of people sitting in higher-up positions, a lot of bureaucracy at the sheriff’s office who are sitting behind desks, supervising four people, making approximately $105,000 apiece.”

Jacobs had a similar viewpoint.

“We need to see what we can both live with and keep the community safe; we’re not going to hold hostage programs that are some of our best programs that we have,” Jacobs said.

Alachua County Resident Carrie Roberts said Zedalis made a good impression on her.

“I was sitting by myself and he actually made it a point to come over and say hi and shake my hand,” she said. “I think it’s about making others see that you care, and not just doing things to get their vote.”

The election process has not been devoid of drama, as Zedalis was fired by Darnell in February from his position as detective with the Sheriff’s Department over a domestic dispute. This happened after Zedalis had declared his candidacy to replace Darnell as Sheriff. Zedalis claimed at the time his firing was politically motivated.

#     #     #

Email Rbarnett@

alachuatoday.com