John Sweet’s reelection cost his campaign more than $3 per vote spending almost $38,000 on signs, promotional products and $1,367 on last minute “live operator calls”. Sweet can, at last, honestly claim he contributed to economic development that actually created some jobs, however brief.
In contrast, challenger Don Gurney spent less than a dollar per vote and lost by slightly under 9 points. The unofficial final tally is Sweet with 11,762 votes and Gurney with 9,883.
Sweet and his compatriot Melissa Cribbins have only one plan to keep the county afloat beyond the next two years… Jordan Cove. Assuming Jordan Cove broke ground as early as next year, an unlikely scenario, the county will still not see the kind of revenue from that build out it needs to match lost federal timber payments in time to maintain county services. Gurney supporters might take solace in the inevitable opportunity to say, “I told you so”, but seeing the county insolvent is really not very satisfying.
I want to personally thank Don, his family and all those who worked on his campaign. I am sorry he won’t be sitting on the BOC representing us. I am, once again, sorry to see these results. Coos County will regret it.
The sad thing is that Gurney will probably offer to do what he would have done as commissioner and Sweet and sour will get credit if any success.
Past commissions who worked with Don and acted accordingly deserve credit for working with the public getting things done. Don may have been the person to show them how to bring in the federal payments but he commission brought the money in. This commission, however, has proven unworkable… the main reason Don felt he should run.