The only local November elections candidates’ forum took place at the Rood Center on a rainy Monday evening that only attracted around 25 audience members. It’s a run-off between Lisa Swarthout and Patti Ingram-Spencer for the District Three seat on the Nevada County Board of Supervisors that’s being vacated by Dan Miller. The two did not appear to differ significantly on the issues. But Swarthout said she’s staying neutral on Measure V, the sales tax increase, which would focus on wildfire prevention projects…

click to listen to Lisa Swarthout

Meanwhile, Ingram-Spencer said she’s been actively campaigning against the measure…

click to listen to Patti Ingram-Spencer

And Ingram-Spencer and Swarthout both declined to take a position on the Idaho Maryland Mine proposal. They used the legal term “predispositional bias”, saying they can’t take a public stance before the project comes to the Board. But both, including Ingram-Spencer, indicated they shared concerns expressed by Grass Valley constituents…

click to listen to Patti Ingram-Spencer

Both also blasted Waste Management for the lack of timely pickups and overall responsiveness and that it should be held more accountable to its contract. But Swarthout did try to separate herself from Ingram-Spencer as having more experience in local government, including 16 years on the Grass Valley City Council. Ingram-Spencer served eight years.