Other county races

Auditor\nIncumbent Republican Barbara Clark is facing Democratic challenger Lee Jones in the race for auditor. Both candidates have stressed the importance of improving public access to county records and improving the flow of information between the auditor's office and the city council members. \n"I have had other counties that have come in to see what information I give our council members," Clark said of her efforts. "Any information that I have, I make into packets and put in their boxes."\nJones said she believes she can not only improve inter-governmental communication but also the availability of information to the general public.\n"I would make sure that (records) are posted throughout the county," Jones said. "I would also get this sort of information up on the county's Web page."\nTreasurer\nDemocratic candidate Donna Richardson is challenging Republican incumbent Pat Jeffries in the treasurer debate. Jeffries has emphasized the modifications she has made as treasurer -- hiring more people to validate tax forms, providing two additional ways for residents to pay taxes and updating the existing tax forms -- and said she thought there was no reason for voters to change horses in midstream. \nRichardson has accentuated her history and the commitment she would bring to the office.\n"I have a proven record of working with the people and for the people," said Richardson, who has been involved with county government since the late 1970s. "I bring to this a lot of county experience."\nJeffries and Richardson agree that the treasurer's office does an admirable job of handling the extra workload during peak tax times, but the two differed on putting tax information on the Web.\n"I've heard comments from people that they still think that's a little private," Richardson said.\nJeffries, despite her personal reservations about the issue, disagreed.\n"This is all public information; it might as well be accessed in the most modern way possible," she said. "People are wanting more and more technology in our county offices."\nCoroner\nThree candidates are running for the coroner's office. \nRepublican Gary Darland, a former Indianapolis police officer, said his desire to become coroner comes from a deep commitment to compassion.\n"I've seen a lot of death. I've seen a lot of misery," Darland said. "A coroner and a deputy coroner should maintain the dignity of a person who has passed away."\nTamara Harty, the independent candidate, agreed in part with Darland. But Harty, a certified crime technician for the Bloomington Police Department, has a greater goal in mind.\n"My vision for the coroner's office is both compassionate and proactive," Harty said. "I see the coroner's office as more than just helping with grief and loss; it can be an advocate for the living."\nThe third candidate, Democrat David Toumey, said he wants the job because of his strong belief in public service. Toumey, who has served as deputy coroner for the last 10 years, recounted several facets of vision for the future, including the development of a joint death investigation team, the training of public safety responders to work with the coroner's office and the installation of a child fatality review team.\nWhile Harty and Toumey agreed the coroner could use his or her position to help educate the community about the risks of abuse, Darland vehemently disagreed.\n"This is a busy job, and to do it right, you have to have an awful lot of things in place," Darland said. "This (advocacy) is wonderful and flowery, and it's nice politics, but this is a part-time job"