Greg Empson

“I’m displeased with the way county government is run. They’ve brought us to the brink of bankruptcy,” Empson said.

“I’ve thought the last couple of years to run. Things have got so bad, I think we need a change in the whole form of county government,” Empson said. “Whether charter or a home rule county, I think we’ve got to get to investigating this. We can’t afford to go into bankruptcy.”

Incumbent Commissioner Bill Waddle and Susan Brown, the county’s former director of Economic Development, have already filed for the nonpartisan post. 

David Brock Smith of Port Orford and Randy Dubbs Dowler of Brookings have previously filed for Position 2, now held by George Rhodes of Brookings. Rhodes has said he hasn’t decided whether he will be a candidate for re-election.

Empson retired to Gold Beach after a 31 year career in the hotel-casino industry. He has never previously run for public office. He says he is frustrated with the waste and bad choices of county government. 

He believes county government is broken and seems unable to find any realistic solutions to its fiscal problems other than to increase taxes.

“I have nothing against anyone in office now. But I think everybody that’s running for office looks like they need a job. It should be something more than needing a job for being in public service,” Empson said.

“It seems like we have to change a lot of people in county government. There has to be a different thought process that starts somewhere,” he said.

Empson said there needs to be a total change of course for the county.

“I don’t think the answer is to let one person go in this department and one in that department. We have to have a wholesale change in the way of doing business,” he said.

Empson said he has spent his entire career in private enterprise. 

“It seems like you should run the county as a business,” he said.

“I’m just looking for one term to fix things,” Empson said. “I would just like to have four years to try to change the direction of Curry County.”

County Commission Position 1 is held by David Itzen, who is currently completing his second year on the board. That position will not appear on the ballot until 2014.

Sheriff John Bishop filed for re-election on Oct. 11.

Deborah Crumley, who was appointed as county treasurer on Oct. 11, filed for election to that office on Oct. 25. 

Other county offices on the ballot in 2012 are County Clerk and County Assessor.

Candidates have until March 6 to file for the May 15 primary election. If there is no clear winner at that election, a runoff will be held at the November general election.