State-Journal.com - Todd proposes expanding district court schedule

A candidate for district judge has proposed expanding district court to include handling some dockets on evenings and weekends.

Dana Todd, Franklin County's assistant commonwealth's attorney, said at a candidate forum Tuesday night the district court needed to be more accessible.

District court is for "everyday people" with jobs and children to look after, Todd said at the Thornhill Learning Center with about 30 in the audience.

But while Todd emphasized her experience and hopes for the district court, she also barbed opponents on expanding the county's drug court to district court when candidates were asked how they would alter its structure.

Directly after her opponent Chris Olds, a private attorney, suggested the expansion, Todd asked audience members to recall she suggested the expansion at the time District Judge Guy Hart announced his retirement, opening the seat for an election.

"Since I first said it, others have said so, too, which tells me it's a good idea," Todd said at the forum.

Olds also said in his response more efficiency is needed in the court and dealing with the community's drug problem would be a top priority.

"This isn't rocket science," Olds said of the drug court expansion.

Olds said Wednesday morning in an e-mail at The State Journal's request for comment, that he'd always been a proponent of drug court.

Olds prosecuted drug court cases while interning in the Fayette County commonwealth's attorney's office, the e-mail said.

"Theyalready had drug court inFayette Countyat this time, 10 years before we got drug court for circuit court here in Franklin County," Olds' e-mail said. "I became a believer in drugcourt back then, in 1997."

"I amterrified ofthe recent escalation of our drug problem," Olds said.

Chris Broaddus, assistant county attorney, called for the availability of more drug treatment and suggested "tweaking" court schedules would enhance accessibility of the court to Franklin County citizens.

Attorney Will Williams, also a candidate for Hart's seat, was not at the forum.

Mayoral, City Commission and state representative candidates were on hand to introduce themselves.

Rep. Derrick Graham, a Democrat, and his Republican opponent, Frank Haynes, differentiated their positions on gambling in Kentucky. They're seeking Frankfort's 57th District seat.

Graham said voters should have the opportunity to vote on whether to allow gambling, a proposal that failed to get out of a House committee in the 2008 General Assembly.

Haynes responded that Kentucky legislators had the foresight to ban it in 1889 and for good reason.

"That's not something we want to leave our children with," Haynes said, projecting images of roulette wheels and blackjack.

Mayoral candidates Lynn Bowers and Gippy Graham reiterated their strengths, though Bowers asked voters not to vote for Graham, calling herself an "agent of change."

Graham said he has "no agenda except service."

According to Graham, the city is not playing to its strengths, among them Frankfort being the Capital City and being the only city on the Kentucky River.

City Commission challengers Mayor Bill May, Terry Sutton, Ken Thompson and Sellus Wilder were on hand to introduce themselves, as well as incumbents Kathy Carter, Doug Howard and Rodney Williams who will also be on the November ballot.