The race for Mercer County commissioner chugged along Sunday as more than 60 people crowded into a classroom in Sharon Hall at Penn State Shenango in downtown Sharon in hope of gleaning something from the five candidates that could influence their votes on Nov. 4.

And while there were few fireworks, supporters and others in attendance were afforded the opportunity to listen to Independent Daniel Berent, Republicans Michele Brooks and George Pokrant, and Democrats Olivia Lazor and Brian Beader explain their positions in a forum co-hosted by the League of Women Voters of Mercer County and Penn State Shenango.

Moderator Fred Leeds, Penn State's director of academic affairs, led the candidates through questions from panelists Dorothy Bieber of the League and Ron Errett, WPIC 790 radio host, and the audience.

Candidates were asked about the largest budgets they've managed, the importance of party affiliation and governing and the importance of bringing varied economic development groups together.

Their answers included:

   » Budgets -- Berent said he has managed budgets as large as $300 million, although he noted the $6.5 million budget he manages as a CEO of a manufacturing company was more important because it emphasized that he was "the only candidate to have created a job and had to meet a payroll."

Pokrant said he handled an $80 million budget at Sharon Regional Health System and combined budgets of $69 million as a regional administrator at UPMC Behavioral Health Network.

Mrs. Lazor, obviously, has worked with the county's $54 million annual budget, noting that she oversaw the $27 million human services portion of that budget.

Mrs. Brooks said as a member of the Jamestown Municipal Authority, she helped oversee a $4 million water project, as well as multi-million dollar budgets through some of her other affiliations.

In addition to the multi-million dollar contracts he has been involved in as an electrician and his varied other board service, Beader said he owns and operates an eight-unit apartment complex with an average annual budget of $40,000.

   » Party affiliation and the election -- All five candidates emphasized they would have no problem working with their colleagues from any party, although all, except Berent for obvious reasons, qualified that by saying they would prefer a majority on the board of commissioners from their respective party.

"It's simple for me," Mrs. Brooks said. "We're a team of three commissioners, we're a team of three leaders and we're a team of three facilitators. ... And we have to make decisions based on what's best for the county."

Mrs. Lazor said she has been on both sides of the fence during her nearly 12 years on the board, asserting that "it takes communication, enthusiasm and a willingness to work together" for the board to be effective.

"I don't care which two I get, but I'd hate to be in the minority," Berent said, referring to the scenario that would find a Democrat, Republican and independent winning. He said he would prefer that setup because it might enable him to accomplish his ideas easier.

   » Combining economic develop groups under one umbrella -- All were in agreement that more emphasis needs to be placed on encouraging or directing the groups to work more together.

"It's crucial for our economic survival that we work together," Beader said.

Patience was also stressed, as was the importance of the local organizations retaining some autonomy.

"You can't collapse them all today and expect to have one healthy and happy board tomorrow," Pokrant said. "... If you try to do it in an overnight fashion, you're going to scare a lot of people."

You can e-mail Herald Political Writer Jeff Greenburg at jgreenburg@sharonherald.com.

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