IRONTON -- The two candidates for a six-year term as Ironton Municipal judge are both registered Republicans and live next door to each other, but that doesn't mean they're neighborly.

Oakley Clark Collins, 58, a municipal judge for the past 24 years, faces Kevin J. Waldo, 50, an assistant Lawrence County prosecutor, in the nonpartisan race for the position in the Nov. 8 general election.

The two discussed their qualifications, their goals for the next six years and the reasons behind a $100,000 donation Collins made earlier this year to the city of Ironton during interviews with The Herald-Dispatch.

"I think there's a contrast, you have a fiscal conservative who believes in using money wisely against someone who just because the money is there, wishes to spend it all for unnecessary programming then would have to ask the taxpayers to foot the bill," Collins said. "As long as I'm on the bench, it will never be necessary for Ironton City Council or the Lawrence County Board of Commissioners to put on municipal fees or additional taxes to run the Ironton Municipal Court."

Waldo said the donation from the court's computer fund to Ironton was done "to gain political favor after I announced my candidacy. At the same time, (Collins) court orders salary increases of some 18 to 20 percent while city workers fight tooth and nail to get a 2 to 3 percent raise."

As of August, there is more than $750,000 in various court accounts, Waldo said. That money should be used for counseling programs to alleviate crime or get defendants to change their behavior, he said.

"I want to use those funds to institute programs that would benefit people in our county," Waldo said. "It's ridiculous to have $300,000 in a computer fund."

A percentage of court costs are kept at the local level to help maintain the court.

Collins said the city was in a financial crisis and needed the money to help save some jobs and keep some police officers working. "If we're able to do it in the future, we could revisit it.

"We've used (the money) judiciously and appropriately," he said. "There's too much government overspending. We're not going to overstaff (the office) and pay for unnecessary programs. When counseling is appropriate, we do it. We've saved money so the city and county won't have to put new fees or taxes on the people to support the court. I think that's the kind of fiscal management the citizens and taxpayers deserve. I did it because it's the right thing to do and because the city needed it."

The municipal court has 10 employees including the judge and a $400,000 budget. It is located on the third floor of the Ironton City Center building at South 3rd and Vernon streets.

Waldo said one of those employees, an assistant director of intensive supervised probation, receives a $42,000 salary, which is about $6,000 higher than that of the Ironton police chief and the Ironton fire chief. "I don't think that's fair."

"This is a full-time position," he said of the judgeship. "A lot of people at the court haven't worked full-time days and full-time weeks including the judge for years. His effort isn't full-time. Until about four months ago (Collins) was working four hours a week. I'll provide a full-time effort for a full-time job. I'll have office hours every day."

Collins called that a "ridiculous claim. We're busy five days a week. We maintain full-time hours. The public knows it. You can't have court every day. There are only so many attorneys available for court. The municipal court has criminal arraignments on Monday, civil and traffic cases on Tuesday, trials on Wednesday, criminal pre-trials on Thursday and other cases on Friday, Collins said.

"It's not fair to criticize when he's a part-time assistant prosecutor making approximately $50,000 per year in salary and with full-time benefits, making it $55,000 to $65,000 he's receiving. How many people in Lawrence County would like to have a part-time job like that? All my employees are full-time. None of them make more than $36,000 per year and the deputy clerks make $24,000 to $25,000.

"I think we've done a good job and have a very good record," Collins said. "I do have the experience to bring to the job." He said the court has received service awards from the Ohio Supreme Court, the court's probation office has been rated among the top in the state and the court consistently is among the top in Ohio on driving-under-the-influence convictions, he said.

Collins said he created one of the first community service programs where defendants go out into the community to pick up trash, cut grass and do other public service projects. "It was used as a model for other courts," he said. "We want to continue the programs we've started."

If elected, Waldo promised to be a "team player" with city and county officials on budget issues. "I know the type of problems the city of Ironton has," he said. "I will have a professional, dedicated, hard-working, highly qualified and trained staff."

Waldo said all the assistant prosecutor positions, including that of prosecuting attorney, are part-time jobs under Ohio law. Even so, he works more than 30 hours a week in the prosecutor's office on juvenile cases and delinquent tax matters. While the Lawrence County Municipal Judge is a part-time position, Ironton Municipal judge is a full-time position.

"I feel I'll be fair and impartial in all cases," he said. "I don't think a judge should boast about conviction rates of certain categories of crime. My opponent has stated he has a 98-99 percent conviction rate on DUIs. It's my belief a judge should be more of an impartial umpire and not boasting or bragging about conviction rates. Law enforcement and prosecutors have cause to brag about conviction rates, not the judicial office."

Waldo said there is no rating for judges in the state of Ohio and that there is no ranking systems for probation departments in municipal courts in the Buckeye State.

Collins said a judge has to have a good temperament, and have a good dose of common sense. "I think I have a good reputation for being fair," he said. "I'm proud of the record we've established. We don't try that many DUI cases. Mostly they plead. I stopped the practice of plea bargaining on DUI cases."

He said he did increase salaries of the municipal court employees in 2003. "We were bringing our employees in line with courts in the surrounding area. As for excess funds being held by the court, Collins said, many of those funds are committed. Next year, the court plans to spend $150,000 to $175,000 for computer upgrades. The court also is planning to buy some new vehicles and equipment for the community service program, he said.

The two discussed their qualifications, their goals for the next six years and the reasons behind a $100,000 donation Collins made earlier this year to the city of Ironton during interviews with The Herald-Dispatch.

"I think there's a contrast, you have a fiscal conservative who believes in using money wisely against someone who just because the money is there, wishes to spend it all for unnecessary programming then would have to ask the taxpayers to foot the bill," Collins said. "As long as I'm on the bench, it will never be necessary for Ironton City Council or the Lawrence County Board of Commissioners to put on municipal fees or additional taxes to run the Ironton Municipal Court."

Waldo said the donation from the court's computer fund to Ironton was done "to gain political favor after I announced my candidacy. At the same time, (Collins) court orders salary increases of some 18 to 20 percent while city workers fight tooth and nail to get a 2 to 3 percent raise."

As of August, there is more than $750,000 in various court accounts, Waldo said. That money should be used for counseling programs to alleviate crime or get defendants to change their behavior, he said.

"I want to use those funds to institute programs that would benefit people in our county," Waldo said. "It's ridiculous to have $300,000 in a computer fund."

A percentage of court costs are kept at the local level to help maintain the court.

Collins said the city was in a financial crisis and needed the money to help save some jobs and keep some police officers working. "If we're able to do it in the future, we could revisit it.

"We've used (the money) judiciously and appropriately," he said. "There's too much government overspending. We're not going to overstaff (the office) and pay for unnecessary programs. When counseling is appropriate, we do it. We've saved money so the city and county won't have to put new fees or taxes on the people to support the court. I think that's the kind of fiscal management the citizens and taxpayers deserve. I did it because it's the right thing to do and because the city needed it."

The municipal court has 10 employees including the judge and a $400,000 budget. It is located on the third floor of the Ironton City Center building at South 3rd and Vernon streets.

Waldo said one of those employees, an assistant director of intensive supervised probation, receives a $42,000 salary, which is about $6,000 higher than that of the Ironton police chief and the Ironton fire chief. "I don't think that's fair."

"This is a full-time position," he said of the judgeship. "A lot of people at the court haven't worked full-time days and full-time weeks including the judge for years. His effort isn't full-time. Until about four months ago (Collins) was working four hours a week. I'll provide a full-time effort for a full-time job. I'll have office hours every day."

Collins called that a "ridiculous claim. We're busy five days a week. We maintain full-time hours. The public knows it. You can't have court every day. There are only so many attorneys available for court. The municipal court has criminal arraignments on Monday, civil and traffic cases on Tuesday, trials on Wednesday, criminal pre-trials on Thursday and other cases on Friday, Collins said.

"It's not fair to criticize when he's a part-time assistant prosecutor making approximately $50,000 per year in salary and with full-time benefits, making it $55,000 to $65,000 he's receiving. How many people in Lawrence County would like to have a part-time job like that? All my employees are full-time. None of them make more than $36,000 per year and the deputy clerks make $24,000 to $25,000.

"I think we've done a good job and have a very good record," Collins said. "I do have the experience to bring to the job." He said the court has received service awards from the Ohio Supreme Court, the court's probation office has been rated among the top in the state and the court consistently is among the top in Ohio on driving-under-the-influence convictions, he said.

Collins said he created one of the first community service programs where defendants go out into the community to pick up trash, cut grass and do other public service projects. "It was used as a model for other courts," he said. "We want to continue the programs we've started."

If elected, Waldo promised to be a "team player" with city and county officials on budget issues. "I know the type of problems the city of Ironton has," he said. "I will have a professional, dedicated, hard-working, highly qualified and trained staff."

Waldo said all the assistant prosecutor positions, including that of prosecuting attorney, are part-time jobs under Ohio law. Even so, he works more than 30 hours a week in the prosecutor's office on juvenile cases and delinquent tax matters. While the Lawrence County Municipal Judge is a part-time position, Ironton Municipal judge is a full-time position.

"I feel I'll be fair and impartial in all cases," he said. "I don't think a judge should boast about conviction rates of certain categories of crime. My opponent has stated he has a 98-99 percent conviction rate on DUIs. It's my belief a judge should be more of an impartial umpire and not boasting or bragging about conviction rates. Law enforcement and prosecutors have cause to brag about conviction rates, not the judicial office."

Waldo said there is no rating for judges in the state of Ohio and that there is no ranking systems for probation departments in municipal courts in the Buckeye State.

Collins said a judge has to have a good temperament, and have a good dose of common sense. "I think I have a good reputation for being fair," he said. "I'm proud of the record we've established. We don't try that many DUI cases. Mostly they plead. I stopped the practice of plea bargaining on DUI cases."

He said he did increase salaries of the municipal court employees in 2003. "We were bringing our employees in line with courts in the surrounding area. As for excess funds being held by the court, Collins said, many of those funds are committed. Next year, the court plans to spend $150,000 to $175,000 for computer upgrades. The court also is planning to buy some new vehicles and equipment for the community service program, he said.

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