By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette

Monday, Dec. 13, 2010, 4 p.m. — When former Nelson County Magistrate Tim Hutchins filed as an independent candidate for judge executive, he knew by doing so he would bypass the May primary.

By changing his party affiliation from Democrat to independent, Hutchins knew he would avoid running a primary campaign. This allowed him to focus his time, attention and resources on winning the November general election.

Though Hutchins’ bid for the county’s top elected position fell short, it wasn’t because he didn’t spend enough money in his campaign: Hutchins raised $41,175 in his campaign, with $23,916 of that total coming from his own pocket.

In the three-way race for judge executive, Hutchins outspent incumbent Judge Executive Dean Watts by nearly a 7-to-1 margin. Watts’ campaign finance report indicated he raised a total of $6,350, on top of $3,155 in in-kind contributions, most of which were campaign signs that he’s reused from past elections.

The third candidate in the race, Republican Pete Trzop, also raised more than Watts. Of Trzop’s $8,617 total, $5,750 was money Trzop gave to his campaign. The latest campaign finance reports show that Trzop put the final balance of his unspent campaign account – just over $287 – toward the balance of the outstanding balance on the money his campaign owned him. He assumed the balance of the debt — $5,462 — converting it to a candidate contribution to his campaign.

In a recent interview, Watts said he felt good about the election. Winning re-election in a three-way race against candidates who both spent more money than he did “really re-charged my batteries,” he said. “I really feel good about the election and the direction the county we’re going. I’m really looking forward to the next four years.”

HISTORY MADE. The race for judge-executive was a historic one here in Nelson County; since taking office in 1994, Watts had never faced an opponent in a November election. Additionally, Trzop was the first Republican to run for judge executive. It was unique too because Watts faced not one, but two challengers.

HUTCHINS’ DEEP POCKETS. Hutchins, who is owner and manager of Handy Food Mart, dug deep in his own pocket to finance his campaign, contributing $23,916 to his campaign. The balance of his campaign war chest consisted of donations from individuals, most with ties to Nelson County.

A partial list of donors to Hutchins’ campaign includes:

David Monin, Cox’s Creek, co-owner Monin Trucking, $1000; Shannon Monin, Cox’s Creek, $1000; Chris Monin, Cox’s Creek, co-owner and manager of Tradewinds Trucking, $1000; Deborah Monin, Cox’s Creek, $1000; Karen Rogers, New Haven, co-owner of Bluegrass Ice, $1,000; Ronald Rogers, New Haven, president of Bluegrass Ice, $700; Keith Douglas, owner of a Boston logging company, $300 in-kind toward meet and greet on Sept. 25,2 010; $300 was also credited to his wife, Jonna Douglas; Bardstown cardiologist Dr. Thomas Passo, $500; Ted Strader, New Haven, $500; Kevin McLaughlin, owner of Kelvin’s Cooperage in Louisville, $500; Bill Barnes, owner of Best Western and Denny’s Restaurant in Shepherdsville, $250; William Keene Jr, Bardstown attorney, $250; Tom Downs, owner of TCO Builders of Bardstown, $200; Mary Jo Higdon, Lebanon, retired teacher, $200; Ellen Clayton of Coxs Creek, $200; James Kirk, partner in Preferred Properties Real Estate, $200; Darlene Beam, Bardstown, $100; Leo Mayer, of Cox’s Creek, $100; Arthur Mattingly, New Haven, $100; and Glenn Crabtree, Cox’s Creek, $100.

HUTCHINS’ EXPENDITURES. Hutchins spent heavily on advertising during the campaign, including newspaper, radio, television and direct mail advertising. His campaign spent nearly $18,000 in the final three weeks before the election.

One of the larger expenditures during the campaign was more than $7,000 he paid The Shirt Shop for yard signs, hats and t-shirts.

In the last two weeks of his campaign, Hutchins paid his own company, Handy Mart LLC, $6,639 for copies, stamps and envelopes for his direct mailing that went to 13,000 Nelson County households.

His campaign spent $5,549 for yard signs, door hangers and similar campaign materials from TLC Graphics & Signs. The Kentucky Standard received $4639 in the same period for newspaper ads; PLG TV-13, which is owned by the same company, received $2,320.25 for ads.

TRZOP CAMPAIGN. Outside the $5,750 the candidate gave to his campaign, the balance of his funding came in the form of small donations from supporters.

These include James Beery, Bardstown, $100; Wanda Janes, Bardstown, $25; Betty Pendergrass, Bardstown, $250; Tony Calvert, Chaplin, $175; Ronald Griffith, Bardstown, $200; Danny Coulter, Chaplin, $100; and an in-kind donation of $800 in advertising from the Nelson County Republican Executive Committee.

Trzop’s expenses focused on media buys, including : $3,079 spent with the Kentucky Standard; $512 for ads on WBRT AM 1320 and $400 for ads on WYSB.

Some of Trzop’s best advertising was free: He and other candidates coordinated “sign waves,” which were events where a candidate or supporter could bring their sign and wave to passers by. Several such sign waves were organized at the intersection of North Third Street and KY 245. Trzop, and city council candidate Alan Brown Jr., pictured at right, were among those who took part in these impromptu events.

Trzop also used the Web effectively to back-up his campaign message. He made frequent reference to documents he placed on his website for public viewing, including documents about his military history and education. He added a “Rumor Mill” section to address rumors about the campaign and answer questions from constituents.

WATTS’ CAMPAIGN. As has been the case in the past, the incumbent candidate’s campaign donors were a mix of family, friends, former employers and business associates. Watts raised $4,100 in contributions, the final $500 donation coming from Violet Smith, his mother-in-law. His campaign also reported nearly $2,000 in unitemized contributions under $100.

His expenses in the last weeks of the campaign included more than $2,400 in newspaper advertising and $400 for radio advertising on WBRT. His latest campaign finance report includes expenses for his election night party and for paid help gathering his campaign signs.

While Hutchins began running ads critical of him long before the election, Watts did not respond immediately. Watts attended each of the community candidate forums that began in late July with a testy event at the Boston Community Center.

Watts’ advertising focused on his record as judge executive, and in the final month of the campaign, he began focusing on a list of campaign goals he planned to pursue over the next four years if re-elected. The list included keeping taxes low; continuing work on a long-term water supply; sewer expansion to Cox’s Creek; completing work on US31E; third-party feasibility study of an indoor pool and community center; expanding the county’s curbside recycling program; and expanding high-speed Internet access to more areas of the county.

Hutchins’ ads attached Watts’ record while also promising to improve the joint city-county planning and zoning board and eliminate inspections of non-residential construction like fences, pools, decks, remodeling work, etc.

Watts countered Hutchins’ attacks by noting that in the 16 years they had served on Nelson Fiscal Court together, Hutchins and Watts had voted in agreement on nearly every vote.

In the Nov. 2^nd election, Watts won 20 of the county’s 27 precincts. Hutchins won in six precincts, and Trzop won in one.

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