One of the main differences between incumbent Deschutes County Commissioner Tony DeBone and his challenger, Jodie Barram, might be their views on county governance.

The Deschutes County Commission candidates were asked Tuesday whether they would be in favor of opening up the board to five nonpartisan positions instead of the current three-member partisan body.

The question was one of many posed by members of the Rotary Club of Greater Bend at a debate between the candidates at the Riverhouse Hotel & Crossings Restaurant in Bend.

DeBone, a Republican who has served on the commission since 2011, said changing to a home rule charter should be put off until the county’s smaller cities grow larger. Voters struck down the idea of a home rule charter and five nonpartisan commissioners in 2006.

“I do support it as a function of population, in the future,” said DeBone, when Redmond and La Pine grow. “Then we have a need to have more representation from the geographic areas.”

DeBone said the county’s stretch of land isn’t overwhelming for him as a commissioner, and he is able to travel to the various regions to connect with the four cities and members of the public.

Barram, a Democrat who has served on the Bend City Council since 2008, said she would like to see the commission go to five nonpartisan positions.

“Since the county has grown by about 17,000 residents since this was brought up in 2006, a lot has changed in our communities, and I think we do need to revisit that conversation,” she said.

Although the change would result in a pay cut, Barram suggested the current salaries of three commissioners could be divided among five part-time commissioners.

“I do think you would get better representation that way,” said Barram, adding that how districts are divided should come from community input.

Rotary members were also interested in the candidates’ stances on Measure 91, which would legalize recreational marijuana in Oregon. The ballot measure will be decided by voters in November.

DeBone and Barram have said they do not think it is the right time to legalize the substance.

“I don’t think it accurately estimates the cost and the revenue,” said Barram. “I don’t think our public safety officers at whatever level of government are going to have the resources they need to manage this.”

DeBone mentioned concerns about children having access to the drug and about enforcement for those driving under the influence of marijuana.

“There are a lot of issues around that,” DeBone said.

The candidates were asked about the Bend and Deschutes County fiscal policies and how the local governing bodies made it through the Great Recession years.

Barram said the city could have raised water rates in a more sustainable fashion, a criticism she had of the council before taking office. She said the council has to be careful with every dollar it spends and has done a better job since.

“We have very good fiscal policies,” she said. “As we continue forward, what the recession has taught us, is to be better prepared for the future. Not just the five-year future.”

DeBone said the county has done well through the recession with fiscally responsible approaches. “We are building our reserves right now,” he said.

DeBone added, however, that he voted against the current 2015 fiscal year budget because he felt more money could have been saved.

The candidates also discussed the possibilities of woody biomass being designated as a renewable source of energy by the Legislature and the county’s role in economic development.

— Reporter: 541-617-7820, tshorack@bendbulletin.com

Editor’s note: This story has been corrected. In the original version, Jodie Barram’s statement about the city of Bend needing to raise rates in a sustainable fashion was incorrectly presented. Barram was referring to water rates and not tax rates. The Bulletin regrets the error.