The race for magistrate judge has been a pleasurable experience and devoid of animosity, the four men running for the office said.

In the first of two candidates’ forums, held Tuesday night at South Effingham High School, the contestants vying to replace the retiring Preston Exley expressed their appreciation for a clean and collegial campaign.

“What a great group of guys,” Scott Hinson said of his fellow officeseekers — Scott Lewis, Stan Mann and Solomon Smith.

Said Mann: “This has been a rewarding experience.”

Added Lewis: “It’s been a real pleasure to have them to run against.”

Smith, who worked at Union Camp for 25 years and started his own property management company while there, would turn over his company to a property manager. Lewis, a sergeant in the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office and an assistant patrol supervisor, would leave law enforcement if elected.

Hinson already has given up his business, Hinson’s Meat Market. Mann also has been in the business world for several years.

“I have 25 years of business experience,” Mann said. “I’ve worked with a lot of large budgets. I have fresh ideas I would like to implement. I would like to see run as a business and be prudent with the taxpayers’ money. I think my background is well-suited to making tough decisions.”

Smith said he’s had a number of cases as owner of a property management company before the magistrate court.

“I’ve had 400 cases of my own,” he said. “With the number of cases I’ve been involved in, I feel I bring a level of experience to the position that would benefit everyone involved. I would do everything in my power to make fair and impartial decisions and make sure I treated everyone with valid concerns for their rights. I have no agendas other than to serve the people of Effingham County to the best of my ability.”

Mann said he would like to add a returned check coordinator to the magistrate court office. He also would like to explore night court sessions so people who work out of town could come to get their issues resolved.

“People don’t have time to stop in the middle of the day,” he said.

Hinson also would like to beef up the magistrate court’s Web site and educate the public on what the court does. Because of the cases that are heard by a magistrate — for civil claims involving less than $15,000, county ordinance violations, dispossessories and warrants — magistrate court is often called the “people’s court,” he said.

“With the high price of gas, making it easier for Internet access would be an additional benefit,” he said.

Hinson also said he favors extended hours to accommodate Effingham residents who work outside the county. A graduate of Mercer University with a degree in psychology, Hinson also extolled his more than 20 years of running businesses as a plus.

As assistant patrol commander, Lewis has 48 sheriff’s office employees under him. He also said he’s well versed in the magistrate process when it comes to search and arrest warrants.

“I feel that if elected, I bring a lot to the table,” he said.

Lewis said he plans to put county ordinances on the magistrate’s Web site if elected.

“I think it’s something we need to look at,” he said. “You can’t shoot your gun within 300 feet of another residence, for instance.”