Taking the hot seat in an effort to win one of three open seats on the city board, eight hopefuls for McMinnville alderman squared off last week during a political forum sponsored by Southern Standard and WCPI.
Early voting is currently under way with Election Day set for Tuesday, Nov. 4.
Ben Foust, David H. Hill, John Douglass, Billy Tanner, Linda Holland, Ryle Chastain, Steve Harvey and Everett Brock were each given one minute to answer eight questions, with each question answered by two candidates. Grouped together by random draw were Foust and Hill, Douglass and Tanner, Holland and Chastain, and Harvey and Brock.
Question: “The city removed hundreds of streetlights in a cost-saving measure in 2011. After taking them down, the city is now putting them back up. What are your thoughts on streetlights?”
Foust said, “As far as taking down the streetlights, it was to save money, obviously. As far as putting the lights back up, I’m sure someone from McMinnville Electric would be able to go more in depth. They are putting up energy efficient LED lights which is another cost-saving measure. Even though the initial cost may be more, we will save money and have the lights back in the city.”
Hill said, “A couple years ago on the election, most of the candidates voted in favor of putting back the streetlights and I’m disappointed that they haven’t been. There was a 90-year-old woman who was living in her house and they took away her streetlight. She asked to have that light put back. A member of the board made it seem like she was wanting special treatment, but all she was asking for was to be safe in her home.”
Question: “Park Theatre restoration is scheduled to be complete in about five months from now. What can the city do to make this a successful entertainment venue that also promotes economic activity.”
Douglass said, “I guess advertise, advertise and advertise to get it on good footing and start off right.”
Tanner said, “We are planning on having our 45th high school reunion at the Park Theatre if it gets done in time. We need to have plays like the Cumberland Playhouse has and like Woodbury has. They have a playhouse in Woodbury, but we don’t have one here. We could bring in musicals. We could show movies like they used to show up town on the wall of the bank. We could do those inside the Park Theatre.”
Question: “There has been discussion about what to do with McMinnville Police Department since November 2009 when the department moved into a facility that it is renting. What are your thoughts on what to do with the Police Department?”
Holland said, “I think the best thing for the Police Department would be if the Blue Building were torn down and a new building put in for the Police Department. I think by the time they get through renovating the Blue Building they are going to have spent a lot of money and still going to have an old building with a lot of problems. I just feel like they should go into a new building. It’s what the Police Department needs.”
Chastain said, “I have to disagree with that previous statement just a little bit. After talking with some of the aldermen, mayor and some of the police officers, they wish to relocate back into that building. The building is an iconic building here in town. If you say the words Blue Building, everybody knows what it is. I feel strongly convinced the Police Department needs to be downtown.”
Question: “What are your thoughts on removing the requirement that places a 300-foot barrier between places that sell beer and churches and schools?”
Harvey brought a round of laughter and applause by saying, “Everybody can relax now, because we got the question nobody wanted.”
Harvey said, “This may not be the most popular answer, but I’m going to tell you how I feel. I, honestly, can’t see a difference if you walk out of your church and there is a restaurant three doors down that serves alcohol and if there is one next door to you that sells alcohol. This isn’t about getting alcohol next to churches, it’s about protecting property owners.”
Brock said, “I have a little bit different take on it. I really think this is probably an issue the board should leave alone. It’s worked well for years. I don’t understand too much of the uproar about it, I’ll have to be honest with you about that. But I think it’s worked well and it’s best to leave this one alone.”
The final four questions were asked in reverse order to the candidates.
Question: “What are your thoughts of having a full-time mayor, instead of a city administrator?”
Brock said, “I do not believe that just because you elect a mayor he has the abilities and the wherewithal to know how to do budgets, the legal aspect and the administrative part of it. It is a difficult, difficult job and it takes somebody to do it full time. The aldermen’s race and the mayor’s race tend to be popularity contests. They don’t tend to be contests of ‘Do you have a degree in finance, or do you have a degree in law, or do you have a degree in public administration?’ so I think you are asking for trouble if you go to a full-time mayor.”
Harvey said, “I completely agree with Everett on that. To add to it a little bit, I think a city administrator gives you that outside, objective look at issues. He advises the mayor. He doesn’t vote, but he advises on what he thinks should be done. Lots of good things that we have and lots of good things we have in our city come from past city administrators, so I do not believe the mayor needs to be full time. I think we need a full-time city administrator.”
Question: “City officials leaving the board have expressed discouragement about not being able to accomplish their goals while in office. If elected, what is one goal or project you have for your four years in office?”
Chastain said, “As I stated in my opening statement, it’s about collaboration and it’s about compromise. As with any relationship, whether you are courting a girl in high school or when you are married, there are going to be times when you have to work together. I know my wife back there loves me unconditionally, but I promise you she doesn’t like me every day. We talk about things and we work through things and at the end of the day we are still married. What it comes down to is working with the man or woman across from you rather than patronizing them, chastising them, or storming out of the chamber room when you don’t get your way.”
Holland said, “I have to agree with Ryle on that one. That’s kind of what I’m running on is they need to compromise. They need to use common sense. Just work together and don’t constantly be bickering and fighting with each other. I think just compromise.”
Question: “Street paving, a new Police Department, a new Fire Department and the list goes on for projects requiring tax dollars. What project do you think is the city’s top priority right now?”
Tanner said, “I think it’s to continue paving the streets, because we still have a lot of streets in the city that are in real bad shape. Then, we can go to the lights and so on. Paying for those things is something else. You know, being in the school business, we had to keep a fund balance that was more than what we needed in order to take care of the projects that we had to do. We had to take those projects one after the other.”
Douglass said, “I would say street paving would be top priority. Others can fall behind depending on dollars and cents.”
Question: “The current city board has expressed a desire to renovate the Blue Building, but no final decision has been made. What are your thoughts on the Blue Building?”
Hill said, “We are talking about needing a police station. We talking about needing a fire station. There is no way the Blue Building will be renovated for $2.8 million. It’s a wonderful piece of property. A prime piece of property. It’s somewhere you can put a police station and a fire station. We need to move City Hall back to where it was accessible to the people, so I would like to see them use that property by building new buildings and use it wisely.”
Foust said, “I believe it is a prime piece of property. It is a very iconic building, but what do we really need to use it for? The Police Department wasn’t very functional when it was there. The Fire Department can’t function there. Maybe a conference center. I don’t know, but the Police Department is not suited to go back to the location. In my opinion, we could build a Police Department very cheaply in comparison to the $2.8 million proposed for renovation.”