Fairhope Alabama Mayoral Candidate Questions
(For Fairhope City Council Candidate Questions, Click Here)
Questions and answers from the August 5 mayoral candidate forum in Fairhope Alabama are here:
http://www.baldwincountynow.com/articles/2008/08/09/local_news/doc489cb0f1d2efd624534048.txt
Here are additional questions submitted by citizens that could not be asked
at the candidate forum due to time limitations. Responses are presented in the
order in which they were received by Citizens for Responsible Government.
Jack Burrell
1. If city expenses exceed city revenues, what would you do to close the gap? And, if you were to cut expenditures, what kinds of cuts would you support? First of all, as stated by the city auditor's report to the city council in a recent city council meeting, "We have crossed the line where the city's expenses exceed income." By placing tight controls on our capital expenditures, we can begin to reduce debt, while closing the gap. This will occur naturally as more people move into the city and our property tax and utilities revenues increase. I will not cut city employee benefits, and I will only consider a sales tax if all available options fail, and then only with approval of the citizens of Fairhope.
2. What is our municipal cash flow problem and how would you propose to fix it? Our biggest problem is that we have spent huge sums of money on capital projects without a firm financial plan on how to pay for them. Effective immediately, we need to defer all large requests for capital spending until a 36-month financial projection is done. We need to immediately develop a 36-48 month projection of revenues, expenses, capital requirements, and priorities, and sources and uses of cash as recommended by the Government Structure Committee final report.
3. What initiatives do you have in mind for the City in the next couple of years to make Fairhope safer and friendlier to pedestrians, bicyclists, and wheelchair users? With regards to new construction of sidewalks and other walking paths, the city has been compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. I support the efforts of the Baldwin Trailblazers in connecting the entire Eastern Shore with walking paths, and I am open to new initiatives for building bicycle paths. As is a common theme of mine, these are all fantastic ideas, but each comes with a cost. We must include our citizens in these decision making processes to learn more what is desired and needed by our citizens. The strategic plan, when it becomes a reality, needs to address these initiatives.
4. What are your views on annexing areas adjacent to Fairhope? I would like to annex many areas adjacent to Fairhope, in order for the city to have a say in how this land is developed, increase our property tax base, and double the amount of gross receipts taxes collected from businesses in our police jurisdiction, but not in our city limits. The city should expect an area to allow annexation only on the basis that we provide benefits that justify the higher costs associated with being within the city limits.
5. Large cement poles have been installed lately to carry transmission lines in the Fairhope electric utility. This has made parts of our city look industrial when they are not. Would you change this practice? Placing all transmission lines underground would serve many purposes including: 1) Enhancing the beauty of our city, 2) Reduce Power outages during wind events such as hurricanes, and 3) Increase safety. While placing all transmission lines under ground would be a best case scenario, it all comes down to what the city can afford. I agree with the current requirement that all new subdivisions are required to have underground utilities.
6. There are streets in Fairhope that do not have curbs, gutters, or storm drains. What should people on these streets do to secure curbs, gutters, and storm drains? If citizens in certain areas are prone to flooding or property damage due to a lack of curbs, gutters, or storm drains, I would encourage them to contact the city for a meeting on what can or should be done to correct the problem. This meeting should include whom would be responsible for the cost of any improvements.
7. Does the City have enough police officers? The best data I can find suggests that we have an adequate number of police officers, and when needed we have a police auxiliary to fill in gaps. Fairhope is on par with other cities its size in number of police officers, although we have a low crime rate. As Mayor, I will support the police department enforcing the law and encourage more patrolling of our parks and streets.
8. Do you believe that the new flower planting areas extended across the parking lanes on Fairhope Avenue and Magnolia Avenue are a good idea? Would you do something different? I don't have a problem with the new flower planting areas. They certainly add more beauty to the downtown area. Where I would have done something different would have been to increase the net parking spaces in the new downtown parking deck, utilizing city funds to do so.
9. For people who want to garden but do not have their own suitable garden plot, is it appropriate for a neighborhood to have use of city-owned land, such as a portion of a park, for a community garden? I do not think so for a couple of reasons: 1) Liability placed on the city and 2) It opens the city to an unlimited number of requests to use city property for various and sundry reasons.
10. Do you think the City Government should address the potential consequences of global warming? If so, what are some examples of actions you would consider? Sure, it is the responsibility of all people and governments to protect our environment. We can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by promoting public transportation, and walkable neighborhoods. We can reduce reduce radiant heat by promoting pervious parking lots. We can encourage our supplier of electricity to generate more electricity from wind or solar power, and in the future begin to find ways to generate our own electricity through these methods. In addition, we need to promote more green space for new developments because plants reduce the amount of carbon dioxide, a key indicator of heat, in the atmosphere.
11. If you are currently otherwise employed, how do you intend to fulfill the responsibilities of Mayor and your other employment? I will resign my current full-time job if elected Mayor.
Vince Valentim
1. If city
expenses exceed city revenues, what would you do to close the gap? And, if you
were to cut expenditures, what kinds of cuts would you support?
In response to questions 1 AND 2 one of my first actions as mayor will be to
submit a " get well Plan" to the council consideration that requires
the following:
- The immediate cessation of non-budgeted, non-emergency
expenditures.
- The immediate cessation of non emergency usages of overtime.
- In depth review of all expenditures throughout the city identifying them as
ESSENTIAL and NON-ESSENTIAL. Rank the non-essential according to priority for
reduction or elimination.
- Review of all operations and services to ascertain if they can be accomplished
more economically and if the frequency of occurrence can be reduced.
- Implementation of a Position Management Study to be accomplished by the city's
Personnel Board to ascertain if there is duplicity and are people being gainfully
employed, the justification of a position and the span of control (ratio of
supervisors to workers). This study may also relate that some departments are
understaffed.
- Solicitation of ideas from employees to identify areas of cost savings.
- The development and implementation of an " Action Plan" with time
lines that assign responsibility for carrying out the objectives identified
by the reviews and studies.
2. What is our municipal cash flow problem and how would you propose to fix it? Again, I would use the same thought process as what was answered in question 1.
3. What initiatives
do you have in mind for the City in the next couple of years to make Fairhope
safer and friendlier to pedestrians, bicyclists, and wheelchair users?
Initiatives I would have in mind are:
- Walk lights at intersections.
- Enforcement of traffic codes
- Request Police Department to provide a list of high risk areas for cyclist
at which time they would be presented to the Council for review and appropriate
action.
4. What are your views on annexing areas adjacent to Fairhope? To preface the answer to this question, we have to address the fact that our Founding Fathers visions was to fund the infrastructure of Fairhope with profits from the utilities in lieu of a sales tax. This system worked well for 100+ years and then the unthinkable happened... the State and courts decreed that the City of Fairhope could no longer provide electrical service to certain areas which resulted in the loss of large segment of customers which severely impacted our City's ability to acquire the necessary revenues to adequately support our infrastructure.
With that in mind, I feel we must restructure our revenue raising policies before future annexations. To lump that responsibility on the business community and the citizens of Fairhope who are on Fairhope Electrical system would be unfair.
5. Large cement poles have been installed lately to carry transmission lines in the Fairhope electric utility. This has made parts of our city look industrial when they are not. Would you change this practice? Sure... if we could. Unfortunately this is NOT part of our system. We can only request something different, like underground utilities.
6. There are streets in Fairhope that do not have curbs, gutters, or storm drains. What should people on these streets do to secure curbs, gutters, and storm drains? Present a petition to the city.
7. Does the City have enough police officers? NO!
8. Do you believe that the new flower planting areas extended across the parking lanes on Fairhope Avenue and Magnolia Avenue are a good idea? Would you do something different? No. Yes.
9. For people who want to garden but do not have their own suitable garden plot, is it appropriate for a neighborhood to have use of city-owned land, such as a portion of a park, for a community garden? No. I think this would be a great church project or for interested citizens to form a co-op and rent some property for gardening.
10. Do you think the City Government should address the potential consequences of global warming? If so, what are some examples of actions you would consider? No. My beliefs at present time, based on Climatologist from NASA and recent United Kingdom Climatologist core samplings relate the phenomenon is the cyclical in nature. We have no control of it. I am still open minded on this issue and it still makes good sense to take care of our environment.
11. If you are currently otherwise employed, how do you intend to fulfill the responsibilities of Mayor and your other employment? I am retired and see no problem in this area.
Chris Warner
1. If city expenses exceed city revenues, what would you do to close the gap? And, if you were to cut expenditures, what kinds of cuts would you support? Go to single day garbage pick-up and less new flower planting.
2. What is our municipal cash flow problem and how would you propose to fix it? Quit borrowing and pay as we go with a sales tax AFTER a property tax roll-back.
3. What initiatives do you have in mind for the City in the next couple of years to make Fairhope safer and friendlier to pedestrians, bicyclists, and wheelchair users? Build a biking and walking trail as suggested in the master plan that we do not follow.
4. What are your views on annexing areas adjacent to Fairhope? I am for annexation as we must provide services to these areas.
5. Large cement poles have been installed lately to carry transmission lines in the Fairhope electric utility. This has made parts of our city look industrial when they are not. Would you change this practice? Absolutely. The ones near Rock Creek are unsightly.
6. There are streets in Fairhope that do not have curbs, gutters, or storm drains. What should people on these streets do to secure curbs, gutters, and storm drains? Vote for me. I will find the money to build them.
7. Does the City have enough police officers? No. It needs more but we need revenue to fund new hires. See my sales tax/revenue swap stance.
8. Do you believe that the new flower planting areas extended across the parking lanes on Fairhope Avenue and Magnolia Avenue are a good idea? Would you do something different? We have enough flowers. We need to work on infrastructure.
9. For people who want to garden but do not have their own suitable garden plot, is it appropriate for a neighborhood to have use of city-owned land, such as a portion of a park, for a community garden? Community gardens promote community, and should be welcome.
10. Do you think the City Government should address the potential consequences of global warming? If so, what are some examples of actions you would consider? I am in favor of an ordinance outlawing all styrofoam.
11. If you are currently otherwise employed, how do you intend to fulfill the responsibilities of Mayor and your other employment? The mayor's salary has been cut in half and it is really a part-time job now as he is no longer head of utilities. I would balance other work with this part-time work.
Tim Kant
1. If city expenses exceed city revenues, what would you do to close the gap? And, if you were to cut expenditures, what kinds of cuts would you support? Our Strong Council/Weak Mayor form of city government places spending in the hands of the City Council. My role, as Mayor, is to advise, recommend and suggest to the council where effective changes can be made.
2. What is our municipal cash flow problem and how would you propose to fix it? The City is “paid” (or receives its income) once a year. Since our income is not on a regular basis, we must have a plan for spending and adhere to the plan. Sound financial management and learning to sometimes say “no” is the answer.
3. What initiatives do you have in mind for the City in the next couple of years to make Fairhope safer and friendlier to pedestrians, bicyclists, and wheelchair users? The best ideas come from our Public Works Director working with a committee of Fairhope citizens who meet regularly to ascertain the most useful improvements. Input from the people who utilize these enhancements is the best source to identify needs.
4. What are your views on annexing areas adjacent to Fairhope? The residents of Fairhope should, as a city, decide how much they want Fairhope to grow. Using the desires of our citizens, a plan for annexation can be formulated. The residents of an area proposed for annexation must vote for the measure by Alabama law.
5. Large cement poles have been installed lately to carry transmission lines in the Fairhope electric utility. This has made parts of our city look industrial when they are not. Would you change this practice? There are national standards that require the use of these poles in our hurricane prone area. In addition to helping maintain our much appreciated ability for quick power restoration after a storm, concrete poles’ longer life cycle helps Fairhope to provide the lowest possible electrical rates in our area to our customers.
6. There are streets in Fairhope that do not have curbs, gutters, or storm drains. What should people on these streets do to secure curbs, gutters, and storm drains? Fairhope’s policy has always been that if over fifty percent of a street’s residents desire these improvements the City will make them. The residents pay for these improvements on a per- front-foot basis through Public Improvement Bonds which allow them to pay back the cost over a ten year period.
7. Does the City have enough police officers? Our current force is adequate and does a superior job. Fairhope has the lowest crime rate in our area for cities our size. The number of police employees has increased from 30 to 60 in the last eight years.
8. Do you believe that the new flower planting areas extended across the parking lanes on Fairhope Avenue and Magnolia Avenue are a good idea? Would you do something different? Fairhope has had two traffic fatalities and several serious injuries at that intersection. The plantings have quieted traffic while simultaneously increasing beautification of the city.
9. For people who want to garden but do not have their own suitable garden plot, is it appropriate for a neighborhood to have use of city-owned land, such as a portion of a park, for a community garden? It would have to be determined that restricting full use of public land to a specific group would be legal. If legal, our city Environmental Committee could make suggestions and forward them to the City Council for action.
10. Do you think the City Government should address the potential consequences of global warming? If so, what are some examples of actions you would consider? Fairhope is years ahead of any nearby cities in addressing global warming. We are known world-wide as a Model Green City. All of these landscaping measures contribute to clean air. We have led the region in recycling and our sewage plant was recognized as “Best Operation in the State” in 2007. Our city swimming pool uses ozone instead of Chlorine in its process. My desire is to grow employment opportunities in the areas of clean industry such as educational and medical services.
11. If you are currently otherwise employed, how do you intend to fulfill the responsibilities of Mayor and your other employment? I am presently a full time employee of the City of Fairhope.
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