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My name is Emily Groves and on behalf of the Portland Chamber of Commerce, I just want

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to welcome each of you here tonight to our candidate forum. I would like to thank the

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candidates as well that have decided to take their time to run for office. Thank you to

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each of you for being here tonight as well to show your support and interest. I know

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the candidates appreciate that as well. We have with us here tonight Mr. Clark Shiflett

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with the Shiflett Law Firm. He'll be serving as our moderator. We also have Mr. Jim

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Donahoe with Donahoe Nursery that will be serving as our official timekeeper and thank you Clark

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and Jim for being here with us tonight and giving of your time. Lastly I want to thank Mr. Brandon

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Roberts and Cedric Gregory with the City of Portland and they have everything set up for us

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here tonight and the forum is also going to be live streamed on the city's Facebook page

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and the chamber will be sharing that as well. I would also like to mention early voting for

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those of you that don't know it will begin this Friday the 18th from 10 to

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6 at Portland First Baptist. It will also continue on Saturday the 19th from

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9 a.m. until noon again at Portland First Baptist. So again thank you all for

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being here tonight. At this time I'm gonna turn it over to Mr. Clark. Good

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evening Alderman and candidates. My name is Clark Shiflett as you've already

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learned and I'm going to be your moderator for tonight's forum. First

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I want to welcome each of you for being here and thank you for your

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willingness to serve the city.

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I'd also like to express my gratitude to the Portland Chamber

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for organizing this forum.

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Let's go ahead and review the format for tonight's discussion.

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First, order of appearance.

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Candidates will be chosen at random,

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and the order will be reversed for closing comments.

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A time clock will be visible to all the candidates

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with a warning sign at 15 seconds, followed by a stop

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sign when the time has expired.

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Opening statements.

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Each candidate will have 90 seconds to introduce themselves.

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Topics. A wide range of issues of general interest to the public will be addressed.

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These will include questions on candidate qualifications, goals, budget, infrastructure, zoning, and density, and community engagement.

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As far as the questions are concerned, written questions were submitted by residents and community

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leaders and were screened for duplication and clarity.

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I'm going to read the question and no interaction among the candidates, audience members or

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other program participants is allowed.

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Answers will be limited to one minute, that's 60 seconds, 60 seconds will be the number

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of the counting and the number of the counting shall be 60.

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There will not be 61, neither shall there be 62.

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63 is right out.

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Applause by the audience.

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All right.

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And each candidate will then have the opportunity to respond to the question.

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As far as closing statements, each candidate is going to get 90 seconds to wrap up and cover any issues that are not yet addressed.

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One word of admonition.

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If you are asked a question, your time will not begin until the moment words start coming out of your mouth.

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Which means to you, if you need a moment to cogitate and think about what your response needs to be, that's not going to be counted against you.

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If you sit there stone-faced for too long, though, I might ask you to go ahead and start.

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But just know that your time doesn't begin immediately. It begins when you start speaking.

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So we'll go ahead and start with opening statements. Let's start with candidate Charles Cole.

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Well, as you said, my name is Charles Cole. Forty-five born and raised.

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I have five children, been married for over 21 years. Good thing the wife's not here on that one.

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Otis Daughters of School teacher in Georgia. Otis son is in the Army National Guard.

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My middle daughter is in college at Ball State.

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Then I have a junior report in high school and a third grader.

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I still want one more, but mama says no.

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So a little bit about me.

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My first job out of high school, besides your farming jobs,

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I grew up in New Deal.

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My parents had a farm out there.

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The first job was unit press for eight years,

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and then I transitioned to be a professional truck driver.

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So I've been in trucking logistics for over 20 years,

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a little bit of transportation manager and things like that,

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but always went back to driving because that was a thing I loved to do.

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I love this community, I love this town, I'm passionate about making it better.

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And that's about all I got to say about it.

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Alderman Bryan Woodall.

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My name is Bryan Woodall.

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Born and raised here in Portland.

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In 1987, I had three huge events.

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I graduated high school here, got married, and went off to the service to serve 22 years

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in the service.

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Came back home and opened up a small business, and then four years ago I was fortunate enough

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to be elected to the city council, so tonight I'm asking for your vote for reelection.

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Having served in the service, to me it's a servant's heart, both in the service

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listen now here in the city, being able to give back.

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As far as family, I have three children, two beautiful daughter-in-laws, two of them live

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here in Portland and the other one lives in Germany.

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And as far as, again, why I'm running, it's just because I love this community, I want

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to give back to the community, it's very simple to me, it's very simple.

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So, I think that's all I've got.

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Candidate Vince Ellis.

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Hello, I'm Vince Ellis. I'm a life-long resident here in Portland.

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I graduated high school here. I cut grass when I was a teenager.

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I've been married to my wife for five years, happily married.

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We have a home here and two dogs.

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and I'm actually a builder and contractor.

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I do a wide range of things that involves building but I've really enjoyed that

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and that's what I've done the past eight or nine years

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and before that I had a time working in banking

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and also worked for my dad's company.

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He owned a paving company and I worked for him as well

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but I've really enjoyed the building and I've done a lot of it here in this community

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and it's been really rewarding for me to see good growth

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and new people coming here appreciating the town that we have that I know that I grew up in

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and so many good people who have come and gone

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and who still live here that have made it such a warm place to grow up and live.

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And I'm running for council because I want to maintain the current town I grew up in,

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but help it solve and mitigate its issues that come to make sure that it's safe growth.

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Alderman Joey, Jody McDowell.

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Hello, I'm Jody McDowell. I'm also a lifelong resident of City of Portland.

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I'm a city councilman now and your current vice mayor.

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My wife, Rhonda, works for Sumner County Schools and I have two daughters,

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Makayla and Mackenzie. I'm a patrol deputy with the Sumner County Sheriff's

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Office where I'm also a negotiator with the SWAT team. I love the challenge of

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trying to deal with people and problems and have an outcome that's fair to

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everyone involved. I've been involved in serving my community for over 32 years.

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I'm very blessed to work in an area like Portland. I tell people all the

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time that most people around here are good people. We have our challenges like

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every other city, but I'm proud of the progress that we have made over the

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years and bringing the city.

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Committee up to current standards. We have struggles like every other city does. It's always an honor for me to represent you as one of your councilmen.

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Candidate Bob Tucker.

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Hi, everyone. I'm Bob Tucker. I've been married to Dawn for 41 years. We have two successful adult children, and now I'm a grandfather of three.

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I was born and raised in a small city very similar to Portland in Michigan.

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I then served over 22 years in the Air Force and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.

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After the military, I led engineering groups and a business unit for six years at the Raytheon Technologies.

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In both the military and industry, I held various positions of leadership, management, and supervisor with increased responsibilities.

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I then shifted career goals and became a registered nurse, working at hospitals and medical, surgical, and intensive care units.

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Don and I downsized and chose to move to Portland. We have lived here for over five years. I am blessed to have had great family, good health, challenging and exciting jobs, educational opportunities, world travel, and interactions with some really interesting people.

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I am hard-working, forward-looking, a problem solver, and a team player.

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Integrity means everything to me.

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I have always put family, service to country, and nursing care before my own interest.

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I'm excited to be part of and involved in the Portland community.

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Auto woman Latoya Holcomb.

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Yes, my name is Latoya Holcomb.

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I served the last two years. I'm City Council. I am born and raised in Sumner County. I've

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been married for the last 26 years to my loving husband Tyrone, but he is not here.

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And I

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am a mother. I am a grandmother. And I am a minister at my church. And as a minister

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at my church. I created a program and it was called the Youth. It is the Kings and

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Queens program. And with this program we provide leadership and mentorship to our

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next generation in our community. So with that from that program I learned

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how to have teamwork and spearhead projects. With that it seems like

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learning how to listen and learning how to see and get things done by being a team player.

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And we're being that for the last two years, I was on a city council and we was doing budgets.

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And I bring to that part, I bring the experience of being an HR and payroll management.

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Thank you.

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Management.

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And with that, I know how to subsidize and sizeable budgets.

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I know how to get it done and know how to help with that budget.

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The reason I'm running didn't get to stop.

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Okay. I've been told to inform the candidates that if you have any notes, you can feel free to put those up.

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So there you have it.

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We'll go ahead and get started with the questions now.

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Now, just by way of general reminder, 60 seconds is the amount of time that you have to respond,

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so use your time wisely.

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We'll go ahead and start with the first question, starting with candidate Cole.

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First question, as an elected official, you will be representing the whole community.

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What qualities do you possess that make you a good community representative?

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Well, first of all, I care about the people, not just a certain group of people.

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I care about all the people so I want to I'll be able to listen to them understand

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their issues and do everything I can to help both situations now not every

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situation can you bakes everyone happy but you can do the best you can job you

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can to represent them take it to your fellow council and try to come up with

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the remedy to make them happy.

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And the number one important thing is the safety of them,

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the safety and well-being of our citizens.

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So I

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guess that's it.

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Same question for Auderman Woodall.

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As an elected official,

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you will be representing the whole community.

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What qualities do you possess

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that make you a good community representative?

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I think the qualities that I bring to the table

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are multifaceted with leadership, caring for the people, caring for the community.

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I will listen just coming in hearing some issues that I need to go look at this week

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and trying to figure out what's going on.

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I agree with Charles that it doesn't make everybody happy with what you come back with.

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Sometimes those answers just aren't what people want to hear.

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But being open and being available and being able to walk down that line

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is very important to me and I think that's a great quality to possess.

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The leadership for well over 15 of my 22 years, I served in a senior leadership position working with several people,

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soldiers alike, 15 second warning.

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And now obviously after the last four years being on the council and understanding the city way better than I did four years and one day ago,

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I think brings me to a stop sign.

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Okay, we'll go on to candidate Ellis.

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As an elected official, you will be representing the whole community.

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What qualities do you possess that make you a good community representative?

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Well, first of all, I go to integrity.

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I believe that if you can't give somebody your word or promise that you shouldn't

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and that if you tell someone something, it should be straightforward

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and if it's going to be a long process or something like that.

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I think you should just be upfront with people,

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but let them know that your attention is on it and it's in your mind

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and you're working to fix the problems that the city has.

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And the day-to-day business.

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I'm a business owner myself,

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and problem-solving on these houses that we build,

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it's constantly, every day is a new issue

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that we have to back up and punt and figure out what we need to do to make it happen.

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And I have good problem-solving experience with that.

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I think I have sound judgment when dealing with people that the city will need to do

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business and to make improvements.

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And I understand the history.

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Alderman McDowell, as an elected official, you will be representing the whole community.

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What qualities do you possess that make you a good community representative?

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I think the qualities that I have is I'm a good listener.

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I'm very easy to access, most people can tell you my phone rings constantly with people

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calling for problems that they have.

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I'm very passionate at fighting for what I believe in to get something past to make

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something work and

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I've been in this position for 20-something years and I hope that my

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history speaks for itself.

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Candidate Tucker, as an elected official, you will be representing the whole community.

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What qualities do you possess that make you a good community representative?

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First, I care about our community.

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In fact, I want to be a positive influence as our city grows and strives for continued success.

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I have a very broad knowledge, experience, education and training and leadership, management,

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organizational structure, finances, continual improvement, and planning.

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I currently serve on the Portland's Board of Zoning Appeals and on the Planning Commission.

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I completed the Chamber's Leadership Portland Program and the Police Citizens Academy.

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I am physically conservative,

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Physically conservative with extensive military and industry budgeting experience.

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I have the time and the ability to research, study and analyze issues.

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I will advocate for common sense policies, ordinances and budget priorities.

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I will serve the residents through qualities of collaboration, teamwork and civility.

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I will always try my best to find a balance and compromise

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and the best interest of the majority of the residents.

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And Alderwoman Holcomb, as an elected official, you will be representing the whole community.

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What qualities do you possess that make you a good community representative?

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For one, I have good leadership skills.

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Second, I am a people's person, so I don't be no stranger.

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So you can be able to come to me at any time and I will be able to talk to you and let's talk things out.

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So with that communicator, I have good skills in budgeting.

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I'm just all around a good servant to learn how to serve people.

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That is working in ministry.

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That helped me to do that.

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Helped me to listen.

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Helped me to communicate with anybody.

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So with that, I went through the program of Portland leadership

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and I enjoyed myself learning more history in Portland.

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and so I did that program.

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So, and I've been here for the last two years

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and I hope that I get elected again.

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I hope it talks for me that I've been here

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learning how to be faithful.

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That's a big thing.

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And even knowing how to do the right thing.

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That's it.

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All right.

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We'll go with the next question.

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We'll start with Alderman Woodall.

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Name one goal that you want to see accomplished

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by the end of your term.

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and what is your plan to achieve that goal?

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I

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have to be careful with the name and goals.

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I named one four years ago and I found out very quickly

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that the city government works a lot slower than what I was used to.

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Thankfully, in the spring, I'll see that come to fruition.

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Quality of life is very important to me

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and I think it's extremely important to the citizens here.

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Unfortunately, we lost the pool last year,

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early this year, last year, and trying to find things for our children and our

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citizens to do is my goal. I work with directly with the parks right now. We've

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got a few plans in place. Finding the funds is what's been difficult. Thankfully

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we were able to get funding for the splash pad in the golf irrigation system

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through a grant, and that grant hasn't been had in this city for over 10

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years and to me that's a huge huge impact is finding some of that money to come

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help us with our taxpayer dollars so for me quality of life is the most

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important.

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Candidate Ellis, name one goal that you want to see accomplished by the

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end of your term and what is your plan to achieve that goal? Well my goal

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starting off is to focus on our water situation that we have and that we're

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working on. And I think the solution to that that that isn't already in place is

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focusing on recruiting the right people to help us to get this job done because

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it's such a vital thing to to have water and we I think that we have a ways to go

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on that several a few years, but that's one of my biggies is to get Portland's water in

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a good place going forward because it will be a generational impact once it's done correctly.

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And that's what would be my focus along with safety and controlled growth and recruiting

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like retail and services to our city that way we can keep more of our monies here.

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There you go.

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Alderman McDowell, name one goal that you want to see accomplished by the end of your term

277
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and what is your plan to achieve that goal?

278
00:28:36,420 --> 00:28:38,540
Well, Vince beat me too and I was going to say the water.

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We've got several goals we're trying to get accomplished but if you put one at the top of the list

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it would be our water source for the city because that is of utmost importance.

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the city can't survive without water and unfortunately we are not in an area of the

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world where we have access to water as some communities do and that's been a tough work

283
00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:04,060
in progress trying to find the best solution to get it here to have the least impact money

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wise on our residents and I would love to see by the end of this four-year term that

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that is secured and taken care of.

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00:29:14,120 --> 00:29:18,800
Candidate Tucker, name one goal that you want to see accomplished by the end of

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00:29:18,800 --> 00:29:21,900
And what is your plan to achieve that goal?

288
00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:28,620
I'm going to echo the last two comments that have made.

289
00:29:29,240 --> 00:29:33,460
I think finding a new water source for Portland is the number one issue.

290
00:29:34,620 --> 00:29:39,280
We need to have a comprehensive plan, not just a bunch of options.

291
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We need a comprehensive plan with cost, scheduled performance, and sources for funding.

292
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That can only be done with working with fellow aldermen and coming up with that solution.

293
00:29:55,420 --> 00:29:59,960
It's no secret, this legacy challenge dates back...

294
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To 1973. So it's been many, many years and it's time to resolve that in the next four years.

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Auto woman, welcome. Name one goal that you want to see accomplished by the end of your term.

296
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And what is your plan to achieve that goal?

297
00:30:26,240 --> 00:30:29,440
I don't want to echo, but it seems like we're doing a lot of echoes.

298
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So I have thought about this and it is our adequate water.

299
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We do need to work on it.

300
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And it is a process in doing that.

301
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And you have to be strategic in knowing what source to go through, what company to get.

302
00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:57,880
I mean it's a whole lot to it than what you see out there, than what we see back here.

303
00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:04,100
It's a lot of planning, it's a lot of making the right decisions, and it's just

304
00:31:04,100 --> 00:31:09,180
don't affect us it affects everybody so with that accomplishing that just making

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00:31:09,180 --> 00:31:16,480
sure we be strategic on which way to go and doing that water source so that's my

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00:31:16,480 --> 00:31:22,740
answer candidate Cole name one goal that you want to see accomplished by the end

307
00:31:22,740 --> 00:31:28,440
of your term what is your plan to achieve that goal well I think it's easy

308
00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:31,440
to jump on board with the water issue the water issues been there my whole

309
00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:41,250
life. We've been bad on that. Of course, I want it to be fixed to the degree we don't

310
00:31:41,250 --> 00:31:45,130
have to worry about the drought season. And I think that's something we'll all work on.

311
00:31:45,350 --> 00:31:50,990
But a couple other ones I would like is the stormwater and flooding issues that our residents

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00:31:50,990 --> 00:31:57,070
have to, that's a big, you know, on one side we have not enough water from time to time.

313
00:31:57,090 --> 00:32:00,190
You know, they said we're flooding half the town because they're stormwater issues.

314
00:32:00,190 --> 00:32:06,910
So that's one big issue I won't be done, but the other is doing a better job of managing

315
00:32:06,910 --> 00:32:12,270
our funds, make sure we're properly spending and not mismanaging, and try to balance the

316
00:32:12,270 --> 00:32:16,730
budget the best we can, and not come to the citizens halfway through the year and

317
00:32:16,730 --> 00:32:21,810
want to raise water rates and fees, and then raise property taxes to make up for

318
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and balance the budget.

319
00:32:24,190 --> 00:32:26,310
So there's three big issues I have.

320
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the water, the storm water flooding, and then the money.

321
00:32:32,930 --> 00:32:35,430
Alright, for the third question, we're going to start with candidate Ellis.

322
00:32:36,690 --> 00:32:39,490
The city operates with three different types of budgets.

323
00:32:40,390 --> 00:32:44,330
General Fund, Special Revenue Fund, and Enterprise Fund.

324
00:32:45,270 --> 00:32:49,830
Revenue for those is based on taxes, fees, and rates depending on the type.

325
00:32:50,470 --> 00:32:53,010
What is your plan to become more educated on government

326
00:32:53,010 --> 00:32:55,210
finances and related regulations?

327
00:32:56,950 --> 00:33:02,230
Well, so your question is what is my plan for that to be more educated?

328
00:33:02,510 --> 00:33:10,530
Well, to be more educated for those types of things, I think you have to be a good representative for a town.

329
00:33:10,710 --> 00:33:22,670
You have to go to the people and talk about the issues who know the information on the subjects that could affect your enterprise funds and your general fund

330
00:33:22,670 --> 00:33:28,550
and knowing the laws of the state where you can't mix the money, you have to keep all

331
00:33:28,550 --> 00:33:29,350
the money separate.

332
00:33:29,970 --> 00:33:38,910
And I think my plan to be just out there talking to the right people and I already have some

333
00:33:38,910 --> 00:33:46,590
knowledge on cash flow and the finances of the city and how what we can do is alderman

334
00:33:46,590 --> 00:33:52,130
women and women to make sure those dollars are spent and not wasted and put to use.

335
00:33:53,450 --> 00:33:59,010
That would be my plan, is to talk to the right people who know more than maybe I do.

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00:34:00,510 --> 00:34:05,350
Alderman McDowell, the city operates with three types of budgets, General Fund, Special

337
00:34:05,350 --> 00:34:06,930
Revenue Fund and Enterprise Fund.

338
00:34:07,490 --> 00:34:11,130
Revenue for those is based on taxes, fees and rates depending on the type.

339
00:34:11,570 --> 00:34:15,790
What is your plan to become more educated on government finances and related regulations?

340
00:34:17,210 --> 00:34:21,650
This is kind of a tough question for somebody that's been on the council for several years.

341
00:34:21,830 --> 00:34:25,830
It's more of, I guess, related to someone that would be new into that.

342
00:34:27,610 --> 00:34:36,250
Myself and Alderman Woodall and Ms. Latoya, we've probably learned more about taxes and fees and rates than we ever cared to

343
00:34:36,250 --> 00:34:42,750
about when you can and can't charge those and how you have to go about enacting them and when and why.

344
00:34:42,750 --> 00:34:47,650
there is a lot of education in it and that is something that a council

345
00:34:47,650 --> 00:34:52,730
person kind of gets as they're doing the job. It's kind of an on-the-job training.

346
00:34:53,270 --> 00:34:57,810
I don't know how they would educate themselves up front for that other than

347
00:34:57,810 --> 00:35:01,890
just speaking to some folks that have been there and had to work through those problems.

348
00:35:03,290 --> 00:35:08,630
But we're never to those top learning new things and it changes constantly.

349
00:35:11,390 --> 00:35:16,470
Candidate Tucker, the city operates with three types of budgets, general fund, the special

350
00:35:16,470 --> 00:35:18,170
revenue fund and enterprise fund.

351
00:35:18,830 --> 00:35:22,610
Revenue for those is based on taxes, fees and rates depending on the type.

352
00:35:23,150 --> 00:35:27,050
What is your plan to become more educated on government finances and related regulations?

353
00:35:30,340 --> 00:35:34,860
I do have a lot of experience in budgeting and finance.

354
00:35:35,660 --> 00:35:47,400
From my time in the Air Force, I helped to manage the Air Force test base budgets with all different types of appropriations, different types of budgets.

355
00:35:52,360 --> 00:36:02,600
I believe for our city, we need a longer planning cycle, perhaps three years, to capture out your funding requirements.

356
00:36:02,600 --> 00:36:08,720
I think we need to know and separate what our fixed funding needs are versus discretionary

357
00:36:08,720 --> 00:36:14,000
funding for each of these types of budgets for new and future projects.

358
00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:20,520
I think if we do those types of things, it could really help in our budget priorities.

359
00:36:21,760 --> 00:36:28,320
I'm sure that I still have things to learn at the local level, but this sounds very

360
00:36:28,320 --> 00:36:30,280
similar to what I've dealt with in the past.

361
00:36:30,280 --> 00:36:30,980
and

362
00:36:34,060 --> 00:36:38,220
Auto Woman Holcomb. The city operates with three types of budgets,

363
00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:42,160
general fund, special revenue fund, and enterprise fund.

364
00:36:42,820 --> 00:36:48,180
Revenue for those is based on taxes, fees, and rates depending on the type.

365
00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:53,860
What is your plan to become more educated on government finances and related regulations?

366
00:36:54,640 --> 00:37:02,000
Of course, like Alderman said that we already had some experience,

367
00:37:02,000 --> 00:37:09,020
But with that, while I've been here, I went to utility training that was with the Tennessee comp.

368
00:37:09,400 --> 00:37:14,860
I did that. I think it was 12 hours of comp learning how to work with a budget.

369
00:37:15,520 --> 00:37:22,320
And that was the water system that's fried. It's a whole lot of systems that you had to learn how to learn with a budget.

370
00:37:22,320 --> 00:37:32,180
Then also, I went through the elected official level one, that was showing us how to do some type of budgets, completed that.

371
00:37:32,980 --> 00:37:40,660
Then also, you have to go to the departments, see what, I mean, because it's a whole lot.

372
00:37:41,680 --> 00:37:48,960
You have to go to the departments and see which one is a special, you know, revenue.

373
00:37:48,960 --> 00:37:54,100
There's all departments of public works, you have to see what they're needing, so it's

374
00:37:54,100 --> 00:37:56,980
just a lot you have to go to each department and see what's going on.

375
00:37:59,680 --> 00:38:05,320
Candidate Cole, the city operates with three types of budgets, General Fund, Special Revenue

376
00:38:05,320 --> 00:38:06,720
Fund and Enterprise Fund.

377
00:38:07,400 --> 00:38:11,700
Revenue for those is based on taxes, fees, and rates depending on the type.

378
00:38:12,220 --> 00:38:17,600
What is your plan to become more educated on government finances and related regulations?

379
00:38:21,960 --> 00:38:27,220
Well, leading up to this in the last few years, I've pulled Portland's finances and budgets

380
00:38:27,220 --> 00:38:30,740
and I went through it and I've pulled another town similar to this.

381
00:38:31,720 --> 00:38:36,020
I think you need to research other towns that are similar to your size.

382
00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:42,120
Go look at them, talk to them like some of the other ones said and see where they're

383
00:38:42,120 --> 00:38:45,540
having some of the same issues and see where they've improved and see if you

384
00:38:45,540 --> 00:38:46,240
can prove on that.

385
00:38:47,040 --> 00:38:50,760
One of the other things is I think we need to lay it out and be more realistic about what

386
00:38:50,760 --> 00:38:52,500
our budget necessities really are.

387
00:38:53,540 --> 00:38:54,840
You have wants and needs.

388
00:38:57,620 --> 00:39:01,620
You get a lot of grants and that's great, but you can't sit here and say, well, we're

389
00:39:01,620 --> 00:39:07,740
going to get a $30 million grant, but it's a $60 million project, town to small.

390
00:39:07,860 --> 00:39:09,520
So I think we need to be more realistic.

391
00:39:10,120 --> 00:39:14,140
And I think you need to take some classes and dive into and do all the research you

392
00:39:14,140 --> 00:39:15,540
can to try to benefit the people.

393
00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:23,140
Alderman Woodall, the city operates with three types of budgets, general funds,

394
00:39:23,280 --> 00:39:25,260
special revenue fund and enterprise fund.

395
00:39:26,240 --> 00:39:30,580
Revenue for those is based on taxes, fees, and rates depending on the type.

396
00:39:30,980 --> 00:39:35,120
What is your plan to become more educated on government finances and related regulations?

397
00:39:36,420 --> 00:39:40,880
I'm thankful for Jody bringing out that after the last four years,

398
00:39:41,020 --> 00:39:43,520
I've had the opportunity to really dig deep into some of these

399
00:39:43,520 --> 00:39:48,400
and learn what they are, how they're funded, and what they pay for.

400
00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:57,240
Some days I'm privileged to lead the ad hoc fees committee where a lot of this comes through,

401
00:39:57,360 --> 00:40:01,780
specifically the special revenue and the enterprise fund when it comes to trying to do projects.

402
00:40:02,780 --> 00:40:07,800
That's helped me along with having direct access to the directors,

403
00:40:08,340 --> 00:40:13,460
specifically the finance director, who's walked me around the tree hundreds of times so far

404
00:40:13,460 --> 00:40:18,360
to try to show me how these finances work and what can be bought and what can be paid for

405
00:40:18,360 --> 00:40:25,640
and what needs to happen. So I'm not sure about learning about the finances and the regulations

406
00:40:25,640 --> 00:40:30,280
as much as I'm more concerned about future planning. That's my key.

407
00:40:30,620 --> 00:40:33,440
How do we plan for the future so we don't have multiple increases yearly?

408
00:40:33,440 --> 00:40:34,340
We'll

409
00:40:37,700 --> 00:40:40,240
move on to our fourth question starting with Alderman McDowell.

410
00:40:40,960 --> 00:40:46,740
Currently, there is no infrastructure to bring an adequate supply of either raw or treated

411
00:40:46,740 --> 00:40:51,180
water into the city without spending tens of millions of dollars.

412
00:40:52,480 --> 00:40:59,000
Are you prepared to approve the funding and projects needed to ensure our city can grow

413
00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:00,800
and withstand drought conditions?

414
00:41:02,700 --> 00:41:07,820
There is no doubt that at some point in time we're going to have to spend money to make

415
00:41:07,820 --> 00:41:09,380
our water supply happen here.

416
00:41:10,360 --> 00:41:14,760
None of us, I don't think, are comfortable with the figures that they've given us at

417
00:41:14,760 --> 00:41:15,640
this moment.

418
00:41:17,440 --> 00:41:18,520
None of them are cheap.

419
00:41:19,740 --> 00:41:23,840
Inflation has gotten everybody, including cities, over the last several years.

420
00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:28,800
And everything that we used to bid out are so much more expensive now than they used

421
00:41:28,800 --> 00:41:38,520
to be, I still would like to look for some other options, I hear of new options, constantly

422
00:41:38,520 --> 00:41:43,580
of things that we haven't maybe thought of yet, trying to find water sources, whether

423
00:41:43,580 --> 00:41:52,060
it be maybe underground, or some of the issues we're having is with piping the water here

424
00:41:52,060 --> 00:41:56,560
from a river that's not close to Portland, and that's where the money comes in at.

425
00:41:57,860 --> 00:42:02,740
And at some point in time we're not going to have any choice but to pay something to make that a reality.

426
00:42:05,130 --> 00:42:11,070
I'm going to change up our format a little bit. I feel like I'm asking you the same question and I am over and over again.

427
00:42:11,470 --> 00:42:16,130
So let's change it this way. If you need me to restate the question, please ask me to do so at the top.

428
00:42:16,270 --> 00:42:20,630
Otherwise, I'll simply go from candidate to candidate. Fair enough. Does everybody understand?

429
00:42:21,310 --> 00:42:21,490
Yes.

430
00:42:23,210 --> 00:42:25,150
Candidate took her. Do you need me to restate the question?

431
00:42:25,590 --> 00:42:25,670
No.

432
00:42:26,270 --> 00:42:26,870
Candidate took her.

433
00:42:26,870 --> 00:42:34,270
The short answer is yes, I think we have to we have to solve this problem. It is it is a

434
00:42:34,270 --> 00:42:38,930
As I mentioned, it's it's Portland's number one need in the future

435
00:42:40,510 --> 00:42:46,150
Looking back to 1973 is when it was first recognized and through the years

436
00:42:46,150 --> 00:42:50,470
It's been continued to be recognized as as an issue

437
00:42:52,030 --> 00:42:56,150
On the other side of that coin, we need the growth.

438
00:42:56,770 --> 00:43:01,870
New residences, commercial and industry is going to help pay for future improvements.

439
00:43:02,930 --> 00:43:10,110
So we can wait and deal with it as a crisis later on or deal with it now.

440
00:43:12,250 --> 00:43:18,410
Future water and sewer treatment facility upgrades need to be budgeted likewise.

441
00:43:19,330 --> 00:43:26,050
Additionally, there are nearly 400 miles of underground water and sewer lines, many undersized

442
00:43:26,050 --> 00:43:28,810
and aging past their service life.

443
00:43:29,670 --> 00:43:35,150
Some of our neighborhoods are experiencing low water pressure, so we have a lot of issues

444
00:43:35,510 --> 00:43:37,290
that need to be resolved.

445
00:43:38,250 --> 00:43:49,290
auto woman hulkham your response the response is yes but I wish we could find

446
00:43:49,290 --> 00:43:56,270
different ways I'm open to new ideas on how to fund it or even new ideas on how

447
00:43:56,270 --> 00:44:05,730
to even get the water here but we need water that's that's we know that for

448
00:44:05,730 --> 00:44:11,890
sure we need water. So we need to make sure. And I just hate to even tax the

449
00:44:11,890 --> 00:44:15,470
people. I hate that we have to go through this, but it seemed like we've been

450
00:44:15,470 --> 00:44:21,890
going through it. He told me 1973. That's a long time. So I think we've been

451
00:44:22,390 --> 00:44:29,450
holding off, holding off, and then we keep growing and growing. So we need

452
00:44:29,450 --> 00:44:29,710
to

453
00:44:32,240 --> 00:44:34,900
candidate Cole, your response to the question.

454
00:44:47,720 --> 00:44:49,980
I'm never ready to spend

455
00:44:49,980 --> 00:44:56,320
that much money. Number one, you have to go to the people for the money. And I feel

456
00:44:56,320 --> 00:44:59,980
like as a city or any kind of government, they're always going to

457
00:45:00,540 --> 00:45:05,360
Now, we need to look at every option. We need to research. We need to search any alternative

458
00:45:05,360 --> 00:45:10,880
we can to keep from spending that money. If it comes down to that we need to spend that

459
00:45:10,880 --> 00:45:17,540
money, the city and its leaders need to ensure 100% that that is the solution that will fix

460
00:45:17,540 --> 00:45:22,220
the problems before spending $10 million, $20 million, and then, oh, by the way, two

461
00:45:22,220 --> 00:45:26,360
years later, we didn't fix the issue. We need to raise the rates of fees some more

462
00:45:26,360 --> 00:45:29,740
because we need ten more million dollars to see if we could fix the issue again.

463
00:45:30,560 --> 00:45:35,620
Like you said, 1973, it's been a problem longer than I've been alive.

464
00:45:36,220 --> 00:45:40,360
And I'm sure every mayor and every board that's sat here has said,

465
00:45:40,460 --> 00:45:41,280
we're going to fix the issue.

466
00:45:42,020 --> 00:45:45,760
And here we are, 50 years later, and it's not fixed.

467
00:45:49,210 --> 00:45:51,250
Alderman Woodall, your response to the question?

468
00:45:54,660 --> 00:45:59,700
This one is a hard and very short answer.

469
00:45:59,700 --> 00:46:02,560
The answer is yes, we have to have water.

470
00:46:02,960 --> 00:46:04,920
It doesn't matter where you're at, you've got to have water.

471
00:46:06,260 --> 00:46:14,500
Where I see part of the problem in the last four years is that we've got to have a solid plan and move forward as quickly as possible with that plan.

472
00:46:15,200 --> 00:46:19,880
The longer we wait, the more and more expensive these plans become, and that's what we found out.

473
00:46:20,360 --> 00:46:21,120
I'm very excited.

474
00:46:21,260 --> 00:46:26,340
We just saw a 7 million gallon plan that was just brought to us at the last council meeting.

475
00:46:26,680 --> 00:46:28,020
I'm very excited about the plan.

476
00:46:28,020 --> 00:46:31,920
I'm not excited about the money and then I'm not excited about the other numbers

477
00:46:31,920 --> 00:46:39,160
We don't know which is the additional pipelines that have to be repaired or replaced to take that water from Gallatin to the plant

478
00:46:39,940 --> 00:46:41,440
But at the end of the day

479
00:46:42,540 --> 00:46:44,300
Yes, it's going to be very difficult

480
00:46:45,220 --> 00:46:48,500
But we're going to have to spend the money and solve the problem

481
00:46:50,850 --> 00:46:55,470
Candidate Ellis your response to the question. Well, Mike my answer would be

482
00:46:55,470 --> 00:46:59,410
being prepared to carefully approve that funding.

483
00:47:00,670 --> 00:47:07,410
I think it's inevitable that the town does need the updates and the cost.

484
00:47:07,890 --> 00:47:09,550
It's just like buying a home.

485
00:47:09,970 --> 00:47:17,530
The cost when you buy it, it's painful and it's unpopular, but it pays dividends for years to come.

486
00:47:18,170 --> 00:47:20,270
And I think it's the same way with the city.

487
00:47:20,270 --> 00:47:25,250
And I think if we don't do something about it right now that the current

488
00:47:25,250 --> 00:47:31,170
generations will be the one to pay like we are now for waiting from 1973 on.

489
00:47:32,350 --> 00:47:37,290
And you know that the future generations are the ones who are going to wind up

490
00:47:37,290 --> 00:47:40,650
paying for it and paying that money back and they're going to be the beneficiaries.

491
00:47:41,450 --> 00:47:44,790
And I think growing pains are part of a flourishing community.

492
00:47:45,330 --> 00:47:49,690
I think there's always a cost associated with a good thing.

493
00:47:49,690 --> 00:47:56,590
And Portland has a lot of opportunity and I think we have to make tough but careful decisions.

494
00:48:00,700 --> 00:48:02,740
Good news. We're more than halfway done.

495
00:48:03,980 --> 00:48:06,300
We're going to start the next question with candidate Tucker.

496
00:48:07,540 --> 00:48:10,760
The subject of zoning and density comes up often on the council.

497
00:48:11,540 --> 00:48:18,080
Please explain your views on housing density and how you would approach these requests.

498
00:48:18,080 --> 00:48:27,820
Well, as a member of the Planning Commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals, I review re-zoning

499
00:48:27,820 --> 00:48:31,640
requests by landowners, developers, and builders.

500
00:48:32,960 --> 00:48:38,160
First I look at the GIS map for what zoning exists around the property.

501
00:48:40,880 --> 00:48:43,640
And I look for consistency and continuity.

502
00:48:44,520 --> 00:48:48,840
I look at current area density versus what is proposed.

503
00:48:49,680 --> 00:48:54,000
I look at the surrounding road system to see if improvements are going to be needed.

504
00:48:54,860 --> 00:49:03,300
I also apply common sense if the request compliments the community or if it is not in our best interest.

505
00:49:03,740 --> 00:49:12,440
I also listen to and consider public comments, whether they're pro or con, and the associated reasoning.

506
00:49:13,320 --> 00:49:22,880
I support a planned growth strategy for Portland with increased residential, commercial, industry and retail businesses.

507
00:49:26,940 --> 00:49:29,320
Alderwoman Holcomb, same question in your response.

508
00:49:30,260 --> 00:49:41,700
Of course, like Bob said, you would have to look at the GIS map to see, look around to see if the area is even good around the area.

509
00:49:41,700 --> 00:49:49,620
at that the roads I take for instance my house we on a little one one-way road

510
00:49:50,460 --> 00:49:53,960
and then they want to build houses across the street they're gonna have to

511
00:49:53,960 --> 00:49:59,740
widen the road so you have to look at everything look at the neighborhood so

512
00:49:59,740 --> 00:50:03,520
those with the credit you know request when we get in I try to look at all

513
00:50:03,520 --> 00:50:07,980
that before I answer and try to get some information about that

514
00:50:10,730 --> 00:50:11,730
candidate

515
00:50:11,730 --> 00:50:13,250
David Cole, your response to the question.

516
00:50:19,680 --> 00:50:24,820
I think we get too wrapped up in trying to make this harder than what it is.

517
00:50:24,940 --> 00:50:27,400
Looking at all the GIS math and all that stuff is great.

518
00:50:28,460 --> 00:50:34,600
But number one, you need to see where the location is, how it connects with our roadways, what's

519
00:50:34,600 --> 00:50:39,920
the in and out access, is it flood plains, all those areas you need to check first

520
00:50:39,920 --> 00:50:41,880
and then listen to your people.

521
00:50:41,880 --> 00:50:49,480
So if you live on a little road where it's not wide enough to get one car through, are

522
00:50:49,480 --> 00:50:51,540
you going to put 200 house development through there?

523
00:50:53,000 --> 00:50:53,720
Probably not.

524
00:50:53,900 --> 00:50:54,780
Is it a flood area?

525
00:50:54,980 --> 00:50:55,380
Maybe not.

526
00:50:55,860 --> 00:51:00,800
But I think with our current water drought issues and our flooding and stormwater issues,

527
00:51:01,500 --> 00:51:06,100
I don't think we should even be talking about zoning for any future developments.

528
00:51:08,360 --> 00:51:17,740
But yeah, I think it's more just common sense of your layout, of your town, of your neighborhoods and what represents the best for our community.

529
00:51:21,390 --> 00:51:23,750
Alderman Woodall, your response to the question?

530
00:51:26,320 --> 00:51:34,480
Mine is pretty simple. I look more for density in the center, the higher the density inside the center of town and as it moves out it loosens that density out.

531
00:51:35,400 --> 00:51:42,280
Thankfully over the past year or year and a half now we've been working with a

532
00:51:42,280 --> 00:51:48,560
comprehensive plan with input from the citizens on where they see density

533
00:51:48,560 --> 00:51:52,280
within the community and what they'd like to see as it moves along. It's not

534
00:51:52,280 --> 00:51:55,840
quite done yet but as soon as it's done it's presented to council. I'm very

535
00:51:55,840 --> 00:51:59,840
excited and that way you have the citizens input on where this should

536
00:51:59,840 --> 00:52:03,240
be. It's still a small town but the town's got to grow in certain places.

537
00:52:05,890 --> 00:52:07,870
Candidate Ellis, your response to the question?

538
00:52:08,350 --> 00:52:12,370
Well, in my time, I'm a member of the Planning Commission.

539
00:52:12,550 --> 00:52:16,370
I serve along with Bob, and this issue comes up quite a bit.

540
00:52:17,970 --> 00:52:25,470
And to kind of go along with Brian, I think a lot of times density is a necessity

541
00:52:25,470 --> 00:52:28,170
to update the infrastructure that we have,

542
00:52:28,930 --> 00:52:34,270
because you have to look at it from the city's point of view

543
00:52:34,270 --> 00:52:44,530
But I think higher density inside the city is a good thing because we have the infrastructure that's already here that does need some updates.

544
00:52:44,750 --> 00:52:54,430
But at least we're not pumping water way out of the city and we're able to protect our farms on the outskirts keeping the density within the city limits as well.

545
00:52:54,430 --> 00:53:02,710
But I would look at the roads and the traffic studies and things like that because that's really where your problem comes in.

546
00:53:02,830 --> 00:53:07,590
You've got to look at it. What would you do if your mom and dad lived on the property adjacent to it?

547
00:53:07,830 --> 00:53:10,570
Is this really fit? Is this really working? Is it fair?

548
00:53:13,110 --> 00:53:14,990
Alderman McDowell, your response to the question.

549
00:53:15,330 --> 00:53:25,510
My view on the housing density is we do have a planning commission that is tasked with ironing the details out of whether something will work in an area or it won't work in an area.

550
00:53:25,510 --> 00:53:30,170
sometimes that makes its way to the council when when they don't get a

551
00:53:30,170 --> 00:53:33,910
mantra they like there but we've already stopped some projects like there was

552
00:53:33,910 --> 00:53:39,270
one on TGT Road that we were pretty strongly felt that it was going to

553
00:53:39,270 --> 00:53:42,870
cause too much problems with the intersection at TGT 109 and traffic and

554
00:53:42,870 --> 00:53:48,410
stuff so so we do have some teeth in that sometimes we rely on citizen input

555
00:53:48,410 --> 00:53:53,410
a lot and if you run into a situation where the road isn't wide

556
00:53:53,410 --> 00:53:58,350
enough or if the density is workable there and a road is not wide enough, most of the

557
00:53:58,350 --> 00:54:00,250
time the developer pays to have that fixed.

558
00:54:00,790 --> 00:54:02,210
So that kind of solves that problem.

559
00:54:03,290 --> 00:54:07,690
But it's something that it kind of takes a team to work on together to, there's no

560
00:54:07,690 --> 00:54:08,650
right answer for that.

561
00:54:11,670 --> 00:54:15,430
Alright, we're going to move on to question six, Alderman Holcomb.

562
00:54:16,470 --> 00:54:21,510
Many retail businesses require a certain population threshold before they will consider

563
00:54:21,510 --> 00:54:22,470
coming to a community.

564
00:54:22,470 --> 00:54:28,050
How does Portland continue to grow its population to attract these businesses while maintaining

565
00:54:28,050 --> 00:54:29,090
its home town charm?

566
00:54:37,730 --> 00:54:41,050
I do believe we do have something in place.

567
00:54:41,630 --> 00:54:51,810
I believe Sherry and I believe Megan are going to Atlanta to a event trying to attract

568
00:54:51,810 --> 00:54:52,890
business here.

569
00:54:54,470 --> 00:55:03,010
But you still, as my word is strategic, you have to be that in planning and how to get,

570
00:55:03,870 --> 00:55:07,830
because we have a beautiful community and we need shops.

571
00:55:09,010 --> 00:55:10,990
I mean, I wish we could get a Walmart.

572
00:55:11,590 --> 00:55:15,750
Some won't save a lot, you know, so we need different shops here,

573
00:55:15,750 --> 00:55:21,630
but we just need to know how to, what businesses will fit for Portland.

574
00:55:21,630 --> 00:55:29,590
Portland. That's my thing, what fits for Portland. It makes Portland best because we have a small

575
00:55:29,590 --> 00:55:35,950
home time feel, and you want to keep that so you don't want it so big. So that's...

576
00:55:38,060 --> 00:55:40,180
Candidate Cole, your response to the question.

577
00:55:54,020 --> 00:55:59,680
I kind of look at this a little bit different as a homegrown Portland boy. Most people here

578
00:55:59,680 --> 00:56:09,020
wants pulling to remain a collaborated small town, but we want options. But I think we should

579
00:56:09,020 --> 00:56:13,820
be choosing the options we have instead of worrying about if we're going to get these

580
00:56:13,820 --> 00:56:20,460
big corporations like a Walmart or things like that, not to give them a shout out

581
00:56:20,460 --> 00:56:28,520
or nothing. But you can have certain events and things, and you can go talk to all the

582
00:56:28,520 --> 00:56:33,280
people you want to talk with try to get some of those things to come here but

583
00:56:33,280 --> 00:56:37,060
there's only a certain population that you want and still maintain your small

584
00:56:37,060 --> 00:56:45,680
town so I don't think the people would want all these big chain things to come

585
00:56:45,680 --> 00:56:49,300
in here and over overtake their town so you you got to be smart you got to be

586
00:56:49,300 --> 00:56:54,220
diligent and you you got to be very selective on how you go about these

587
00:56:54,220 --> 00:56:58,920
things because they want to keep it a stop sign.

588
00:57:01,200 --> 00:57:03,060
Alderman Woodall, your response to the question?

589
00:57:04,860 --> 00:57:10,380
This is a difficult question to me because Portland is not a big circle like you see in other cities.

590
00:57:10,680 --> 00:57:12,380
We're across when you look at the map.

591
00:57:12,880 --> 00:57:17,960
You can drive down 109 and 50 feet off the road is the city limits and past that it's a county.

592
00:57:18,520 --> 00:57:22,460
You're not getting any property tax or anything off that house that's outside that.

593
00:57:24,120 --> 00:57:32,480
So, inside the city over the last four years, we've probably built, I can't remember exactly the numbers, I think it was 40 last year and the three years before that around 50 houses.

594
00:57:33,200 --> 00:57:36,080
That's not a lot of people that can come in. Not inside the city limits.

595
00:57:37,200 --> 00:57:45,520
But keeping the hometown feel is, I love what the mayor's done with downtown for the fall decor that's come in. I see a lot of people taking pictures.

596
00:57:46,000 --> 00:57:48,320
I've heard things about the strawberries, but I can tell you this.

597
00:57:48,320 --> 00:57:52,480
There's always somebody sitting on top of one, there's always somebody who's got a camera behind it.

598
00:57:52,560 --> 00:57:54,020
So keeping that hometown feels right there.

599
00:57:54,400 --> 00:57:56,860
Using the Chamber of Commerce, they do an excellent job.

600
00:57:57,020 --> 00:57:59,720
Fall festivals, Music on Main, the Strawberry Festival.

601
00:57:59,900 --> 00:58:02,540
Those things don't exist without that organization right there.

602
00:58:05,420 --> 00:58:06,740
And that's all I've got.

603
00:58:10,180 --> 00:58:11,940
Candidate Ellis, your response to the question?

604
00:58:12,500 --> 00:58:18,020
Well, I would focus on the development of our downtown area.

605
00:58:18,020 --> 00:58:25,780
You know, we want to keep our downtown area and give it a sense of it being quaint where

606
00:58:25,780 --> 00:58:32,080
people want to come visit and the strawberries and the lights over the hometown heroes.

607
00:58:33,020 --> 00:58:38,640
All that stuff is great for our downtown area and I think with the history, you know, High

608
00:58:38,640 --> 00:58:43,480
Street and the historical district we have, I think that a lot of people have come in

609
00:58:43,480 --> 00:58:46,080
and bought those houses and really made them nice.

610
00:58:46,080 --> 00:58:51,120
And I think you can do that, and the bypass that will be coming through,

611
00:58:51,820 --> 00:58:56,840
I think you can focus on having your retail in those areas and out by the interstate.

612
00:58:57,260 --> 00:59:03,200
The interstate gives Portland a lot of traffic,

613
00:59:03,760 --> 00:59:10,840
and I think that the Chamber of Commerce, like Brian said, does a great job with our town and its events.

614
00:59:10,840 --> 00:59:16,340
and I hope to be a part of seeing the retail come in.

615
00:59:19,640 --> 00:59:21,660
Alderman McDowell, your response to the question?

616
00:59:22,120 --> 00:59:25,560
So I can tell you from someone who has been a part of the retail committee before,

617
00:59:25,920 --> 00:59:31,400
we go to Atlanta to meet with all of the people you can imagine

618
00:59:31,400 --> 00:59:36,800
from your old Charlies to Applebee's to Chili's to department stores to many, many things.

619
00:59:37,500 --> 00:59:40,760
We present the city, the mayor, the community development,

620
00:59:40,760 --> 00:59:46,920
they do a great job at promoting the city and coming up with flash drives and

621
00:59:46,920 --> 00:59:50,540
documentations that shows everything Portland has to offer and every one of

622
00:59:50,540 --> 00:59:53,480
those people tell us the same thing that guys your numbers just ain't there

623
00:59:53,480 --> 00:59:58,340
yet. Some may ask how does White House get it when we're a bigger city than

624
00:59:58,340 --> 00:59:59,980
White House but it's the proximate

625
01:00:00,000 --> 01:00:04,320
We're going to get the closeness to Nashville that they are, and some of that we can't control.

626
01:00:04,940 --> 01:00:10,800
As long as we continue to keep our downtown area clean and beautiful, and like it is, your

627
01:00:10,800 --> 01:00:15,040
temple theater, your places like that, it will always keep that hometown community

628
01:00:15,040 --> 01:00:19,780
charm to it. There's probably not very much development in downtown. You're going to see

629
01:00:19,780 --> 01:00:24,740
most of it is going to be on the outskirts. So it will come. It's just taking time.

630
01:00:26,100 --> 01:00:28,600
And Candidate Tucker, your response to the question.

631
01:00:31,140 --> 01:00:38,820
When we talk about hometown charm, I think of how people think and how they interact with other people.

632
01:00:39,880 --> 01:00:43,760
Our chamber does a great job, fantastic job.

633
01:00:45,200 --> 01:00:55,500
Things like the theater, what a great place that we now have for entertainment and for informative kinds of presentations.

634
01:00:56,280 --> 01:01:00,440
We need the growth to pay for our future infrastructure upgrades.

635
01:01:01,300 --> 01:01:06,800
We need the increase in people to attract new businesses.

636
01:01:07,580 --> 01:01:11,160
The Planning Commission has favored the growth of retail businesses as well.

637
01:01:12,700 --> 01:01:19,220
We've seen signs of new growth beginning such as the TA Travel Center out by the highway,

638
01:01:20,160 --> 01:01:24,280
Waffle House coming in, Scooters Coffee, things like that.

639
01:01:24,280 --> 01:01:32,440
And I don't see that changing our hometown charm, but it's going to provide new amenities for the community.

640
01:01:33,480 --> 01:01:39,000
And I agree, Sherri Ferguson leading our Economic and Community Development Office,

641
01:01:39,320 --> 01:01:41,920
I think we're really going to start to see things take off.

642
01:01:44,570 --> 01:01:48,710
We are down to the last question, so the end is just in sight.

643
01:01:49,390 --> 01:01:51,450
For the last question, we'll start with candidate Cole.

644
01:01:51,450 --> 01:01:56,770
What positive impacts have you seen from the City Council over the past four years?

645
01:02:01,360 --> 01:02:04,360
That's a very hard question. I won't say none, but that wouldn't be realistic.

646
01:02:08,090 --> 01:02:14,030
I think they're willingness to learn about some of the issues and to educate themselves.

647
01:02:17,110 --> 01:02:23,690
I know Brian and Jody, they're well-informed with the issues, but not only them,

648
01:02:23,690 --> 01:02:29,410
They take classes, and they talk, and they research other cities,

649
01:02:29,550 --> 01:02:31,710
and they communicate with those leaders.

650
01:02:32,510 --> 01:02:34,490
So I think the most impactful thing

651
01:02:34,490 --> 01:02:37,430
is them just trying to make them more educated

652
01:02:37,430 --> 01:02:43,250
and become more well-rounded council people

653
01:02:43,250 --> 01:02:45,210
to try to lead our town.

654
01:02:46,470 --> 01:02:50,430
I was very impressed with some of the classes of things

655
01:02:50,430 --> 01:02:51,110
that some of them done.

656
01:02:51,110 --> 01:02:55,910
And so I'd like to see that even more from the next counselor.

657
01:02:56,530 --> 01:02:56,710
Thank you.

658
01:02:58,250 --> 01:03:00,150
Alderman Woodall, your response to the question?

659
01:03:03,990 --> 01:03:07,050
Well, there's a lot for the whole council

660
01:03:07,050 --> 01:03:12,030
because we decided things like the sidewalk program, which

661
01:03:12,030 --> 01:03:13,070
only two years old.

662
01:03:13,850 --> 01:03:16,050
We're finding out how expensive sidewalks are, too.

663
01:03:16,550 --> 01:03:18,390
But we've got a sidewalk program now in place.

664
01:03:18,490 --> 01:03:19,270
It's two years old.

665
01:03:21,470 --> 01:03:22,970
So we support public safety.

666
01:03:23,210 --> 01:03:28,230
We've got one new fire engine already here, the other fire engine in route, we've got

667
01:03:28,230 --> 01:03:35,270
that second fire hall, you've got for the police station, we try to make sure that they've

668
01:03:35,270 --> 01:03:40,270
got everything they ask for from weaponry to cars, they've got all the new lights

669
01:03:40,270 --> 01:03:42,390
on them so we try to protect them when they're out in the evenings.

670
01:03:45,130 --> 01:03:48,630
As far as infrastructure goes, you've got a council now also that's willing to

671
01:03:48,630 --> 01:03:52,850
step up and make these hard decisions and although it's going to be painful when

672
01:03:52,850 --> 01:03:56,490
we vote for that that number that's going to cost to move that line up up from

673
01:03:56,490 --> 01:04:00,230
Gallatin I think you've got I think you're going to see a council that is

674
01:04:00,230 --> 01:04:05,910
completely for it so working on the infrastructure and that's all I have.

675
01:04:07,590 --> 01:04:11,810
Candidate Ellis your response to the question. Well over the last four years

676
01:04:11,810 --> 01:04:22,010
I think it's been, it's been a tough job due to things like COVID and inflation.

677
01:04:23,230 --> 01:04:29,790
There's not really, you know, you have to focus on what your needs are and pool the money to

678
01:04:29,790 --> 01:04:37,510
what the town needs. And I think they've worked very hard during these times with things like

679
01:04:37,510 --> 01:04:44,450
work studies and research and their relationships with like our state leaders and representatives

680
01:04:45,630 --> 01:04:52,890
and focusing on the different enterprise funds because prices have gone up and you have to

681
01:04:52,890 --> 01:04:57,590
kind of back up and punt and look at things and look at the budgets and decide what

682
01:04:57,590 --> 01:05:01,350
you can do and what's the first thing you need to spend money on and what's left

683
01:05:01,350 --> 01:05:08,550
to do other things all while protecting the tax rates best that they can, and we can.

684
01:05:10,310 --> 01:05:16,170
And they've done a lot with fire departments, building buildings and such, so that's good.

685
01:05:17,870 --> 01:05:20,250
Alderman McDowell, your response to the question?

686
01:05:20,390 --> 01:05:25,710
The positive impacts I've seen out of the council in the last four years, Alderman,

687
01:05:25,810 --> 01:05:28,830
what all are going to sound like a broken record because we've been there the last

688
01:05:28,830 --> 01:05:36,030
four years. But our parks increase and improve in them. Public safety with adding the resources

689
01:05:36,030 --> 01:05:39,970
we have in police and fire both the police department over this last four years has become

690
01:05:39,970 --> 01:05:46,810
accredited actually upgrading our utilities, our infrastructure and the hard work we've

691
01:05:46,810 --> 01:05:51,710
put into trying to secure a water source for the city. These have all been positive

692
01:05:51,710 --> 01:05:53,950
impacts that are going to make a difference down the road.

693
01:05:56,920 --> 01:05:59,180
Candidate Tucker, your response to the question?

694
01:06:03,210 --> 01:06:09,130
Well, I actually attend most of the city council meetings and many of the other city meetings that go on.

695
01:06:10,030 --> 01:06:17,230
And I'm actually pretty proud of our city council for taking on the tough problems and not kicking them down the road.

696
01:06:17,990 --> 01:06:26,530
I know that they have raised taxes and raised rates and done things like that, but sometimes that's what you have to do.

697
01:06:26,530 --> 01:06:32,910
And I think they've done, taken on the tough problems, made the hard decisions to move forward.

698
01:06:34,870 --> 01:06:38,190
There is a lot of transparency in what they do.

699
01:06:38,870 --> 01:06:43,310
There's information now about the city and the decisions that go on.

700
01:06:43,910 --> 01:06:46,990
You just have to look for it. Not always obvious.

701
01:06:49,490 --> 01:06:50,890
So that's about it.

702
01:06:52,860 --> 01:06:55,680
And Alderman Holcomb, your response to the question?

703
01:06:55,680 --> 01:07:06,860
I want to say the positive impact. For the last two years since I've been on, it's a good harmony up here.

704
01:07:07,020 --> 01:07:15,220
Even if we disagree on anything, we come back together and maybe get some coffee and it's okay.

705
01:07:15,980 --> 01:07:20,620
That's a good group that we work with. Appreciate everybody for that.

706
01:07:20,620 --> 01:07:32,520
But we have accomplished a lot, even though things was thrown, I believe I was thrown in at a time that we had to raise money and stuff.

707
01:07:33,060 --> 01:07:41,800
And these taxes and things that you have to do, it's not easy, having to make a decision like it.

708
01:07:41,860 --> 01:07:45,520
But you always look at all your information to make the right decision.

709
01:07:45,520 --> 01:07:56,180
But while we've been doing this, we're getting ready to renovate the police station where it means storm, the storm water building is going to be built.

710
01:07:56,580 --> 01:08:04,460
So we can get out of the police department. So it's things that we done in the city convenience center.

711
01:08:05,300 --> 01:08:09,140
We did that for everybody, but they trashed. So we've done some good things.

712
01:08:10,420 --> 01:08:17,580
All right. Now we're going to go on to closing statements. Just by general reminder, you will

713
01:08:17,580 --> 01:08:25,280
have 90 seconds to wrap it up and sort of cover any issues that you feel need to be discussed

714
01:08:25,280 --> 01:08:32,460
that have not been discussed. We'll go ahead and start with Autumn Woman Holcomb. Your

715
01:08:32,460 --> 01:08:33,040
90 seconds.

716
01:08:34,580 --> 01:08:41,740
First, I want to thank the Chambers of Commerce for letting us host this on tonight.

717
01:08:42,040 --> 01:08:45,900
I appreciate that so everybody can hear the candidates.

718
01:08:46,640 --> 01:08:49,920
Just know that our jobs appear are not easy.

719
01:08:50,700 --> 01:08:55,680
You do have to get more information and you do talk to the people and you have to learn

720
01:08:55,680 --> 01:08:57,520
about a whole lot of stuff.

721
01:08:58,060 --> 01:09:01,800
But it's good things that you learn about your community.

722
01:09:01,800 --> 01:09:07,820
And I want to also thank Mr. Clark and Mr. Jim Donahoe.

723
01:09:08,000 --> 01:09:10,640
Thank him for holding up his sign every time. Stop.

724
01:09:13,200 --> 01:09:18,220
But you just want to thank everybody for coming out.

725
01:09:18,400 --> 01:09:21,740
You thank everybody that's here today, that y'all came out and listened.

726
01:09:22,420 --> 01:09:24,740
Thank everybody that's online that listened.

727
01:09:25,660 --> 01:09:27,180
Please go out and vote.

728
01:09:27,840 --> 01:09:28,740
We need your vote.

729
01:09:28,740 --> 01:09:35,000
Votes count. Your vote count. So we need your vote. So please come out and go out and vote.

730
01:09:35,340 --> 01:09:38,440
And while you're out voting, please vote for LaToya Holcomb.

731
01:09:40,080 --> 01:09:46,680
I would love your vote. I would love to get back on here and get my four years in. I only got two.

732
01:09:47,340 --> 01:09:52,700
So I would like to come on here and make a change and not make a change for the bad.

733
01:09:52,700 --> 01:10:01,120
I see you, but make a change for good because what we're doing up here is good work, and we're just trying to want to continue it.

734
01:10:01,240 --> 01:10:05,460
So please vote, and vote for LaToya Holcomb.

735
01:10:07,300 --> 01:10:09,560
And candidate Tucker, your closing statement.

736
01:10:11,100 --> 01:10:17,220
A lot of people have heard me say in the past, Portland is a great place to live and work, many opportunities.

737
01:10:18,120 --> 01:10:26,400
There are always going to be issues to resolve, processes to be improved, practices to be made more efficient and effective no matter where you live.

738
01:10:27,360 --> 01:10:31,620
Growth and change bring city challenges but also future community opportunities.

739
01:10:32,740 --> 01:10:39,320
The city does a great job teaming with its Chamber of Commerce and partnering with local businesses and industry.

740
01:10:40,160 --> 01:10:43,020
Thank you to the Chamber for putting on this candidate form.

741
01:10:43,420 --> 01:10:45,820
Thank you to Mr. Schifflet, Mr. Donahue.

742
01:10:45,820 --> 01:10:51,160
Thank you to the audience for caring about who governs your community in the future.

743
01:10:52,400 --> 01:10:58,580
I also thank Mayor Callis and County Commissioner Harrison for their advice and kindness as I

744
01:10:58,580 --> 01:11:00,560
prepared to undertake this campaign.

745
01:11:00,800 --> 01:11:06,100
It's been a unique experience, allowing me to meet many good people across our community.

746
01:11:06,780 --> 01:11:13,000
Lastly, I think the city department leads I visited last week, seven of them.

747
01:11:15,560 --> 01:11:19,640
They shared current and future plans and challenges for their departments.

748
01:11:20,040 --> 01:11:25,140
I can assure you they are working to make the city better, safer, and affordable every

749
01:11:25,140 --> 01:11:25,420
day.

750
01:11:26,360 --> 01:11:28,540
I would appreciate your vote and trust.

751
01:11:29,200 --> 01:11:33,940
For more info, you can visit my Facebook page, Bob Tucker for City Council.

752
01:11:33,940 --> 01:11:34,900
Thank you.

753
01:11:36,720 --> 01:11:38,880
And Alderman McDowell, your closing statement.

754
01:11:39,440 --> 01:11:41,880
Well, in closing, I'll try to keep this really brief.

755
01:11:42,640 --> 01:11:47,200
You've heard from me and five other great people who decided to run for City Council of Portland.

756
01:11:47,820 --> 01:11:50,320
I would be proud to serve alongside any of them.

757
01:11:50,940 --> 01:11:53,500
You've got a lot of choices to make this year when you go vote,

758
01:11:53,760 --> 01:11:57,200
not only for the City Council, but for our Sheriff as on the ballot,

759
01:11:57,380 --> 01:11:59,380
as well as the President of the United States.

760
01:12:00,260 --> 01:12:04,540
When casting your vote for the City Council, you've got four choices you can make.

761
01:12:04,620 --> 01:12:06,320
I would be honored to be one of your choices.

762
01:12:08,770 --> 01:12:10,650
Candidate Ellis, your closing statement.

763
01:12:11,070 --> 01:12:18,710
My closing statement, I think the best part about my campaign and running for this spot has been

764
01:12:18,710 --> 01:12:23,170
so many people willing to help and who believe in me.

765
01:12:24,330 --> 01:12:29,170
That's just really a humbling thing when you've had your whole life in a town

766
01:12:29,170 --> 01:12:34,210
and you've had really good days and high days and you've had down days too, but

767
01:12:34,210 --> 01:12:40,270
it's all come out to be a great thing and a great place to live and my future

768
01:12:40,270 --> 01:12:43,570
children I would I would hope that they would live here and have the

769
01:12:43,570 --> 01:12:50,950
childhood that I did but if elected I just want people to know that I will

770
01:12:50,950 --> 01:12:56,350
make my decisions based off if it were myself or a close family member

771
01:12:56,350 --> 01:13:03,490
And I just want to be fair, and I want people to, I want to have people's trust, I want

772
01:13:03,490 --> 01:13:12,870
to earn people's trust, and then I want to just make Portland better than I left it.

773
01:13:13,090 --> 01:13:15,690
And that kind of be my goal.

774
01:13:16,350 --> 01:13:19,950
And you have to be professional, you have to have unity.

775
01:13:20,610 --> 01:13:24,990
I appreciate all the people who are currently serving and who's running.

776
01:13:25,810 --> 01:13:33,170
It's been just an honor to do that and I'm looking forward to the outcomes and go vote

777
01:13:33,170 --> 01:13:35,030
and please vote for me.

778
01:13:35,990 --> 01:13:43,650
I'm ready to work hard to do the right things and it's just been a joy to see and talk to

779
01:13:43,650 --> 01:13:44,790
the people in our community.

780
01:13:47,050 --> 01:13:48,890
Alderman Woodall, your closing remarks.

781
01:13:49,950 --> 01:13:52,470
I think I'm like Jody, I'm going to keep mine very simple.

782
01:13:52,470 --> 01:13:58,170
Well, thank you for putting your names in the hat.

783
01:13:58,650 --> 01:14:04,550
It's not easy, as you're probably finding out, but I appreciate everything you're doing

784
01:14:04,550 --> 01:14:06,110
because this is what makes our community better.

785
01:14:10,170 --> 01:14:14,950
As far as, you know, this weekend we'll be early voting here in Portland and then on

786
01:14:14,950 --> 01:14:15,990
November 5th.

787
01:14:16,070 --> 01:14:17,290
I just ask that you go out and vote.

788
01:14:17,890 --> 01:14:18,490
Just go vote.

789
01:14:18,930 --> 01:14:20,390
We have a low turnout in Sumner County.

790
01:14:22,030 --> 01:14:22,910
Please vote.

791
01:14:24,110 --> 01:14:25,350
It doesn't matter who you vote for.

792
01:14:25,350 --> 01:14:29,250
You vote for who you think is best for this community, who you think is best for state,

793
01:14:29,390 --> 01:14:30,070
federal, whatever.

794
01:14:30,370 --> 01:14:30,890
Get out and vote.

795
01:14:32,070 --> 01:14:35,550
Now, I wouldn't like for you to vote for Brian Woodall while you're doing that.

796
01:14:35,770 --> 01:14:36,730
He's on the bottom of that list.

797
01:14:37,490 --> 01:14:40,630
But no, I think I do appreciate everybody here.

798
01:14:40,930 --> 01:14:44,610
And like Ben said, I'll echo, there's something humbling about those who call you

799
01:14:44,610 --> 01:14:48,570
and want to put a sign in the yard or say something to you on a message or call you up.

800
01:14:48,750 --> 01:14:49,410
It's very humbling.

801
01:14:50,010 --> 01:14:50,650
It's very humbling.

802
01:14:51,390 --> 01:14:52,250
So I appreciate that.

803
01:14:52,250 --> 01:14:59,770
I appreciate all the directors that work tirelessly throughout every day and face the challenges.

804
01:15:00,000 --> 01:15:05,120
The phone calls that come to them from alderman and alderwomen. But anyway, please vote bryan

805
01:15:05,120 --> 01:15:11,160
woodall. Thank you. And candidate coal, your closing remarks. I'm not going to be nice. These

806
01:15:11,160 --> 01:15:19,040
guys, these guys all suck. Vote for me. No, I would like the chamber for the invite. I

807
01:15:19,040 --> 01:15:22,420
got to experience this two years ago when I ran for mayor. And that was a different

808
01:15:22,420 --> 01:15:27,860
experience. This is kind of a different experience. But thank you for Jim for holding the sign.

809
01:15:27,860 --> 01:15:34,960
I know that was a hard job, and Clark for being the moderator, we're kind of all in the ball clubs, we'll take that.

810
01:15:37,940 --> 01:15:42,500
I just want to represent my town. I have a passion for making this town as good as it can be.

811
01:15:46,350 --> 01:15:51,570
I don't have any leverage in the hat. I don't own any businesses.

812
01:15:52,030 --> 01:15:59,210
I don't have anything to gain from this except for trying to represent the people the best I can.

813
01:16:05,310 --> 01:16:13,570
There's a lot of issues, a lot of issues that's been going on for a long time and I think I can bring a lot to the table to help remedy some of those issues.

814
01:16:16,620 --> 01:16:26,060
I'm not always the nicest guy, but I think Jody and some of the ones that have told me in my whole life, they could probably tell you what kind of guy I am, what did I come off wrong or not.

815
01:16:26,060 --> 01:16:28,900
But I'm going to stand behind what I say.

816
01:16:29,800 --> 01:16:33,020
I'm not always going to be nice, but I am going to be 100% real.

817
01:16:33,540 --> 01:16:36,200
And you're going to get authenticity out of me.

818
01:16:36,700 --> 01:16:38,720
And I'm going to do everything I can to represent the people.

819
01:16:39,520 --> 01:16:41,980
So all I can say is, I hope you vote for me,

820
01:16:42,340 --> 01:16:44,780
but at least get out and vote for the best candidate

821
01:16:44,780 --> 01:16:45,620
that represents you.

822
01:16:47,200 --> 01:16:47,780
All right.

823
01:16:48,520 --> 01:16:50,800
So thank you to all the candidates

824
01:16:52,040 --> 01:16:54,740
on behalf of Jim Donahoe and myself

825
01:16:54,740 --> 01:16:59,460
and the Portland Chamber of Commerce, including Emily Groves and her staff.

826
01:17:00,180 --> 01:17:03,660
This concludes the City Alderman Candidate Forum.