All Nine Burlington Council Candidates Participate in Public Forum

“What would you do to make Burlington more welcoming,” was the question we asked at last night’s City Council candidates forum. 
John Sandell said the first thing he’d do is get of those hot mix asphalt machines, used to coat the streets that need fixing.  They should be rebuilt with concrete instead.   Tracey Watts agrees that Burlington’s streets need fixing, but he also feels that City Council members need to get more involved in their community.  Dan Wischmeier told the audience at City Hall that…yes…the streets, sidewalks and other infrastructure should be fixed, but there should also be a city beautification program started.

Candidate Jim Davidson says improving the condition of the streets and more programs like the downtown facade project on Jefferson would both be good steps, and he also praised the neighborhood associations and the police department for their work in making Burlington more welcoming.  Marcques Derby broke from the pack and said flood mitigation is what he’d focus on.  Leo Hallowell repeated a familiar theme, telling the in-studio, radio and cable TV audiences that infrastructure, including streets and flood mitigation, must be maintained.

Jeff Johnson says making Burlington more welcoming should mean getting more input from the community.  Kevin Long told the crowd that infrastructure is one thing, but it’s not the only thing.  He says when the City distributes tax dollars and tax breaks, it should do so evenly, not just in a particular area.  Chris Reed feels the Council should do a lot more lobbying in Des Moines on behalf of the City’s streets and, particularly, bridges, which he says are in dire need of repairs.

The nine candidates for Becky Shockley’s former seat will face off December 2nd and the two men left standing will go at each other December 30th, the winner joining the other four council members just in time to start work on the city budget.