Mayoral Hopefuls Square Off In Debate Hosted By Silent No More
Mayoral Hopefuls Square Off In Debate Hosted By Silent No More
Posted
Jennifer Peryam-jperyam@timesuniononline.com
Mayoral Hopefuls Square Off In Debate Hosted By Silent No MoreFour Warsaw mayoral candidates had the opportunity Tuesday night to discuss why they will make the best mayor for the city.
Mayoral candidates Joe Thallemer, Kyle Babcock, Michael Alspaugh and Tony Miller fielded questions that were submitted by the community during the hour-and-a-half debate.
Topics ranged from solutions to the local meth problem, the airport expansion, protecting downtown commerce, bringing businesses to Warsaw, and the city's purchase of the former National City Bank building using rainy day funds.
The candidate debate was hosted by Kosciusko Silent No More at New Life Christian Church and World Outreach. Dr. Michael Harstine served as moderator. It was attended by more than 100 people, and broadcast live on WIOE 98.3. The entire debate audio is archived on the Oldies 98.3FM web-site at www.wioe.com or at this link: http://wioe.com/debate.shtml
The primary is May 3 for Warsaw and Winona Lake offices.
The mayoral candidates had different answers for how they would address the meth problem.
Alspaugh said it is important to educate students in the schools about staying away from drugs and encouraging rehabilitation as opposed to incarceration for meth users.
Thallemer said the supply of pseudoephedrine must be cut off, and said he believes scheduling it is the only proactive measure to reduce the meth problem.
Miller said he would support making the drug prescription based, and said he supports city and county law enforcement working as one to resolve the problem.
Babcock said one of the first things he would do is talk to the Drug Task Force, sheriff and police chief for insight on their thoughts on the problem, and work with them to eliminate the problem.
Candidates were asked how they would entice non-orthopedic companies to come to Warsaw.
Thallemer said it is his goal to work for more shovel-ready ground and said OrthoWorx has looked at high speed rail to improve connectivity to the community that he thinks is critical.
Miller said being in the orthopedics industry as president of Instru-Med, the most important thing a mayor can do to entice companies to come to Warsaw is selling and marketing the city's assets.
Babcock said the city needs to make sure Warsaw is vibrant for the next 10, 15, and 20 years, and said he worked with the Warsaw-Kosciusko County Chamber to look into the JumpStart program that was brought to Warsaw.
Alspaugh said he would use his experience as an actor to work with the local high schools to create a DVD that showcases the students and why they like Warsaw and present the DVD to chamber of commerce and business owners in other areas.
When asked how many hours a week candidates will work as mayor they all said they felt it was a full-time job, and said they have the time to put in to give the mayoral role their full attention.
The candidates addressed the topic of the city council approving the city purchasing the former National City Bank building for a new city hall, and were asked if they would use rainy day funds again to do it.
Babcock said as current councilman at-large, he was the only councilman to vote against using the city's rainy day funds to purchase the city hall, and said he didn't agree with paying for a building more than what it was worth.
Alspaugh said the bank building acquisition was not carefully thought out. He said he would not use rainy day funds to purchase the city hall without seeing the facts. He said he felt the building will create more of a parking problem downtown with city employees parking outside the building when customers visiting downtown businesses would not have enough room to park.
Thallemer, who as city councilman at- large, voted in favor of using the rainy day funds for the building purchase for a new city hall said the current 50 year old city hall is in disrepair, has no potential for growth, and large amounts of nonfunctional workspace. He said the purchase was a long-term, well studied, and demonstrated need resulting in an informed decision that will benefit the city for the next 75-100 years.
Miller said his concern is the criteria for use of a rainy day fund. He said he is opposed to spending money on purchasing the building, and said it is not too late to cut losses.
Candidates were asked how they would promote and protect downtown commerce while allowing big box stores, and asked if they would support public funding of the greenway initiative to help bring people downtown.
Alspaugh said he would support public funding of the greenway initiative to help downtown growth, and said the downtown should be kept as vibrant as possible.
Thallemer said there needs to be a vision for the downtown, and his vision is a destination for entertainment in the evenings with festivals and restaurants and specialty shops in the downtown. He said the city demands big box stores, and there must be a balance.
Miller said he would like to see the greenway project continue to come to fruition in Warsaw, and said he also supports big box stores coming to Warsaw, but said money needs to be spent on the greenway to draw people to the downtown.
Babcock, who is a member of the greenway committee, said he feels Warsaw needs to do a better job of expanding its trail system as Winona Lake has done. He said the greenway is about economic development, and money needs to be spent on the greenway to bring people downtown.
The candidates were asked what there current inclination is for a solution to the airport expansion.
Thallemer said the potential expansion of the east-west runway will never involve closure of CR 100E. He said he has never voted to close the road, and will never vote to close the road. He said the only viable option is to divert the road around the extension, and said it is unfortunate the road diversion was not presented when the issue first arose.
Miller said he has been outspoken on the issue in the past being a corporate pilot, and said there does not need to be an expansion, and said it would help one or two industries or individuals, but cost $10 million.
Babcock said he did not support closing CR 100E, and said with people coming into the city a diversion is not a good idea.
Alspaugh said he agrees with Miller that a longer runway is not needed. He said with retirement homes being built on the west end of the runway, he had a concern that homes build around an expanded airport would cause the residents to have noise concerns and potential to request the airport be closed.
