It was another busy day for me, what with sitting in on an editorial board with Dave Trapeni and writing profiles of the aldermanic candidates that you will see in tomorrow's paper, but I did feel like I should return to last night's second debate.
If you're reading this blog you might have noticed I stopped short last night - it was just mayhem to try to keep tabs on what the candidates were saying at the same time I was trying to process what was happening so I could return to the office and write my story.
If you didn't have the chance to attend or watch last night, here are some more outtakes (not an entire transcript - there are some responses that I just did not write down) from the debate:
What can the city do about abandoned properties in the city?
Dave Dress said the city cannot be a landlord and that these properties pose tremendous purchasing opportunities.
Tom DePoy said the Board should work with Building and Zoning Inspector Jim Simonds to determine which of these properties are even worth keeping on the tax rolls, and continue from there.
Kevin Coleman said that if the city focuses on reviving its economy this is one of several problems or concerns that will eventually be rectified as a result.
Karen Bossi said the city needs to continue its recent practice of becoming more involved with these properties before it gets to the point where they need to be torn down. She said that in past years the city's shopping cart problem was one of her big issues, and she believes that and these problem-properties are indicative of people not caring.
Robert Barrett said City Hall should look into why it is that these properties are even becoming vacant.
Christopher Robinson said this issue, like the first question, is a symptom of the economic crisis. He guessed the next question would be about jobs (ding! ding!)
On that third question - What are some positive solutions to attract business to the city? - Robinson was the first to respond.
He said we need to change the negative attitude that exists in the city, and touching on a question brought up in Monday night's RCPBC forum - a city/town merger - Robinson said down the line he believes it would be beneficial for both. For now, however, we need to focus on cooperation, he said.
Nick Ronfeld got the ball next, and pointed as he has in past interviews to the need to update the city's infrastructure as a selling point for potential businesses. He also said that keeping the train is important - Expansion can bring us wealth and something that
we’re looking for as far as future business.
Both Joanne Slattery and Coleman also touched on the need for the city/town merger, and Coleman noted that the city doesn't do a good job of marketing some of its lesser-known advantages to the town, including the lack of an inventory tax (which they do have in the town.)
Joe Tilden said the region needs to realize it's a transportation center and get to work on building a train-to-truck center behind General Electric and the Diamond Run Mall.
Daniel White Sr. and Barrett also touched on the city's negativity problem, with White reading off his phone number and encouraging any city resident or business to get in touch with him with their concerns. A regular presence outside the rail at board meetings, White said that even if he wasn't elected he would be there and would try to help any business or resident that approached him.
Barrett and Bossi also said the city needs to provide wate to any town businesses that want to move into the area. Bossi added that she was in favor of tax stabilization for new businesses.
DePoy said that, down the road when the economy begins to recover, the recreation center that he once championed could be a good pull for new businesses.
And finally, Dress said that anyone who walks out of their door or a supermarket does so to incredible surrounding beauty. "Do we market it fully, no?"
Dress said that he believes the five agencies that he thinks are charged with marketing the region need some sort of consolidation and said he tried to accomplish this in the last budget cycle by bringing the Rutland Redevelopment Authority into City Hall and under the purview of the mayor - a proposal that was soundly defeated.
I focused my reporting that night on taxes, so we'll skip a rehash of that question. The final speaking opportunity of the night was closing remarks. Here I'll summarize those for you:
White: A lot has been said, a lot has been talked about. "Get out and vote, and vote for who you think you want to represent the City of Rutland. If I'm one of those people, fine, if not fine, I'll still sit in the background.
Tilden: We all need to pull together as a unit; put aside our own desires and think about who's really struggling right now.
Slattery reiterated that her first year on the board was very much a learning experience. In her second year, she believes she became more vocal and involved and would like to continue that progression if re-elected.
Ronfeld: "I'm involved with Rutland, I see what's going on and I would like to help turn it around ... if there's a vote to be had I will make a conscious decision." He said his motivations are simply to make the city a better place to live.
Robinson urged residents to vote and to remain involved after the elections.
Dress took the opportunity to thank all the candidates and note that it takes a lot to put yourself out there in front of voters and run for these types of positions. "It's easy to sit at home and rail at the stupid comments made here tonight ... do these people have all the answers? Certainly not ... but they've put themselves out there." He also reiterated that he is running to be the voters' public servant.
Coleman: "Maybe you've seen me out there waving... I'm working hard for your vote, and I will work very hard as your alderman." He said he set a modest budget for his campaign and had only one major donor -- his mother, who sent him a $200 check -- and "I think that's how government needs to be run, setting a modest budget."
Bossi lamented the attention that has been paid, primarily in the mayoral race, to the claim that her husband, Police Chief Anthony Bossi, received a 21-percent salary increase. "I assure you, I see his paycheck and he did not receive a 21-percent increase," she said.
And wrapping it up, Barrett said that he was running to "give you a voice." He said he will work to make sure taxes do not increase and city residents can remain in their homes.
And there you have it - I hope someone finds this helpful in the home stretch of the election season. And maybe after I write my mayoral previews I can take the weekend off, right?
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