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Jamestown City Council Candidates

The Jamestown Sun continues its "On the Issues" election series today. Candidates for Jamestown City Council answer written questions "On the Issues." Candidates will be elected on June 12; early voting begins next week. City Councilman Ramone Gu...

JamestownCity CouncilCandidates.jpg

The Jamestown Sun continues its “On the Issues” election series today.

Candidates for Jamestown City Council answer written questions “On the Issues.” Candidates will be elected on June 12; early voting begins next week.

City Councilman Ramone Gumke is not seeking re-election to another four-year term. He is running for Stutsman County Commission. Seeking the seat currently held by Gumke are David Steele and Kevin Walker.

Candidates for mayor, City Council, School Board and Parks and Recreation Commission are answering questions this week in the “On the Issues” election series. On Wednesday, candidates for Parks and Recreation Commission answered questions.

The questions, answers and biographical information can be found inside today’s newspaper.

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JAMESTOWN CITY COUNCIL Voters will choose one candidate for Jamestown City Council to serve a four-year term. The election is June 12. The candidate elected will take office on June 26. Council members are paid $800 a month. The two candidates are David Steele and Kevin Walker. The candidates were asked written questions,

which follow. Their answers were limited to 175 words per question, and their answers are as

written by the candidates.

1. What do you see as the city’s top three priorities or needs? Explain.

David Steele: 1. We need to continue to support and encourage companies and businesses with good paying jobs to come to Jamestown. The loss of Cargill is a disappointment. We need to work with all entities to fill that void. We need to diversify with manufacturing and value added companies as the soybean plant. With internet sales growing and large retail chains fading, we will need to look with a new vision and entrepreneurs to make down town Jamestown a destination for visitors and residence.

2. Infrastructure improvements in the city’s water mains, storm sewers, traffic flow and pedestrian and bicycle safety. When the residents in areas of our city do not have safe drinking water and storm sewers collapsing, we need to set our priorities to fund these projects.

3. We need everyone working together for the good of the whole community. We have some successes happening and let’s build on that success, but let us not forget to listen to the voices of our citizens in our community.

Kevin Walker: 1. Jamestown needs to increase our population. We are currently struggling to fill open jobs. If we want businesses to locate here in Jamestown, we need to show we have the population and work force to fill job openings to help keep the businesses running.

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2. Jamestown needs to continue to concentrate on ways to bring people from out of town here to visit and contribute to our economy. With the addition of places like TRAC, I believe Jamestown will become a hot spot for hosting several sporting tournaments that in return stimulates the economy. We need to have more events that will draw people to Jamestown.

3. Jamestown needs to be proactive. We need to think of how things are going to affect the future of Jamestown and not be so re-active to issues that face us. Jamestown needs to start thinking ahead and making decisions that will help us grow.

Read the Jamestown Park and Recreation Board Candidate Questions and Answers

2. Do you support the “lane diet” change to downtown Jamestown that will reduce traffic to one lane on either side with a turning lane in the center? Explain.

Steele: I would like to take a go slow approach to the “lane diet”. Let’s give it a try by making single traffic lanes and turning lanes this summer so the public can get a chance to understand what the “lane diet” would look and feel like. Will the “lane diet” change driver behavior and move traffic to other residential streets? Will traffic back up during peak travel times on main street? Can the bump outs be made so that they are removable in the event the plan does not work? After visiting with residence, while going door to door, my feeling is a majority of the residence are not in favor of this project. They feel that the city has more pressing issues. Before we spend money on something that may not work, let’s try it out first.

Walker: I support the “lane diet”. I believe it will help the businesses downtown by allowing easier street parking and make it a safer place for people to enjoy downtown. The turning lane will make it much easier for traffic flow and allow pedestrians an easier way to cross the streets. By reducing traffic to one lane it will hopefully slow down traffic and not make downtown a fast lane through town, but a place people will enjoy spending time. By doing this I believe it will draw new businesses to look at the downtown area as a viable location to locate.

3. Are staffing and funding levels sufficient for public safety agencies such as the police and fire departments? Explain.

Steele: It is vital that we have fully staffed and well trained individuals in our public safety agencies and that they are adequately supported and compensated. Our public employees deserve the best that we can offer. Our fire chief recently reported that we are in need of more volunteers on the fire department, but with the demands required and the training involved it is becoming more difficult to fill these positions. We have other staff positions that are unfilled yet our citizens ask for services to be provided. We need to step up and support our public employees to the best of our financial ability to serve the citizens of Jamestown.

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Walker: I believe the funding and staffing levels are sufficient. I don’t see these departments as struggling to meet demand but would definitely be something to look into if elected beings I have not seen the current funding allocated to these departments. I also believe everything needs to be evaluated yearly and to make sure these departments have everything they need to function properly to help the citizens of Jamestown in a timely manner.

4. Why are you running for Jamestown City Council? Why should voters choose you to serve in this position?

Steele: I am running for the Jamestown City Council because I care about our cities future and I feel that I can make a difference by serving and expressing the concerns of the citizens of Jamestown. The time seemed right. I have the support of my wife, family and friends to take on this endeavor. I have always believed in service to others. I am also concerned about how our tax dollars are being spent. With limited funding and the needs of the city for future infrastructure we need to be vigilant on our priorities. We have many positive things taking place in Jamestown and I would like to build on those positives. Jamestown has been our home since 1981 and I have lived in Stutsman County nearly all my life. I believe that I have the experience, ideas and the ability to bring people together and will do my best to listen and understand the issues affecting Jamestown.

Walker: I am running for City Council, because I love Jamestown and want to see it grow and become a more inviting community. I would like to see it become a town that my kids want to return to after college and raise their family and work. Voters should vote for me, because I will work with all Community Organizations to entice businesses to locate in Jamestown, so we can lure people to move here for jobs that will help them thrive in our community.

5. What city improvements would you like to see accomplished in the next four years? Explain.

Steele: Some of the improvements that I would like to see taken care of are our infrastructure needs, water and sewer, and to work with the University of Jamestown to improve traffic flow around the Newman Arena. I would also like to see more family oriented activities – example family bicycle night. I would challenge our citizens to be creative and brain storm what we can do with the empty spaces in Jamestown and assist those with the entrepreneurial spirit to succeed and to make Jamestown more of a destination for visitors. I have some ideas but due to limited space I will have to share the ideas in another setting.

Walker: I think we really need to evaluate the snow removal process in this town and see what we can improve to make it more efficient. I also believe we need to concentrate on how we can get more people to come to Jamestown to fill the open jobs this town has and raise their family and work.

6. Jamestown’s population remains stable, but hasn’t grown much in recent years. How can Jamestown grow its population?

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Steele: In order to grow Jamestown, we need to provide opportunities to promote businesses and manufacturing with good paying jobs, affordable housing and available daycare for young families. We also need to provide young families with affordable family activities. Some of the questions that I have been challenged with is what is there to do in Jamestown? And I would like to move to Jamestown, but what does Jamestown have to offer? When families come to Jamestown for tournaments or other activities the same question arises. What is there to do in Jamestown during the down time between events besides sit in a motel room? We may need to promote ourselves better with opportunities that we have and be creative in new opportunities.

Walker: I believe Jamestown needs to concentrate on bringing in Tech jobs that will bring and keep younger people into the community. I believe if this happens there will be more families willing to make Jamestown their home town, and help keep the people we do have here.

     

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