More than 100 people spilled out into the City Hall lobby from the council chambers at a candidates forum sponsored by The Warner Robins Patriot newspaper and Warner Robins radio stations, WNNG AM and FM.
Mayoral candidates incumbent Donald Walker and challengers Chuck Chalk, councilman Clifford Holmes and Chuck Shaheen took questions on topics such as G-RAMP, the Commercial Circle revitalization, the new law enforcement center, mass transit and parks and recreation.
Opening the forum were city council candidates Mike Daley, Art Howard and Doug McDowell, all for Post 1; and Dean Cowart and Paul Shealy, both for Post 3. Daron Lee, who is unopposed for the Post 5 seat, was present but did not participate. Also not participating were Post 1 candidates Linda Carnes and Jeffery Walker.
But the interest of the crowd clearly was focused on the mayoral candidates, who debated in the forum’s second half.
The first question was whether the city has geared up enough for the Georgia-Robins Aerospace Maintenance Partnership, or G-RAMP.
“G-RAMP has got to be the first priority and needs to be further along in its development,” said Shaheen, adding that he strongly felt other governing agencies in the area need to be involved in the project. “The C-5 is vital” to national security, he continued, and the project would go a long way into returning the aircraft quicker to work. “The base is the heartbeat of the community,” he said.
“You have to do what the Air Force needs; they’re going to use it,” said Walker, adding that the Air Force is coming up with a new concept for the project that will be known in two to four weeks. The project is on schedule, he continued, and the environmental assessment is under way.
“G-RAMP is important to the longevity of the city,” said Chalk. “We are where we are with it, and need to put it up and bring additional work to the base.” Land use is important too, he added.
Progress will come when a public or private partnership is there to bring in needed funding, said Holmes. “It’ll be 2010 before any stimulus funds are available, and it’s very important to get it running.”
On the possibility of a public transportation system, Holmes said the city needs one for its older residents. “Those on the north side say they need something other than taxi cabs to take them for healthcare visits,” he said. He noted that some churches are operating vans for senior citizens.
Shaheen said it was important for seniors to have transportation for healthcare, and a study should be done of other cities with public transportation to see how a system would work here.
Walker said a feasibility study indicated the system would pay for itself, and “we already have one for senior citizens and those disabled.”
“Good people are losing their walking distance to development,” said Chalk, suggesting a public-private partnership is a possible solution.
Holmes said he opposes the new law enforcement center proposed for part of Perkins Park. Construction costs have escalated, he said, and “why would you want to take away a playhouse for a jailhouse” and then complain about children getting into trouble?
Walker said he did not vote on the issue but “I applaud those who had the fortitude” to support it. An independent firm selected the site, he continued, and there are other sites in the city for playing fields though he did not say where. “A $7.5 million building looks like a warehouse, and our citizens deserve something better.”
Chalk said Police Chief Brett Evans should have been asked about the size of the new center, but noted the city hasn’t “had a new park in the past 10 to 15 years.”
“We’ve got to agree to disagree,” said Shaheen, who added he would have studied site locations more in depth. “We have to support our police department, and I feel a start would be to furnish them with more and better weapons.” Residents tell him the city needs more space for parks, not less, he continued, and city officials should make sure they’re a voice for the parks and recreation department. “It can be a money-maker for us,” he said.
All agreed annexation has to be done “smartly,” with the idea the city can deliver needed services to areas in question.
On the question of Commercial Circle, long an issue in the city, Walker said a park would be one opportunity for redevelopment, while Holmes said the area would be “an ideal place” for students from Macon State College or Georgia Military College to socialize. He added a monument to honor veterans from the city would also be a good use. Chalk said there is no shortage of ideas of what to do with the area, and he would like to see residents and businesses have input on redevelopment. Shaheen noted that South Carolina cities Charleston and Greenville used the disaster of Hurricane Hugo in 1989 to turn decaying downtown areas into modern developments, and he would like the colleges to do a study and see how the city can best work on the area. “Let’s do something about downtown is what I hear from citizens,” he said.
The candidates tip-toed around the question of whether a person’s health should be a central issue in the election, a reference to Walker’s being hospitalized for a while earlier this year.
Chalk said it shouldn’t be a central issue, that age is a “subliminal factor unless it has bearing on how you hold office.”
“It depends on the job,” said Holmes. “If the citizens think it’s an issue, it becomes one.”
Shaheen said he believes in preventative health care. “This is a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week job, and you’ve got to work hard to bring jobs to the city.”
“Nobody knows how long they’ve got on this earth,” said Walker. “God knows. My health is good.”
Council and mayoral candidates weighed in on the question about the city maintaining a “rainy day” fund for emergencies, something it does not have at the moment. Budget surpluses in the past have been returned as millage rollback rates.
McDowell said the city has done well being “good stewards” of tax funds. He added the Houston County school system is an attraction that brings people to live in the city, and “we’ll have the funds for necessities.”
Daley, citing his business experience, agreed the city has done well managing finances, and “a small percentage set aside would be OK.”
Shealy said he’s seen other cities with such a fund have a higher unemployment rate than the 6.7 percent in Warner Robins, and “I don’t think we need to have one” (rainy day fund) because of the city’s growth.
Cowart said the city already has one “in essence,” referring to the General Fund, and that because of growth the city has been able to meet its expenses without one.
“Yes, we need one,” said Howard, adding that if a fund is created officials need to let residents know why.
Other candidate forums include one Friday sponsored by the Houston County Democratic Party. Another is scheduled for Oct. 26. The election is Nov. 3.
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