Candidates fail to separate themselves during forum
Posted on Saturday, October 11, 2008
Daily Record photograph by David Frank Dempsey Four candidates for the Rogers City Council answered questions about issues during a candidate forum at the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce in Rogers on Friday. From left are incumbent candidate for Ward 4 Position 1 Bob Goodwin; Dan Brown for Ward 4 Position 1; incumbent candidate for Ward 1 Position 1 Buddy Wright; and candidate for Ward 1 Position 1 Wesley Lewis.
ROGERS - The Rogers candidate forum might as well have been held in a cave for all the echoing throughout the event. The candidates for the city's two contested City Council seats were asked 13 questions at the Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce's forum Thursday, and there were almost that few answers.
It shouldn't be a surprise, as the candidates have been largely giving the same answers thus far in their campaigns: What has been happening is working, so we need more of it.
The forum started with a tossup question, a 50-50 multiple choice. Did the candidates support the Mounties or the War Eagles ? Two, Ward 1 Position 1 candidates Buddy Wright and Wesley Lewis, talked about their split allegiances, while the other two, Ward 4 Position 1 candidates Bob Goodwin and Dan Brown, talked about the impact of the two schools on the community. None of the candidates chose a side.
They were asked what downtown Rogers would look like in the future. All four talked about increasing residential space - some specifically said senior housing - among the downtown shops.
On bond projects, the candidates were again in step: streets and parks, roads and open space, or some variation thereof.
How about the Rogers Police Department's involvement in the 287 (g ) program ? It's apparently going great, as that answer was given four times in slightly different variations.
When the candidates differed, however, the incumbents fell back on the past, while the challengers, occasionally, offered up a new idea. Similar answers may hurt some When asked about improving the economic situation of downtown Rogers, Goodwin fell back on continued support of the chamber, while Wright offered continued support of Main Street Rogers. Lewis called for improvements to Lake Atalanta, a common rallying cry of late. But Brown went against the crowd, saying the existing density in that area prevents a lot of business development, so the effort should be on improving and completing residential areas.
Brown was also the loner on a question about preparing for economic hardships. The other three candidates cited the city's previous and current efforts, while Brown suggested the use of reserve funds to stave off short-term shortfalls while focusing on additional economic development to help in a longterm recession.
On the topic of reserve funds, Mayor Steve Womack asked the candidates what a proper reserve fund, as a percentage of its revenue, should be. Goodwin failed to give an answer, and Wright offered 10 percent. Both said they did not know what percentage the city had set. Brown said 15 percent would be suitable, while Lewis called for the lofty goal of 50 percent. City Treasurer Jerry Hudlow, who was in the audience, said the city's current goal is 20 percent to 25 percent, but the amount is currently hovering at 30 percent.
But even on an easy question with an infinite well of possible answers - Chamber President Raymond Burns asked for the candidates' favorite aspect of Rogers - there were not four distinct answers. Lewis noted diversity; Wright highlighted the vibrant economy. Then Brown discussed the sense of cooperation within the city, and Goodwin followed with the partnerships within the city.
"Dan (Brown ) just stole my thunder," Goodwin said.
The moderator did offer one question about city policy that received four distinct answers, polling the candidates for their predictions about the next big announcement from the city. Wright said it would be the addition of more events through the efforts of the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Lewis predicted a complete bicycle and walking trail system completed throughout the city. Goodwin hypothesized it would be a capitalization of the city's history and crafts. Brown guessed it would be waterfront development at Lake Atalanta that would definitively link that park with the downtown.
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