Murfreesboro city elections will be held Tuesday, April 15, and voters will head to the polls (and have been heading to the polls, as early voting continues through April 10) to select who will lead our town for the coming years.
In addition to mayoral and city school board elections, voters will decide who will fill three Murfreesboro city council seats.
Get to know the city council candidates below. They bring up some great issues as they thoughtfully plan for a better future for all in Murfreesboro.
Find more information about polling locations and local elections at rutherfordcountytn.gov/election.
Rick LaLance
Murfreesboro Pulse: What is the biggest challenge facing Murfreesboro over the next four years and what is your plan to overcome it?
LaLance: Managing the growth in a way that the residents want to see it happen and a way that makes sense financially.
How will you make Murfreesboro an attractive place to do business for large and small operations?
From a broad view, we need to promote an environment that encourages a business-friendly approach. This would include things like: making sure infrastructure is prepared for new enterprise, providing a strong education system for our children and young adults, working in partnership with the Rutherford County Chamber of Commerce to promote business development, and doing all we can to keep a low tax structure in place. Functionally, we can do things like streamlining approvals and permits and, as always, providing good customer service to our residents and making sure that the best possible employees are working for our city.
How do you plan to accommodate the rapid growth Murfreesboro is experiencing?
We have to be prepared on a lot of levels. The city is starting a Comprehensive Plan process this year that will take around two years to build. This Comprehensive Plan has been the backbone of my campaign from the start. It will provide transparency to our residents and ensure that we do have a plan for roads, schools, land usage, parks, etc. for the next 10 t0 20 years to help guide us in a positive direction. As a council member, it will be critical to have discussions with residents about the way the Comp Plan is built.
How do you feel about the city of Murfreesboro’s $250 million-plus debt, and the way it is structured? Would you like to see the amount of city debt rise or fall in the next four years?
Obviously, I would like to see it fall. I think we all agree that we wish the city had less debt. It is important to note that even with the enormous growth in the last 15 years, the city has over $50 million in cash assets and around $1 billion in total assets and the amount of debt we have is less than half of what the state allows. We have to be able to look at the big picture sometimes and not just stay focused on one number on one side of the ledger. If you were an individual with $1 million in assets, $50,000 in the bank, and making $100,000 per year, $240,000 of debt would probably be a very manageable number. Like anyone, the city just has to make sure that the number doesn’t grow every year and get beyond control. The idea is to make strides to cut down the debt over time. Over time, we can do that by planning well, prioritizing our needs well, and attracting the right types of jobs to our city.
The city is planning to build a “Westside Park” to serve the Cason Lane/840 area. Is this park really needed?
I don’t have all of the details of this possible park so I think it would be inappropriate for me to answer this one specifically. Generally, I think parks are an important part of the quality of life we have here in Murfreesboro. They serve some very important purposes that need to be recognized: from generating over $20 million in economic impact to our city annually, to keeping kids off the streets, to providing a low cost (or no cost) recreation option to low-income families, to aiding to attract Fortune 500 companies to relocate to the area. All of these must be kept in mind when deciding whether a new park or existing parks are needed.
How would you handle situations where residents don’t want to sell their property to accommodate city plans?
Property owners’ rights are very important to me. I would want to use condemnation as a last resort for critical needs and make sure we compensate the property owner very fairly in any instances.
What areas of town or city facilities do you feel are in the most need of repair and renovation?
Given the amount of growth we have seen over the past years, I think the city has done a pretty good job balancing renovations, but there are certainly some areas of need. I could probably name a few areas in all sections (north, south, east, west, and downtown) that could use some help, but the important thing is that as a council member I will be accessible to all of our citizens in all areas of town, so when needs arise I (and the whole council) will be aware of the needs and then address them.
Do you think that the city employees are adequately paid? Do we have adequate police and fire protection?
I would like to see a study done that shows some benchmarks with similar jobs to see how our total compensation packages compare (salary plus benefits). Until then, I don’t think I know enough about each position the city offers to say broadly whether they are adequately paid or not. In general, I would say we need to be mindful of offering a package that moves them forward with cost of living and does not create a situation where employees are losing purchasing power over time. We can’t treat them like corporate employees on the benefits side (reduced benefits) and then like traditional government employees on the salary side (reduced salary). We need to provide a good total compensation package to assure we have the best employees in place across the span of all city employees.
Previous councils have provided city taxpayer funds for MTSU athletic and academic facilities and road improvements. Is this an appropriate use of city taxpayer dollars?
In my opinion, there are certainly times when it is appropriate to use city funds to help fund MTSU projects. The Middle Tennessee Boulevard road project is clearly a good example. The student traffic issue deserves some investment into that infrastructure to improve traffic flow. There are also cases where facilities at MTSU could provide a boost in our sales tax revenue. If we can show that there is a good return on our investment, I would support some uses of taxpayer funds for those projects. We need to work with MTSU and other higher ed programs to foster an educated workforce here in Murfreesboro. Currently, our population has a good high school graduate level but a very poor college graduate level. Improving this is going to be a critical element to attracting high quality jobs.
Do you believe that the current form of part-time mayor and full-time city manager structure best represents a city like Murfreesboro? Would you be in favor of changing to a full-time mayor, or just a city manager system, and why?
I am OK with the city manager/city council (with part-time mayor) system we have now. This form of government has served our city well for many years and I think it is still effective. The key is making sure the citizens get more involved in the election process and elect leaders that have the right experience and will do the work necessary in either system. I believe I am one of those choices in this election.
Stephen Shirley
Murfreesboro Pulse: What is the biggest challenge facing Murfreesboro over the next four years and what is your plan to overcome it?
Shirley: I believe that improving citizen engagement in our government is a tremendous opportunity for improvement in Murfreesboro. When fewer than 10 percent of residents vote in city elections, I believe it speaks to a feeling of alienation and detachment. It means that either voters don’t care about city government or that voters don’t feel like government cares about them. I can’t do much to meet the needs of the first group but I am passionate about engaging the public, listening to their concerns and ideas and acting upon their input. As a city council member, I would care deeply about our citizens.
How will you make Murfreesboro an attractive place to do business for large and small operations?
I think Murfreesboro is already an attractive place to do business. We have a superb quality of life. We have an educated and motivated work force. Our city school system is staffed by dedicated teachers and administrators who provide a top-notch educational experience to our children. We are protected by the best firefighters, police officers and emergency responders. I think my role as a council member would be to ensure that we keep those factors at an high level while serving as an advocate for our city to interested businesses.
How do you plan to accommodate the rapid growth Murfreesboro is experiencing?
Managing future growth is not a one-, two- or even five-year plan. Proper management requires a long-term view of a broad spectrum of variables to ensure smooth and orderly growth. Our focus can not just be on traffic and capital projects like schools and parks. A proper plan must encompass funding priorities, resource management and personnel decisions as well. We have to plan now for the next 30 years if we hope to maintain and build upon our excellent quality of life.
How do you feel about the City of Murfreesboro’s $250 million-plus debt, and the way it is structured? Would you like to see the amount of city debt rise or fall in the next four years?
I don’t think anyone likes the fact that Murfreesboro has that much debt. But it is important to note that the overall financial health of the city is strong, the tax base is growing and the city maintains a “rainy day” fund equal to approximately six months of expenses. Murfreesboro’s current debt policies call for debt to be paid off within 15 years. Just in the past 15 years, Murfreesboro has built three new schools, developed several major park projects, embarked on numerous major road projects and made significant infrastructure improvements that all required new debt obligations. In the next four years, we will see several similar projects with hefty price tags with new debt. But I anticipate the overall debt level will remain unchanged or even drop as we retire much of our existing debt obligations.
What areas of town or city facilities do you feel are in the most need of repair and renovation?
Our park system is arguably our greatest tourist attraction. More than $15 million comes into our community every year as a result of our existing parks and recreation system. But as our population has grown, those parks are becoming maxed out on usage. Currently, the Cason Lane/Blackman/840 area is the fastest growing area of town, but the area lacks the sports and recreational opportunities available in other parts of the city. A new park will take some of the load off our existing parks and provide residents another outlet for the types of recreational opportunities that improve our quality of life and make Murfreesboro such an attractive place to call home.
How would you handle situations where residents don’t want to sell their property to accommodate city plans?
The use of imminent domain should be extremely rare and a overwhelming, clear justification must be in place to utilize that option. In the vast majority of situations, alternative options are available rather than forcing a sale of personal property.
What areas of town or city facilities do you feel are in the most need of repair and renovation?
The Bradyville Road corridor, where I live, is desperately in need of improvement. That corridor has faced the same issues of road dangers and flooding issues for decades. While it is a state roadway and falls completely under state funding priorities, our city government has not made those improvements a priority for lobbying efforts to our state leaders. I would also like to see sidewalks extending along Main Street from Middle Tennessee Boulevard all the way to the MTSU rec fields. I think the greenway underneath Main at Broad would be a wonderful place to utilize local artwork to cover up an ugly eyesore. I would like to see swing sets installed at our parks that don’t already have them.
Do you think that the city employees are adequately paid? Do we have adequate police and fire protection?
I think that most of our city employees receive a competitive wage for the jobs they do. I would fully support a wage study though that analyzes our departmental salaries in comparison to comparable cities like Franklin, Clarksville, Mt. Juliet and Hendersonville. In those areas where our departmental salaries lag behind like firefighters, I favor a revision of the salary structures to bring them more in line with the area standards.
Previous councils have provided city taxpayer funds for MTSU athletic and academic facilities and road improvements. Is this an appropriate use of city taxpayer dollars?
MTSU is the single most important social, economic and cultural entity in our city. The university contributes more that $350 million dollars every year into our local economy. The city has allocated approximately $15 million dollars over the past decade to MTSU for capital projects that provided an immediate economic return. Those funds weren’t a cost. They were an investment. And I support the targeted provisions.
Do you believe that the current form of part-time mayor and full-time city manager structure best represents a city like Murfreesboro? Would you be in favor of changing to a full-time mayor, or just a city manager system, and why?
I support the current system of part-time mayor and full time city manager. The issues facing our city are too complex to simply be left to anyone who campaigns well enough to garner 4,000 votes.
Brian Patterson
Murfreesboro Pulse: What is the biggest challenge facing Murfreesboro over the next four years and what is your plan to overcome it?
Patterson: It’s no secret, the challenge facing Murfreesboro’s future is balancing its inevitable growth and expansion while securing the rights and needs of the existing city and its residents, and at the same time paying down our quarter of a billion-dollar debt burden. While there may be no easy, or one-size-fits-all solution to these issues, we must first begin with leadership that is not beholden to a specific industry or special interest group. Fair, unbiased leadership is essential to honest government. Sadly, our local government could use improvement on all of those fronts.
I will flatly say, I have no conflicts of interests, whatsoever, that would prohibit me from making decisions based on logic and constituent input. The only things I am beholden to are the Constitution of the United States and the rule of law. Also, if elected, I look forward to publicly soliciting input from residents and explaining my views, votes and reasoning via social media, and/or e-mail list.
How will you make Murfreesboro an attractive place to do business for large and small operations?
The Beacon Center (a Nashville-based, free-market think tank) recently ranked Murfreesboro as the 20th most business-friendly city in Tennessee. That’s 20th out of 50. Their rankings are based on three pieces of criteria: business tax burden, economic vitality and community allure. I feel like that ranking of 20th indicates that there is plenty of room for improvement.
The first step towards creating a more business-friendly environment is to pay down our debt. If we do, we will be able to lower our local sales tax rate of 2.75%, which is higher than the rates of Nashville, Franklin, Brentwood and Mt. Juliet. A lower sales tax would mean a higher volume of sales for businesses.
The second piece of the puzzle, would be to lessen the amount of regulations we are currently placing on businesses. As a small business owner myself for the past 12 years and council candidate on the campaign trail, I have talked to hundreds of business owners about their interactions with the city. Sadly, many have had problems with local bureaucrats. From overbearing sign ordinances to overly complicated processes for pulling building permits, inconsistent instruction from the city’s planning and codes department, to simply rude bureaucrats, all of these things lead me to believe that our city is suffering from a customer service problem.
It is my belief that the primary function of our city government is to provide service to taxpayers. As the owner of a customer service business, one of my main goals, if elected, will be to make sure our city improves upon its customer service.
If we lower our debt burden, lower our sales tax, and improve our customer service, not only will our current businesses be more prosperous, but we will attract even more (and better) businesses and jobs.
How do you plan to accommodate the rapid growth Murfreesboro is experiencing?
My main concern for future growth in Murfreesboro, is ensuring that we are protecting the rights of property owners. I adamantly oppose forced annexations and the use of eminent domain for non-essential infrastructure. Beyond that, I would also like to see the city take a more proactive approach towards protecting the integrity of its existing residential neighborhoods, by being more attentive to constituents when it comes to re-zonings, planned urban developments, and appropriate building covenants.
Obviously, another concern—and equally important—is to make sure our spending doesn’t outpace our growth. We need a council that can discern between essential and non-essential needs. Certain needs are based on population—police, fire, infrastructure, schools. Other, non-essential needs should be based on demand—parks, public transportation, et cetera. If our council can be disciplined enough to prioritize essential spending, and creative enough to find ways to fund non-essential projects, our fiscal future should be sound. It is my hope, and my intention if elected, that the highly publicized Comprehensive Plan that will be created will address these issues in the proper way.
How do you feel about the city of Murfreesboro’s $250 million-plus debt, and the way it is structured? Would you like to see the amount of city debt rise or fall in the next four years?
While a quarter of a billion dollars doesn’t appear to sound like a lot to some at City Hall, it certainly does to me. I would certainly like to see that number come way down over the next 4 years. One thing that should concern us all, is the way it is structured. According to a Dec. 19, 2013 Daily News Journal article, 45 percent of our debt is tied to variable-rate demand obligations. As we all know, we are at historically low interest rates. The only direction for them to go is up. Part of being a good steward of taxpayer dollars is planning for the worst, even if one anticipates the best. The one lesson we all should have learned during the housing market crash several years ago, is that THINGS DON’T ALWAYS GO ACCORDING TO PLAN! If elected I will treat taxpayer dollars with the same frugality as I do in my own family and business.
The City is planning to build a “Westside Park” to serve the Cason Lane/840 area. Is this park really needed?
At this point, I would say no to that park, as it is estimated to cost $26 million. Currently, it is a 10-minute drive from the furthest corner of Blackman to Old Fort Park, and maybe a 15-minute drive to Barfield Park. During this campaign, I have often mentioned the need to begin a competitive bidding service for non-essential services, like parks. We need to be considering privatization of parks, or at least public/private partnerships to make sure we are building and maintaining them as efficiently as possible, and that there is an actual consumer demand for them. Cities across the country are doing this and saving millions, all the while providing beautiful and award-winning parks and recreation. One thing in particular that bothers me about the Westside Park plan is the golf course that it includes. I don’t think it is fair that private courses in and around the city should have to compete with taxpayer subsidized golf courses. Old Fort Golf Course is the most expensive round of golf in town and is the most played, yet it is still in the red and is subsidized. Meanwhile, Indian Hills is struggling to stay afloat, not to mention other courses in the county, and a portion of the tax revenue collected from Indian Hills goes to fund its competition. How is that fair?
How would you handle situations where residents don’t want to sell their property to accommodate city plans?
As I commented earlier, I am opposed to the city using eminent domain for non-essential projects. The McCurry family’s nightmare that unfolded this past summer was one of the reasons I decided to run for city council. That family came within one vote of losing their home because the city wanted to build a sidewalk next to the river. It was shocking to me. The concept of private property is fundamental to the American way of life, and it should be treated as such by the Murfreesboro City Council. That being said, eminent domain does have a proper place in society, but it should be used for critical infrastructure, not luxury items, like the Greenway. I would add, when it is properly used, we need to compensate property owners with not only fair market value, but market value plus 20 percent. In a situation such as this, all applicable burden should be placed on the city and not the property owner.
What areas of town or city facilities do you feel are in the most need of repair and renovation?
I don’t think it is the city’s role or responsibility to necessarily ‘renovate’ parts of town, as the free market is the best method for doing so. I do think the city could do a better job of doing some simple things like putting sidewalks in older neighborhoods ahead of miles and miles of new Greenway. The $105 million Greenway master plan approved last March, would have gone a long way towards improving existing infrastructure.
Do you think that the city employees are adequately paid? Do we have adequate police and fire protection?
Based on the information I have seen, yes, I do think our city employees are adequately paid. As I have told the Murfreesboro Firefighters Association, police officers, and teachers the biggest threat to their pay scale and benefits is not a penny-pincher like me. The biggest threat to them is non-essential spending. If elected, and if we are able to get that under control, I would gladly make sure that our essential services and employees are some of the best paid in the state. Our family lives by the golden rule, and if elected, I would certainly govern by the golden rule.
Previous councils have provided city taxpayer funds for MTSU athletic and academic facilities and road improvements. Is this an appropriate use of city taxpayer dollars?
I only support partnerships with MTSU in situations where Murfreesboro taxpayers see a tangible benefit. MTSU is a great university. It has the highest undergrad population in the state, and as we all know, tuition rates go up every year. Surely they can afford to pay for their own athletic department and school buildings. If they can’t, then perhaps they need to re-evaluate their leadership and spending.
Do you believe that the current form of part-time mayor and full-time city manager structure best represents a city like Murfreesboro? Would you be in favor of changing to a full-time mayor, or just a city manager system, and why?
I think the current system is fine, but I would make two improvements. One, we need to move to a hybrid system of district and at-large representation on the city council. Two, we need council members who understand that they are there to provide instruction and direction to city staff. Too often, it’s the city staff that dictates policy to our elected officials. Un-elected bureaucrats are not meant to run the show. The tail isn’t supposed to wag the dog.
Madelyn Scales Harris
Murfreesboro Pulse: What is the biggest challenge facing Murfreesboro over the next four years and what is your plan to overcome it?
Harris: There are several challenges facing our city. In a city our size, pinpointing one challenge is pretty hard based on the needs of all our citizens. In dealing with the challenges we have to be very careful not to sacrifice our quality of life with our growth. We are challenged to keep our community safe while maintaining a good economy, great schools and being good stewards of our tax dollars to name a few. We have to find a balance between these things along with making sure all citizens feel part of our great city and they have a voice in the day-to-day decisions make the the council. We need to look at what is best for our city as a whole, and not by segments. I plan, if re-elected, to keep a close eye on our tax dollars and make sure they are spent wisely. Also I plan to come up with a way to connect our city more as far as our citizens are concerned. I believe there is a tremendous disconnect between the aging population and our veterans in Murfreesboro. The baby boomers’ population are now exploding and we don’t do enough for them. Just because people are aging does not mean their quality of life has to be compromised. We are all getting older each day and the aging process along limits us to an extent. Our veterans are another segment I feel we can do more for. It is a shame they sacrifice their lives, leave their families, go fight on foreign soil so that we can be safe and enjoy life, to come home, some without limbs, and we don’t have programs in place to restore their quality of life. They have no jobs, limited accommodations for their needs and at times nothing to show them how much we appreciate their service. We definitely need to start doing more for our veterans to provide for their immediate needs. A handshake and pat on the back won’t get it anymore. We need to have proclamations, programs educating our citizens on their struggles, challenges and other things to show them our appreciation. I believe the blessed of us must help the rest of us and we serve God by serving our fellow man. I also plan to be very transparent and listen to the needs of our citizens and together find ways to accommodate them. We have the resources, we just need to connect and utilize them.
Murfreesboro is already an attractive place to live and raise a family. We have to continue to bring in sound industries while at the same time not smother out the small business owners who have played a huge role in our city being so vibrant. We have to keep up with technology realizing everyone is not technologically savvy. We have to be competitive because were are competing with cities all over the country for these operations. Companies today are looking for cities that have great resources such as a good chamber of commerce, great schools, hospitals, recreation facilities and infrastructures, to name a few things. Currently Murfreesboro houses over 10,000 businesses; therefore we need to constantly keep up with the things that these operations are looking for because they are used to a good quality of life and being able to maintain one. We need to make our city more of a white-collar neighborhood, keep taxes down while providing excellent services such as fire and police protection, good roads, and Parks and Recreation just to name a few. While providing all of these attractions, our excellent customer service must be second to none. We have all the resources in place, we just have to tap into them.
How do you plan to accommodate the rapid growth Murfreesboro is experiencing?
Murfreesboro is growing about two percent annually, which means approximately 2,400 people are coming to live here annually. We are very aggressive in our growth and it is imperative that we find ways to manage growth without letting growth manage us. We are the sixth-largest city in the state—and predicted to pass the fifth largest, Clarksville—house the number-one university in the state, located in the center of the state, have easy access to our city through I-24 and 840. We are among a city recognized as being a great place to live. All these things make us a magnet that draws people; therefore we must have plans in place to accommodate this growth. In 1989 we had a population of 45,000; 1990 to 2000, a 44% increase; and in 2000 to 2010 a 58% increase. It is projected by 2020 Murfreesboro will have 150,000 people and by 2035 160,000. It is absolutely a must that we have balance to sustain this type of growth.
We have to continue to manage our resources such our money, environmental things, water quality, keeping up with progressive infrastructure, education and making sure our workforce is efficient. We must continue to be a vibrant city with a very progressive mindset.
How do you feel about the City of Murfreesboro’s $250 million-plus debt, and the way it is structured? Would you like to see the amount of city debt rise or fall in the next four years?
Currently we are handling a $117,000,000 budget with a debt of $220,000,000. We are paying back approximately $25,000,000 annually. In 10 years we will have paid back approximately 92 percent. Our borrowing is like having a credit card. We are at 50%. Right now we could borrow $207,000,000 and still be at the legal limit. We are a huge town and we are below our credit benchmarks.
We are now going to borrow with a 15-year pay off instead of the previous 30-year. In the past, 14 years ago, we borrowed $60,000,000; now we are borrowing $45,000,000. The money we are borrowing is paying for parks, roads, schools, etc. As a city right now we are financially sound but that by no means says that we can recklessly spend. We need to separate our needs from our wants and and set priorities. Just because we can borrow does by no means say we need to borrow.
We have a fund balance account that you can say is a “rainy-day fund” of approximately $52,000,000. This account is funded by revenue versus expense. This is not all cash money and it was accumulated over 203 years. We are financially sound but must be very mindful of things that can happen. For instance, if a recession hits, with the money in our fund balance account, we can only survive about four months.
If there was a way, I would like to see our debt decrease or maintain in the future. With the rate our city is growing it is imperative that we keep a very close eye on our debt and hopefully continue to be able to pay back what we owe, not borrow unnecessarily just because we can, all at the same time keep our taxes from increasing.
The city is planning to build a “Westside Park” to serve the Cason Lane/840 area. Is this park really needed?
With the progressive rate our city is growing the western park is needed. I was and still am amazed at the revenue our parks contribute to our city. With our growth we must be able to provide services that will continue to provide a good quality of life for all.
How would you handle situations where residents don’t want to sell their property to accommodate city plans?
I feel when a person buys a home it is their home. A lot of us end up raising our children there, growing old their and making it our safe, relaxing haven. People spend most of their lives paying for their homes. Every person should be given due process of law. Their land and house should not have to be taken just because a project comes up, whether large or small. Lots of consideration should be given to the homeowner and when projects come up they should be weighed to see if they are really necessary.
What areas of town or city facilities do you feel are in the most need of repair and renovation?
I really don’t know what areas are in the most need of repair or renovation without surveying not only the areas but the citizens in those particular areas. The city does look at repairs and renovations. Right now, major work is being done at Sports Com and McFadden. Possibly a problem I see is we need to stay on top of all areas and keep them up to par as far as repairs and renovation constantly so we won’t have to spend big money all at once, have an account that accumulates funds over a period of time that we can draw from. I’m sure there are many areas that need attention and we need to be transparent as a council and our citizens need to voice they concerns in this area more often.
Do you think that the city employees are adequately paid? Do we have adequate police and fire protection?
I have always fought for our employees have adequate pay. Right now a study is being done and once we get the results we need to act on the findings. We also need to compare ourselves in the study to cities that look like we do all over the country to get a good base to act upon. As our city continues to grow, we have to continue to keep up with the growth by making sure we are adequately staffed.
Previous councils have provided city taxpayer funds for MTSU athletic and academic facilities and road improvements. Is this an appropriate use of city taxpayer dollars?
MTSU is a big part of our community. They play a major role in funding the economic fires of our community. We must look at the overall impact of MTSU to the entire city. Frequently communities invest in things that can promote a good economic return. It just makes good economic sense to have a good relationship with a major contributor, such as MTSU, to our local economy.
Do you believe that the current form of part-time mayor and full-time city manager structure best represents a city like Murfreesboro? Would you be in favor of changing to a full-time mayor, or just a city manager system, and why?
I would have to do some research on full-time vs part-time mayor and a city manager type of system. I really don’t know that much about the pros and cons of any to make qualified intelligent comments. After researching these areas and it is best to make a change I would entertain looking into possibly going that way.
Axl David
Murfreesboro Pulse: What is the biggest challenge facing Murfreesboro over the next four years and what is your plan to overcome it?
David: The biggest challenge is getting citizens to the polls. The municipal election has a dismal voter turnout of 6.8%. The low turnout is largely attributed to the municipal election not coinciding with any other election. This makes it easy for special interests to dominate the city council election, which is why we’re in the current situation we’re in. Fortunately, thanks to the efforts of councilmember Eddie Smotherman and a handful of involved Murfreesboro firefighters, there will be a referendum on the ballot to adopt Ordinance 14-O-01, which would move the municipal election to coincide with the August general elections beginning in August 2016. I support the adoption of this ordinance. Best of all, if passed, it will save the city of Murfreesboro $50,000 every two years.
How will you make Murfreesboro an attractive place to do business for large and small operations?
Businesses want to operate in a stable city, and they don’t want to invest in a city that is a quarter of a billion dollars in debt. I think stabilizing our finances would be the most important thing the city council can do. A close second would be to not pass ordinances such as the Secondhand Dealers Ordinance that are proven to be a job and small business killer. If any of the councilmen actually cared about local business, they would have squashed this immediately. None of the incumbents have cast a single vote against it.
How do you plan to accommodate the rapid growth Murfreesboro is experiencing?
The growth of Murfreesboro is largely market-driven and goes beyond the scope of city council. It’s important to plan accordingly, work with developers, and listen to existing residents to ensure the high quality of life is maintained for both current and future residents. Currently our city planner, [Joseph] Aydelott, is not certified by the industry standard American Institute of Certified Planners. It is unacceptable for a city exceeding 100,000 residents to not have a certified planner, which must maintain a code of ethics and be subject to oversight by a standards committee. I believe if city council was committed to responsible growth, they would ensure our city planner was qualified and had the proper certifications.
How do you feel about the city of Murfreesboro’s $250 million-plus debt, and the way it is structured? Would you like to see the amount of city debt rise or fall in the next four years?
A quarter of a billion dollar debt is a tremendous concern to me as a resident and taxpayer. It is not sustainable in the long term, and I fear that in the not-too-distant future, we will have to cut back on our essential services. I refuse to campaign on promises of building more parks and other luxury items we simply can’t afford. It’s not fair to future elected officials and it certainly isn’t fair to the residents. The city makes $5 million in interest payments alone each year. A serious reduction in nonessential spending is crucial.
The city is planning to build a “Westside Park” to serve the Cason Lane/840 area. Is this park really needed?
Right now? Absolutely not. When discussing the westside park, it’s important to note the $26 million price tag. That’s a conservative estimate. I would support buying the land now and building the park when the development actually occurs in that area. Even then, I can’t imagine why, given our debt, we would need to spend anywhere near $26 million for a park.
How would you handle situations where residents don’t want to sell their property to accommodate city plans?
I wouldn’t “handle it” because I wouldn’t support even entertaining eminent domain. Forcing a property owner to sell their property to the government is not something that should be considered in a free country. If it were to come up, I would relentlessly fight it.
What areas of town or city facilities do you feel are in the most need of repair and renovation?
First and foremost, I think our sidewalk situation is in dire need of examination, particularly in the downtown and MTSU areas. There are no sidewalks on East Main Street on the south side of campus. The sidewalk on Greenland Drive on the north side of campus is not ADA compliant. MTSU is the largest undergraduate university in the state of Tennessee and, like the city, is experiencing rapid growth. The city should do everything it can within its means to support the campus community; and I think a safe, pedestrian-friendly environment should be a priority.
Do you think that the city employees are adequately paid? Do we have adequate police and fire protection?
To answer that question accurately, you’d need to conduct a comprehensive study that goes far beyond my skills and abilities. The study would compare Murfreesboro with a handful of other comparable cities; which takes many factors into consideration, such as population, economy, average income, etc. I’d support this sort of study to ensure our city employees receive fair pay. A high turnover, especially in specialized positions such as police and fire, has a negative impact on our budget and service quality. I believe our police and fire protection are adequate. Murfreesboro Fire and Rescue has an ISO Class 2 rating, which saves money on insurance for homes and businesses.
Previous councils have provided city taxpayer funds for MTSU athletic and academic facilities and road improvements. Is this an appropriate use of city taxpayer dollars?
Surprisingly, I’ve been asked this question many times. MTSU is a statefunded school. Giving MTSU millions of dollars for academic and athletic facilities is, essentially, giving the state of Tennessee a handout. There’s no reason for it. While I understand the state probably wants the city to have “skin in the game,” I think the community goes above and beyond to support MTSU and am proud to be “true blue” myself.
Do you believe that the current form of part-time mayor and full-time city manager structure best represents a city like Murfreesboro? Would you be in favor of changing to a full-time mayor, or just a city manager system, and why?
For at least the next four years, I don’t see Murfreesboro growing to the point of needing a full-time mayor or council. That could certainly change down the road.
Candy Joyce
Murfreesboro Pulse: What is the biggest challenge facing Murfreesboro over the next four years and what is your plan to overcome it?
Joyce: Keeping up and staying ahead of the infrastructure needs for the expected growth is, and has been for a long time, the biggest challenge of our city. Because we have such a fabulous quality of life to offer our residents, the many tourists and graduates that experience our parks, restaurants, educational programs, growing neighborhoods and community events, this is unlikely to change. I’m not sure we want to “overcome” that challenge, but better manage the growth challenges without sacrificing what we have to offer today. Being proactive in growth planning—roads and traffic access, needed classrooms, instructors and technology, comparable growth in safety and fire services, recreation and utilities, variety of housing opportunities and commercial services—is essential to addressing the needs and opportunities of our growing city. The forthcoming long-range plan will help to visualize those future needs, and allow us to budget properly and wisely leverage debt and assets to achieve those goals. We cannot stop the growth, so we will have to manage and accommodate it while wisely using the taxpayers’ investments. Creating strategic partnerships with community volunteer programs, soliciting corporate support for assistance in helping our citizens in times of need, stepping back from the current model of doing business and seeking innovative and affordable alternatives are essential. Most importantly, listening to our citizens for their vision of what Murfreesboro should be will bring us all toward a common vision that is accepted and encouraged.
How will you make Murfreesboro an attractive place to do business for large and small operations?
Working within the available budget and Destination Rutherford funds, recruiting more white-collar jobs should be a major focus. We have to balance the hunt for higher paying jobs with the essential homes market, quality schools, retail choices and educated workforce to entice those type employers to our city. Small businesses thrive with employed communities, and we have several pockets of quaint business attractions as well as superb retail centers with available space that can suit a wide range of independent business owners. Keeping the business start-up costs low, maintaining a stable and affordable property tax base, having prepared utilities to accommodate new business—water, sewer, waste management, safe streets and prepared emergency providers—will be the best invitation for any corporate or entrepreneurial investor to choose Murfreesboro.
How do you plan to accommodate the rapid growth Murfreesboro is experiencing?
We need to stay ahead of the growth with the essential services, making easement and drainage purchases well in advance of the growth patterns establishment. Sometimes being visionary is hard to see that far down the road, but it is better to build infrastructure in obvious future growth areas than after the roads, homes and cars are already starting to pop up. Like any business or personal budget, you have to look further down the road than what is needed just for today, leverage your income, debt responsibilities and current assets to make purchases that will pay off in the future when they are needed but may cost more or be a negative impact to others already established in an area.
How do you feel about the city of Murfreesboro’s $250 million-plus debt, and the way it is structured? Would you like to see the amount of city debt rise or fall in the next four years?
While we all would be delighted to be debt-free in our personal and city budgets, realistically we have to utilize our strong creditworthiness and rating to afford the long-term costs of infrastructure when it is needed and while funds are more affordable at lower interest rates. Over time, the market for lending has swung from very liberal in accessing debt to a very narrow definition of qualified borrowers, just like the residential mortgage market has seen lately. Our city leaders have been mindful of accessing loans for important projects that have high consumer return and demand (water, sewer, schools, and parks) when the funds were needed, the project well planned and competitively bid, and we were quite sure we could repay the debt long before the useful life of the project is over. Whether a particular project is personally valuable to me, I have to consider the value to the citizens and the useful return on that investment in either improved function in our city or improved quality of life for our residents. A new technology that saves hundreds of thousands of dollars over 30 years of useful life that can be repaid in 10 years is a smart investment. As long as each debt consideration has an excellent return on investment for our citizens, and we are maintaining a bond rating that is superior and strong on repayment history, we have to consider it as a usable reserve opportunity. Of course, we all would like to see city debt lowered, but not at the expense of needed services and projects, or to stay ahead of the expected growth coming to us.
The city is planning to build a “Westside Park” to serve the Cason Lane/840 area. Is this park really needed?
The explosion of new residents on the west side of I-24 merits equal services and opportunities. “Is it really needed?” is a question for those taxpayers to justify before available opportunities slip by us. Even if it is a strong desire of the residents there, council and staff would have to prepare for that expense in line with other necessary expenses that this growing area faces. Seeking available grants and outside funding could make this amenity more easily affordable sooner. Trying to drop a park area or green space into a crowded and continually growing neighborhood is more expensive after the growth is already in place, so planning again is key.
How would you handle situations where residents don’t want to sell their property to accommodate city plans?
We would hope that this can be avoided by proper planning on the front-end of a project or development, as I mentioned before. Negotiating is a skill that is essential in times of rapid growth, and we need to be ready to do so fairly. In extreme situations, provisions exist for the city to motivate individuals to reconsider, and over the many years I have been in Murfreesboro, we have had some great negotiated results and other results determined by the courts. Cooperation is the better choice, and private property rights are to be respected and valued. We have to be willing to listen and explore the best option for all parties and serve the citizens with respect and fairness.
What areas of town or city facilities do you feel are in the most need of repair and renovation?
The old hospital area is in need of revitalization, and I hope that the future plans MTSU has for the hospital site on University and Bell Streets will create a renewed energy for those homes and potential business opportunities there. McFadden School’s neighborhood is due for attention, creating safe walkable amenities and improved lighting. Established neighborhoods like Rogers Estates and Mitchell-Neilson need some resurfacing to keep their neighborhoods accessible and safe.
Do you think that the city employees are adequately paid? Do we have adequate police and fire protection?
City council is in the process of a new updated study of compensation and benefits for city employees. This study will be the answer to this question and will contribute significantly in future job classifications and pay scales, so I would defer to that study coming very soon. As we grow in new residents and businesses, we will have to keep a close eye on the responsible number of trained professionals to provide police, fire and rescue services. I saw that recently we added several new officers to the police department, and that would be a great thing to see routinely as we continue to grow. To make that happen, we will have to budget properly for payroll and benefits for the increased employment count.
Previous councils have provided city taxpayer funds for MTSU athletic and academic facilities and road improvements. Is this an appropriate use of city taxpayer dollars?
The substantial return on invested dollars to MTSU is worthy of consideration when presented. The cumulative contribution and shared opportunities we have because of MTSU is not to be ignored. The intellectual contributions they provide in research, innovation and an educated workforce is a gift that so many other communities will never know. When shared services can benefit the university and our citizens, through statewide sporting events, tourism dollars and hotel taxes, access to arts and culture experiences that may pass other communities without a substantial student population, and a employable student body, we should pay attention to the value and the cost of the project and proceed to the benefit of both.
Do you believe that the current form of part-time mayor and full-time city manager structure best represents a city like Murfreesboro? Would you be in favor of changing to a full-time mayor, or just a city manager system, and why?
We have been blessed for many years with outstanding conservative, progressive and brave citizen volunteers that step up to lead without regard to significant compensation or personal benefit, and we are among the best cities in the country, most desired retirement areas, fastest growing state university and fastest growing cities in the country under our current form of mayor-council leadership. Hiring the best employable managers to run the daily operations affords us the best skills in doing the work, while the citizens select their choice of volunteers leaders that only seek to serve others, to listen to their concerns and ideas, and to maintain the best quality of life has served us well for two centuries. I see no need to change this record of success.
I am honored to be considered to serve our residents as a council member, and would appreciate their vote in this election.
