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Topic: Council-mayor tiffs dominate forum

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Steve Myers
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City council candidates carried a clear message during a candidates' forum Tuesday - residents want an end to the bickering.

"People around the country look at Flint as another 'F' word," 6th Ward candidate Nancy DeKatch said before a crowd of more than 40 people at First Presbyterian Church, 746 S. Saginaw St. "We want something better. We're ready. We want a rebirth."

Added the Rev. Ezra Maize, also a 6th Ward candidate: "Our city will never look any better than our government. If our city government looks divided, then our city is always going to look divided."

The lone incumbent participating, 8th Ward Councilman Lawrence B. Murphy, said while he does agree with Mayor Don Williamson on some issues and votes for some his proposals, it's the mayor who still calls him names. Murphy said he's sought compromises, but with little success.

"The mayor is a very difficult person to work with," Murphy said. "It's generally his way or the highway. No matter who sits in the chair - whether it's me or my opponents here - unless you're going to be the mayor's doorstep, you're not going to be able to work with him."

But Ehren Gonzales, one of Murphy's opponents, said new council members are needed, citing how on Monday the council voted to consider new laws that could lead to another effort to remove Williamson in an impeachment-like procedure called forfeiture. He said the council's focus on fighting, instead of working with Williamson, hurts the city.

"We need to channel the energy to work together to try to bring new business to the area, to try to fix all the abandoned houses," Gonzales said. "Basically, I think we're concentrating too much on the bickering and not enough on the solutions to the problems."

The City Hall controversies have frustrated residents enough to make them want to leave the city, said 8th Ward candidate Charlene Merchant, who supports a team approach.

Sixth Ward candidate Sheldon Neeley said the solution is to elect people who can be diplomats who "believe humility precedes honor."

How to end the battle between Williamson and the council was one of several issues raised during the 90-minute forum for 6th and 8th Ward candidates. The event was held one week before the August primary when voters will whittle the fields to the top two vote-getters in contested race.

Sixth Ward candidate Lawrence Woods, who organizers said originally planned to attend, was absent due to a family emergency.

Candidates actually agreed on many issues, including opposing a council plan to have Genesee County administer the city's federal block grant dollars, opposing any future state takeover, favoring a ward-based council system and naming crime as the biggest problem in their wards.

Two candidates, Neeley and Maize, were questioned about their failure to file campaign finance reports by Friday's deadline. Neeley called it an oversight and said he filed the report on Monday. Maize said he was unfamiliar with the deadline and plans to file today.

Full Story:
http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index.ssf?/base/news-30/1122477721152580.xml&coll=5
Post Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:50 pm 
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Steve Myers
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Candidates forum
WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday

LOCATION: Asbury United Methodist Church, 1653 Davison Road

WARDS: 4 and 7

SPONSORS: League of Women Voters-Flint area, the Flint Branch of the NAACP, the Flint Area Citizens to End Racism, the Eastside Business Association and three area churches
Post Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:51 pm 
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rapunzel
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Thank You, flintoid for posting the forums.

More citizens should attend so they can see for themselves the candidates. The press, bless them can only show highlights. For example I believe it was Dekatch that answered she had never been to a city council meeting. L. Murphy was pleasant and humourous but stated facts he had only missed maybe 3 meetings in many years. Ezra was funny, great speaker...he pulled fewest votes but I will watch for him to be dedicated to the community in some way in the future.

One of the top questions at each forum was the CDBG funds or is it CBDG? Ask any candidate vs. incumbent and they wouldn't have a clue. They are clueless on the truths of the issue. The last forum 4-7 brought out more of the realities. candidates at 2,3, 5, knew absolutely nothing factual about the issue one candidate stated he didn't think there had been any meetings about it.

Hello, I was at two meetings regarding it not to mention a great article in the uncommon sense full of facts.

So my concern is candidates need to do some homework tell some facts not just political hooplah the general public wants to hear.

See you at the forums for the general election.
Post Fri Aug 05, 2005 10:08 pm 
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