2 mayoral, 5 council candidates attend club’s forum
8-17 n_CandidateForumRepubFINAL.JPG: Council candidates at the Tennessee Valley Republican Club’s forum were Gerald Clark, Maura Wrobleski, Buck Clemons, Len Bullington, Devinti Williams, Brad Johnson, Tommy Whitten and Karen Denzine. CONTRIBUTED
MADISON – Tennessee Valley Republican Club conducted its second forum for candidates in Madison’s municipal election on Aug. 23.
For the Aug. 13 session, the club invited candidates for the mayoral race, along with any candidates for Madison City Council who could not attend the first forum on July 9.
INFOGRAPHIC:
*Who: Paul Finley, Mayor.
*Family: Married to Julie, three children.
* Job: Owner, consulting business.
*Residency: 20 years.
“I’m thrilled to be in this race. It took a long time to decide … but no indication for lack of commitment,” Finley said.
“In 2008, we entered (the mayoral) race because we saw areas to make a difference: roads, schools, improving relationship with Huntsville, Madison County and Redstone Arsenal; economic development; and accountability and accessibility,” Finley said. “I feel like we made substantial improvement in those areas.”
“We secured more than $100 million in road projects. Where’s the next big road project (now)? We haven’t seen an announcement,” Finley said.
In Finley’s first term, “We didn’t have enough money for James Clemens. The school board said the number one need is funding for James Clemens. We immediately put together a task force to secure funding for a $36 million interest-free loan. We held five community meetings and council voted to pass tax to build James Clemens.”
“We partnered with council to hire an economic development specialist. I asked for $40,000 to rebuild the city’s website. We worked on economic development for 2.5 years to secure Shoppes of Madison and the Target center, which generates $1.8 million for city each year,” Finley said.
“When we hear our (current) mayor talk about the highest revenues we’ve ever had, thank goodness we made those decisions in 2008,” Finley said.
As mayor, Finley “reopened the door to the Mayor’s office in City Hall. We should be accessible.”
“For 2016, where must we make a difference? $1.7 million is not coming to Madison City Schools from Limestone County. We’ll again engage at executive level with superintendent, Huntsville and Madison County to work for closure … to get our money,” Finley said.
“Communication is the easiest piece (to do),” Finley said. “When we say the tone of the city has changed, and not for the better, it starts at the top. It’s caustic, and we know where it starts. Communication has diminished to the point that we can’t make a difference.”
“The mayor’s office did not hire the second in command — an executive aide. We immediately will do that and put that person back in office,” Finley said.
Finley said economic development is critical. “It’s so frustrating to watch the current administration raise sales tax by one-half cent instead of starting a new campaign for a major retail establishment. We should have gone after TVA in-lieu-of-tax money, now based on a 1980 formula that puts Madison in the same category as Gurley and Triana,” he said.
In August 2015, “seven council members told the mayor, ‘This isn’t working. You aren’t partnering with us.’ His answer was to fail to submit a budget. When council did their homework and prepared a budget, the mayor said it was wrong. That’s unacceptable,” Finley said.
“We will take Madison back to where we were in 2012. You’ll be proud of your city again. You’ll be involved in your city again,” Finley said.
INFOGRAPHIC:
* Who: Hanu Karlapalem, Mayor.
* Family: Married 21 years to Vidya.
* Job: Founder/CEO of Vinhamz Inc.
* Residency: 16.5 years.
“In the last five months, people of Madison are focused one thing — a new vision for the city of Madison,” Karlapalem said.
“We will create positive and long sustaining results. We will develop and improve the city and champion the path to become the ‘Number One Small City’ in the entire nation. To achieve this goal, I am running for mayor,” Karlapalem said.
“I have a new vision for a better Madison. I have been knocking on doors and I know the people of Madison are very excited” and want a transparent environment at City Hall,” Karlapalem said.
Karlapalem promises to foster small business and innovation, stress high quality education and promote cultural diversity and openness. Most of his career has been involved in startup businesses.
“Let’s work together in our vision: accountability, unity, ethics and leadership. “Let’s the city on the path to the ‘Number One Small City in America,'” he said.
Karlapalem said the communication problem is “a symptom of the bigger issue. We have zero leadership now. When opponents take sides or align with some people that are running for council, that will not improve the situation. I am staying above all of this politics. I am the only candidate who has been staying above the fray and not taking sides.”
Karlapalem wants to starts “a vision board, veteran support board, youth council and advisory board.”
“We have some of the best schools in the state because or parents, students and staff. I am a passionate advocate of education,” Karlapalem said.
“As mayor, I will institute best practices … to protect the city reputation and taxpayer money. Madison should have more representation on Metropolitan Organization (MPO) for funding … and see that Madison’s voice is heard,” Karlapalem said.
For sustainability and economic development, “we need to retain and recruit new business. We need popup shops in empty storefronts,” Karlapalem said. “He sees a “Start-Up Madison” (SUM) area for an economic and entertainment zone.
“I will tirelessly work to improve roads and traffic. I would like to be called a ‘Good Roads Mayor,'” Karlapalem said. “Status quo is not a vision.”
INFOGRAPHIC:
* Who: Troy Trulock.
* Family: Married to Dana, two children, one grandchild.
* Job: Current mayor.
* Residency: 16 years.
Mayor Troy Trulock did not attend this forum.
INFOGRAPHIC:
* Who: Buck Clemons, District 1
* Family: Married to Hea-Suk, three children
* Job: Retired, U.S. Army; business development consultant
* Residency: 10 years
Buck Clemons decided to run for city council “so my grown kids will want to move back to Madison when they’re older. ” The city has three top priorities of need: schools, infrastructure and economic development, Clemons said.
“As city council member, I will make sure that we have school board members whose values align more with Alabama. I am against common core,” Clemons said.
Concerning infrastructure, Clemons supports a stop light at the intersection of Gillespie and Balch roads and believes a roundabout will be a “recipe for disaster.”
To spur economic development, “I’d like to see an event fairground in our city to increase revenue. Fifty percent of our revenue comes from sales tax and business licenses. We already raised taxes,” he said. The city needs to build on business development to increase sales tax.
INFOGRAPHIC:
* Who: Devinti Williams, District 2.
* Family: Married to Kimberly, one son.
* Job: Attorney Advisor, Department of the Army.
* Residency: 13 years
Devinti Williams said his platform is based on fiscal responsibility, transparent decision-making and inclusive government.
“My priorities are economic development, economic development and economic development. In Madison, our debts are going up, and revenue is stagnant. This is not a sustainable situation over a 10- to 15-year process,” Williams said. He cited the need to build another elementary school in Madison.
“I’ve worked with businesses for 16 years … I’ve been putting deals together, to start businesses, to wind down businesses. Steve Smith has worked very hard on the recreation center project, but $3 million has been spent already and we don’t have a deal and it may not make money in the long run. This is not a knock on Steve personally but on a fiscal level,” Williams said.
Williams cited his endorsement by firefighters’ union and Alabama Police Benevolent Association.
INFOGRAPHIC:
* Who: Len Bullington, District 4
* Family: Married to Patricia, one child.
* Job: Retired Huntsville firefighter, part-time employee at Larry’s Pistol.
* Residency: 31 years.
“I’ve see things going on in the city that I don’t like,” Bullington said about his decision to run.
“During my previous term on City Council, we managed to accomplish a tremendous amount of improvements. The property tax that voters approved was during my term, which allowed our school system to be formed. We also did a joint effort with the Madison County Schools system at that time to build both Bob Jones High School and Horizon Elementary School,” Bullington siad.
During his term, the city developed Dublin Park, Madison Public Library and Fire Station 1. We made improvements at Palmer Park, and I personally recruited business to Madison,” Bullington said. He worked on an agreement to lure Cracker Barrel and Lowe’s to Madison.
Bullington wants to “bring more shops and restaurants that residents will use, instead of spending their tax dollars in Huntsville, as well as business that will possibly draw some tax dollars out of Huntsville.”
Bullington works as a sales associate at Larry’s Pistol and Gun. He retired as a firefighter with Huntsville Fire Department.
INFOGRAPHIC:
*Who: Karen Denzine, District 6
*Family: Married to David, five children
*Job: Business development background, civic volunteer
Karen Denzine heard the State of the City address in January at Connect 2016 and since she has attended practically all City Council meetings.
“I watch what they do and studied the issues. I have seen how they operate together and don’t function together. I bring something new,” Denzine said.
Denzine believes Madison has an excellent workforce, outstanding transportation options especially with cargo shipping at airport and is prime for economic development.
Firms locate in a city based on site selection (specified number of cars on roads). “I’ve worked in real estate and know why firms locate,” she said.
A mother of five children, Denzine “knows you have to have good schools and safety. I want us to have strong law enforcement.”
“I bring a new voice. We don’t want to be Greece. Forty years ago, everybody said, ‘We want this.’ The government said, ‘Sure. We’ll give it to you.’ It didn’t work out 40 years later,” Denzine said.
INFOGRAPHIC:
* Who: Tommy Whitten, District 7.
* Family: Married to Paula, one child, two grandchildren.
* Job: District Technology Coordinator, Madison County Schools.
* Residency: Since 1984.
Tommy Whitten and wife Paula “love Madison and have been here 32 years. We saw it grow from a small, country town to the city it is today. We understand the challenges.”
“We all agree on strong schools, improved infrastructure, financial health and good quality of life here. We have the way to do it and have the team to do this,” Whitten said.
“Someone asked me today, ‘How do you see your role on council?’ I am a member of a team — it takes me, six other council members, a mayor and department heads to make things happen in the city. I believe in cooperation. I will fit in with city council to move the city forward,” Whitten said.
“A good healthy discourse is what we need to get city council talking to each other and talking to the mayor,” Whitten said. Whitten will use his accounting degree and master’s degree in business administration (MBA) from the University of North Alabama for his council work.
