Questions for Fayetteville candidates:

1. Whether an incumbent or challenger, what things do you bring to the table that would convince voters to cast their vote for you?

2. There has been some previous discussion about the area on the north side of Ga. Highway 54 between the hospital and Tyrone Road in terms of future development and possible annexation. What is your position on that or other potential annexations?

3. Fayetteville often has a very low voter turnout for municipal elections. Why is that and what can you do to increase voter participation past the 10 percent level?

4. The retail areas on Fayetteville’s north side continue to age and diminish. What will you do about that?

5. Grade the current City Council on openness and transparency to city residents. What will you do to improve the council’s “user-friendliness”?

6. Will you vote for or against the countywide SPLOST renewal? Why or why not?

7. Describe your general political philosophy, particularly regarding local government.

Answers from Bill Dick, candidate for Post 5

1. I bring to the citizens of Fayetteville the desire to want to serve them and give back to the community that I have lived in for the past 20 years. I am quite qualified, education- and experience-wise. I have degrees in business and in accounting and am a licensed C.P.A. I have monetary sense. I bring to the citizens over 50 years of business and management experience.

My governmental experience includes four years as the elected city comptroller of a mid-sized Midwestern City (population greater than 50,000 residents). In addition I have experience serving both the states of Florida and Indiana as a Revenue Enforcement agent for over 21 years.

This can all be summed up by saying that I have the education and experience in both the private sector as well as the governmental sector. I have lived and experienced the situations on both sides of the fence. I feel that this experience gives me an added advantage to see issues from the perspective of all parties involved.

2. This land is a part of the Master Land Use Plan completed by both the city and county in 2006. I support well-planned and controlled growth. It is my opinion that planned, controlled growth and annexations are necessary for the city of Fayetteville.

3. Low voter turnout for the city of Fayetteville elections is, in my opinion, a silent voice of (a) voter apathy or (b) that the city is being well-managed and guided by the current officials. The citizens adopt a status-quo feeling that all is well, so why bother to vote? In order to increase the percentage of voter turnout, I would explore possibilities of making the voting times more user-friendly. I would support a more user-friendly voting system. If the only voters have a small block of time to vote and other obligations arise, voting will take second place.

4. This is a difficult situation. What is supposed to age and diminish will do so. I would work with the city Planning Department, Chamber of Commerce and business leaders to gain their insight into how to attract new business to that area of the city.

5. As stated above I have lived in the city for 20 years and have not heard or experienced any adverse comments about openness and transparency of the City Council. As far as assessing a grade on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being excellent, I would grade them as an 8.

6. I favor and will vote for the countywide SPLOST renewal. I say that because the vast majority of the citizens, including myself, are against an increase in the millage rate. The SPLOST program benefits the citizens by affording the funds for specific areas of need (sidewalks, transportation projects, safety) which are necessary but cannot be extracted from specific line items within the budget.

7. The role of local government is to provide trust and service to the community. My political philosophy regarding local government is that as espoused by Socrates some 2,500 years ago when he stated, ”We alone regard a man who takes no interest in public affairs, not as one who minds his own business, but as one who is good for nothing.”

I value this great country just as I did when I volunteered for military service some 50-plus years ago. I will serve the citizens of Fayetteville out of a desire to serve — nothing more, nothing less. Fayetteville is a great community and I intend to participate in keeping it that way. Thank you, citizens, for the opportunity to serve you.

login to post comments | previous forum topic | next forum topic