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The Owensboro City Commissioner began the process of filling vacant commission seats Monday night by interviewing the first group of applicants for the position.
Thirty candidates have applied to fill the seats vacated by the death of Secretary Larry McGlinger last month. But before interviews began at city hall on Monday, applicants Jim Ivey and Terry Pollard were dropped from the field, narrowing the field.
Eighteen applicants were interviewed on Monday night. With the same four-question format for all applicants, the only surprise was when Reggie Helm took the time to stop reviewing behind fellow applicant Rafe Buckner.
Candidates were interviewed in random order.
City manager Nate Pagan said state law gives the city 30 days to appoint vacancies, but the state is “silent about the process of filling vacancies.”
The goal of the interview was to make the process “as open, impartial and objective as possible,” Pagan said.
The person chosen will hold the office until the end of the year, and special elections are scheduled for November to fill the seats until 2024, when the entire committee will be reelected.
When asked if he planned to run for re-election in November, several sources said he would not.
Applicant Jeremy Camron said he was “going to fill it on an interim basis” and said the process to fill the seat was “really rushed.”
Mr. Camron said in November that “whoever he chooses will have an advantage” and that the public should have a “bigger time frame” to run for office.
David Fleischmann said he would not run for office in November “at this time,” and former city chairman Jim Glenn said he would not serve after the end of the year if elected.
“I said, ‘What can we do in seven months?’ To develop education in the city,” Glenn said. Only a month,” he said.
In addition to the election questions, each applicant was given two minutes to introduce themselves. They were also asked about their level of engagement with the community and their priorities as commissioners.
Most of the applicants valued community participation. Many served on the board, served on city governments, served as heads of public agencies, or founded or helped found their own non-profit or charitable organizations.
As for priorities, the answers varied in detail, but there were recurring themes. In particular, most of the applicants said public safety and economic growth were priorities, while a few mentioned the need to provide more access to employee education and training.
In some cases, these priorities can be combined.
“Safety is our number one priority,” says Professor Andrea “Niki” Walker of the University of Brescia. “But we feel that the means to ensure safety is an educated workforce.”
Walker said the city should work to support programs that educate workers outside of four-year college degree programs.
“There is definitely a safety issue,” said Gregory Baes, director of Audubon Regional Community Services and other organizations. “The city needs more affordable housing to keep marginalized people from becoming homeless,” Bayes said.
Meanwhile, high school job placement programs can help students develop careers, but college students need “an incentive to stay here,” Bayes said.
“I believe in supporting local businesses and small businesses, removing red tape and making them more successful,” said Jared Lebrett, spokesman for Owensboro Public Schools, of economic development. Told.
“We want to have the best talent in our community,” Lebrett said, rather than draining young people to other cities.
Deborah Firman, former director of the Green River District Health Department and current director of development at the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum, said on public safety and transportation issues, “Working with other commissioners as a team is a top priority. It is.” and housing.
On public safety, Owensboro Day Treatment Principal Camron said working with schools to create more programs for at-risk students is a priority.
“I feel that safety is a top priority for me,” Camron said, adding that he wants the city to partner with community colleges and others to help provide jobs for young people.
Buckner, a member of the City Parks Commission and president of the Northwest Neighborhood Alliance, said job growth is a priority and the city needs to continue to address the flood problem and add programs to engage young people.
“I think we can do better as a city,” Buckner said. “There are some areas in the city that need attention.”
Minister DeMarcus Curry, who has been involved with organizations such as Breaking the Cycle, the NAACP and the Owensboro Youth Empowerment Summit, said the main focus is “thinking about what can be done to improve youth.” .
Curry said possibilities include resuming the city’s Youth Council and Teen Summit.
Regarding development, Currie said the focus should be on South Frederica Street.
Former commissioner Jeff Sanford said the city needs to find more land for economic development, but that “safety comes first” and that this is a huge threat to law enforcement and other emergency responders. He said it meant continued financial support.
“We have to support them,” Sanford said.
Northwest Neighborhood Alliance member Paul Puckett said the focus would be on issues such as the rights of people living in rental housing, as well as improvements to parks and public safety.
“I think violence hurts us all,” Puckett said.
For some applicants, past experience was a selling point.
Former city mayor Jay Velotta, who has traveled extensively through his work as an asset manager, said, “I’ve learned about some of the challenges[other cities]face and how they’ve addressed those challenges. I have seen to some extent,” he said.
Velotta said transportation and infrastructure are areas of focus, and he often has to travel to other cities to catch a flight.
“There has to be a better way,” Verlotta says.
Tyler Gord, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and U.S. Naval War College, said: I’m good at analyzing problems and finding solutions,” Gord said.
Former city school board member and Navy veteran Michael Johnson said he founded his own nonprofit, Truth Outreach, to feed food banks during the pandemic.
“We became critical to the needs of the city,” Johnson said. “I am the leader of the team. I like being the leader and I like working as a unit.”
Johnson said quality of life is a priority and the city can help underserved areas by redistributing existing resources.
“I’m someone who doesn’t reinvent the wheel,” Johnson said.
Curtis McGlinger, one of Larry McGlinger’s sons, said his father was proud of Owensboro and was “honored to carry on his legacy.”
“I’m the kind of leader who doesn’t get his hands dirty and works collaboratively with others,” Maglinger said.
Maglinger, who also serves on a number of boards, said the company will focus on public safety and “supporting small businesses and economic development.”
Glenn, who taught at Owensboro Community & Technical College and was a state legislator, said his goal this year was to create motivation for math and reading teachers to work in Owensboro. Math illiterate students lose thousands of dollars in potential income, which affects the city, Glenn said.
Glenn said programs that attract teachers are important.
“We need it now,” he said.
Former Davis Fiscal Court candidate Tyler Sagardoy said the issues of concern are the city becoming an affordable place to live for everyone, gun violence, lack of childcare and substance abuse. said there is.
Sagardoy was critical of plans to expand the Owensboro Family YMCA to add space for a new senior center. “The plan will be rejected unless it gets buy-in from senior management,” Sagardoy said.
“The number one priority is what the people of Owensboro want,” said Thomas Troost, an Air Force veteran who worked in the power industry.
“I’ve heard a lot about first responders and I stand by them 100%,” Troost said.
When it came time to speak, Reggie Helm recanted and insisted on Buckner’s election.
“I think this vacancy is best given to young leaders, leaders who bring unity and diversity,” Helm said. “True leadership is when you have someone who can motivate and inspire (others) to take action,” Helm said of Buckner.
Monday’s interview was only half the process. Today, after the regular committee meeting on Tuesday, May 16, the committee will interview the remaining 10 candidates at 6:00 pm.
The committee will then deliberate in private and vote on applicants in private again. Pagan said the oaths would be taken soon if applicants were present.
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