Editors note: Port City Daily reached out to all nine Wilmington City Council candidates for responses to the same eight questions. A full list of the candidates, with links, is available at the end of this article.
With all the growth happening in the City of Wilmington and the announcement of new major developments, what do you think is the best way to accommodate the new residents, without paving over every bit of green space in the city?
I think the first and foremost priority in the city as we welcome so much new growth is reasonably priced workforce housing. If those who come to work in the city cannot afford to also live there, then we are compounding our issue of enough housing availability with increased traffic and congestion on our major roads. I believe that there is ample room both in and out of the downtown area to grow, we can grow vertical and we can grow smart, but we have to remain an affordable city to live in.
How can the City of Wilmington help alleviate traffic concerns, specifically on major roadways that are already overburdened?
Several projects that include many of our busiest thoroughfares and intersections have already been planned and are starting to take shape, and so I believe the city is already doing a lot of address the issues of congestion and traffic that are very real.
One main thing we should keep in mind however is that a more attractive and more innovative public transportation system would take more cars off the roads, which is really the fastest and safest way to cut down on traffic.
As a city councilman I would work tirelessly to improve and re-brand our public transportation system so that every area of the city can have safe, convenient and reliable transportation without having to use their own car.
What are your goals you hope to achieve if elected to office?
My primary goal as a representative for our city would be to listen to the people of Wilmington. I love this city and the people in it, and I hope I can be an effective listener as well as bring my own solutions to the table. Increased recreational opportunities for our kids, increased economic opportunities for their parents, and a safe, smart, clean city is what I want to help build as a member of the City Council.
What are your three biggest concerns with the City of Wilmington, and how do you plan to address them?
My main concern is the future generations of Wilmington that are not being given the support they need to grow and prosper in our city. I want the city to support our kids and show them a Wilmington that they want to remain a part of as they grow older, the prioritization of recreational opportunities for these kids is the best thing that the city can do for them.
Secondly, the public transportation system has to be modernized, rebranded and improved. Not only will additional investment be necessary to increase routes and access, but the buses and future rail-cars need to be attractive, clean and reliable so that everyone in the city feels like public transportation is a viable option for them.
Last but certainly not least on my mind, is environmental responsibility. With everything that has gone on regarding our local environment and resources being threatened, I hope to usher in a new era of personal environmental responsibility and awareness, so that the people of Wilmington have a platform with which they can hold their elected officials responsible. Everything from drinking water to clean streets and breathable air should be fundamental rights in our community, as a City Councilman I would see that we return to these standards.
What is your opinion on the opioid epidemic? How can city leaders not only address the issue (because it has been talked about at length) but take some sort of action against the crisis?
I do not see the city’s position being ‘against the crisis’ as much as with the victims of this terrible disease. The disease of addiction is crippling some parts of our community, and I hope that rehabilitation and cooperation with victims of opioid addiction can remain the city’s priority. Ridding our community of this disease will take a comprehensive effort from law enforcement, medical professionals as well as the elected officials, but first and foremost my position is that we need to treat victims of addiction with compassion and work to get them back on the road to a productive life within our city.
What do you do professionally, would there be any conflict of interest with you serving the City of Wilmington?
I work at the Law Office of David and Associates, as a case manager, a job I have been doing for over a decade now. I do not foresee conflicts of any kind coming from my job.
What previous experience do you have in serving the public if any?
I have been a public servant in the City of Wilmington for most of my life, both in and out of official office. I was a U.S.S. North Carolina Battleship Commissioner, a member of the Wilmington Tree Commission, and a member of the advisory board that passed the 2014 Transportation Bond and later the 2016 Parks Bond. I currently serve as the president of the Bottom Neighborhood Empowerment Group, as well as the chairman of the MLK Celebration Committee
Given the concerns with GenX, do you think it is time to reevaluate how the CFPUA Board is appointed?
I think it is important that elected representatives from both the city and the county are present on the board, but given how the ongoing GenX situation has unfolded, I would certainly be open to any kind of change that helps the board and makes their job of serving the citizens of Wilmington easier and more transparent.
You can find the full list of Wilmington City Council candidate interview below:
