The Hamilton County Democratic Party and The Chattanooga Young Democrats held a question-and-answer forum on Monday night for the two candidates in the runoff race for Chattanooga’s next mayor.
Chris Acuff, associate professor at the UTC political science and public service department asked Tim Kelly and Kim White questions around four topics - their background and experiences, housing and homelessness, public safety and environmental and sustainability issues.
Following is a summary of their responses:
1.Both candidates have policies, goals and plans on day one, but how would you deal with unexpected issues such as a health crisis, natural disasters or gun violence that must addressed head-on.
Kelly: He said that he has dealt with a lot of crisis in the six companies and with the hundreds of employees he has had in the last 30 years. It is about how you react to the crisis to be able to land on your feet. He said his business background gives him an advantage of organizational management.
White: She said her experience has taught her how to create teams. The partners working as a team could bring in the needed resources. She said she could identify resources quickly and surround herself with powerful people to build these teams.
2. The next mayor will be the leader and manager for 2,500 full time city employees. What would be the qualities you would look for and what organizational criteria would be created at city hall?
Kelly: Running a business has taught him how to hire people, he said. His culture/goal would be for each employee to understand that their job is to make Chattanooga the best city. He would put the best people for a job in place and would hold them accountable. He said he has committed to staffing of 40 percent minorities at a senior level who would be qualified and diverse.
White: She said she has been successful in team building. She would empower employees to make decisions that would make them feel fulfilled. She said she would place people in the right positions and give them the tools they need and she would operate with an open-door policy. She said that she too, is committed to a diverse team and to holding employees accountable.
3. Since this would be the first government job for both candidates, Mr. Acuff asked what specifically has prepared you for working in government?
Kelly: He said he had experience dealing with the city in the past. He was on the sign review board when the “Doughnut Issue” took place. And he said he had gone before the city council multiple times for other issues. His choice for chief of staff has worked at the city before and knows Chattanooga city government inside out, he said. Plus, he has managed hundreds of people in prior businesses.
White: She said she is uniquely qualified since she has been a partner with two prior city governments and she had to sell ideas to them. She knows that city government takes collaboration with a lot of people being involved.
4. There has been a huge increase of 80 percent in unhoused people in Chattanooga since last year. The solution will require both a short-term shelter plan and long-term housing plan. What would your plan involve?
Kelly: He would start by continuing the current moratorium on evictions. He said he would be pro-active handling homelessness, such as directing people to resources before breaking up a tent city. Chattanooga also needs a low-barrier shelter and there is a number of people collaborating and who are interested in making that happen, he said.
White: She said the solution would include providing affordable housing and that the city needs 700 more affordable units. A shelter may also be a piece of the solution. Mental health professionals are needed as are available jobs.
5. To increase affordable housing, would you amend regulations and make zoning changes to increase density?
Kelly: He said he would appoint a person to go through all the city’s codes and ordinances to streamline and make procedures simpler. The goal would not be to deregulate, but to make requirements simpler. He said higher density housing is needed along with the best practices in land use. Judgement will be important when determining a balance between what the government and the community wants.
White: All the rules and regulations surrounding building increases the cost of construction, she said. These regulations, from getting a permit through the construction, also adds time and therefore, increases cost. Her goal is to streamline the process.
6. What would you do to increase public safety from violent crime, specifically gun violence?
Kelly: He would start by working with Chief Roddy on initiatives already underway. He believes that officers need to get out into the communities and get to know the people in the neighborhoods. A lot of the problem has to do with the feeling of hopelessness of the youth. Giving them hope might help and he believes that getting the rec centers open again to keep these young people off the street would also help.
White: She said she strongly supports Police Chief Roddy. She believes that the police need more tools, and better training. They also need more money that would allow more recruiting. Programs from the parks and recreation department could provide a pathway for the youth, she said.
7. How could trust be rebuilt in law enforcement, and do you support the current police oversite board?
Kelly: The department needs to look like the community, he said. Currently the population is 37 percent African American and 15 percent of the police officers are African American. That gap needs to be closed, he said. Kelly would get behind community policing with the officers getting more involved in the rec centers. As for the police oversight board he said it is not sufficient. Some legislation in Nashville has limited the way it operates.
White: More community interaction is needed such as for police officers to become coaches for sports in the community. The current review committee has not been in effect long enough to judge it yet, she said.
8. How would you protect the environment and promote sustainability for the next four years?
Kelly: Sustainability is the core of the Chattanooga brand, he said, and is the city’s economic future. It gives the city a competitive advantage, he said. Kelly has a plan that would reduce carbon emissions that would lead the country and would help attract companies interested in sustainability to locate in Chattanooga.
White: Sustainability is our calling card,” she said. City hall should lead and they can with partners such as EPB and Greenspaces that the city could work with to protect our natural resources, continuing the great work that is already going on.
9. How would you address food deserts in the city?
Kelly: He would use public dollars and foundation grants to provide low interest to encourage local ownership of markets. It may make a dent, he said, to use some of the 4,000 acres of unused property that is on the tax rolls that could become community farms.
White: She said we need to look at incentives to get markets to locate in these areas. Maybe more small or mobile markets would help the problem.
10. Priorities for the fiscal year 2022 budget?
Kelly: More money for early childhood education. More money for infrastructure such as paving and parking.
White: prioritized by First responders, infrastructure, affordable housing, and economic development