League of Women Voters hosts candidate forum

Candidates for Moberly City council are from left, Mayor Don Burton and Todd Gill. Not present was Councilman Herb Lawrence, Jr.

By Janet Morales

City Council

Jobs and saving money were foremost on the minds of those running for Moberly City Council and Moberly School Board as they fielded questions during the Candidate Forum Tuesday night. The event was sponsored by the Randolph County League of Women Voters.

The Tuesday, April 6 election will see three candidates for the two seats open on the city council and three candidates running for the two seats on the board of education.

In Tuesday night’s forum, Mayor Don Burton faced off against challenger Todd Gill in the city council race. Incumbent Herb Lawrence Jr., whose term has expired also, was not able to attend.

“If you want to see changes in your community, get involved,” said Burton in his opening statement.

Gill said he was following Burton’s advice in his run for councilman.

The budget

The League asked a question of the two candidates regarding city income and budget adjustments.

Burton said staff had started work on the budget which must be completed by June. He said sales tax is down 5.3 percent, property tax is up but personal property tax is down.

“Staff is working to make cuts,” said Burton. “They will probably cut some positions.”

Gill responded to that by saying services will be reduced if positions are cut.

“If they are not getting wages, they’re not paying taxes,” said Gill. I am opposed to cutting positions.”

Gill offered a cut in special projects, such as the new railroad museum, instead of personnel reductions.

Board volunteers

Candidates were asked about the application process of volunteers serving on various city boards.

Gill said a volunteer’s background and qualifications need to be checked.

“We need to make sure they bring something to the city,” said Gill. “It’s good to have volunteers but we want to make sure they add something, that they are the kind of volunteer that’s going to make a difference.”

Burton said there were five questions on the application asking persons why they are volunteering for a position on a certain board and perhaps this form could be updated. But Burton, with his nine years of experience on the council and his experience volunteering on the Park Board, said the greatest hurdle is finding someone qualified who is willing to take the time to volunteer.

Term limits

Council candidates were asked if they were in favor of term limits for city councilmen.

Burton said while he was not in favor of term limits, he did think the mayor’s position should be rotated among members. He said he did not think it served the city to have a mayor who serves 14 years (as the previous mayor, Lawrence Rucker, did).

“I don’t think we need it (term limits) at the local level,” said Burton. “I don’t know if its working out that well for the state.”

Gill said two terms on the council equals six years calling it “quite a long time.” Gill said he felt it was difficult running against incumbents and that if term limits were in place perhaps more people would run for the position.

Recycling

The candidates were asked about helping the city go “green” and on this topic they found common ground.

Gill said green is the color of money and if recycling were profitable, the city would already be doing it. While he encouraged recycling on an individual basis, he said it was currently not financially feasible for the City of Moberly to begin a recycling program.

Burton explained the city had once been part of a recycling program but when the paper market crashed, the city had to pay to have the paper hauled away. He said the city has an agreement with the prison to allow inmates to work separating recyclables but on the whole it is market dependent and can become a burden on the local economy.

Economic Development

“Economic development is the force that drives the city,” said Burton. “It is vital to the city and to the life of all Moberlyans.”

He said the Randolph Area/Moberly Economic Development Corporation helps the city in many aspects including generating retail trade to produce sales tax for the city.

“The sales tax might seem high to people,” said Burton. “But of that 8.225, only 2 ½ percent goes to the city.”

Burton said Moberly had gained a retail boost with Walgreens, Lowe’s and Sutherlands coming to town and the demographics that Economic Development offered was instrumental in bringing these larger businesses to town. However, Burton said the city is in need of additional manufacturing.

Gill agreed Economic Development is important to Moberly but said he did not think the city ranked it among its top priorities.

“We spend $117,000 on Economic Development,” said Gill. “Salisbury spends $60,000 and you know how small a town it is. Macon spends $250,000. We are way behind.”

Gill reiterated his point about employing people to collect taxes then spend money on Parks and museums.

“We have to get our priorities back in line,” he said. “It’s gonna have to be job #1.”

In their closing remarks, Gill said the focus has to be on jobs. It mentioned the state educational cuts and said the city would have to work to fill in the gaps that might occur with school budget reductions.

“We have to take up the slack and give children something to do,” said Gill. “Our children need to go to college. If they don’t come back, another community becomes stronger and ours becomes weaker.”

Burton said the city has made tremendous strides in the last few year and the residents are to be credited for those improvements.

“They supported the city, the Parks, the street program, the transportation tax. Without the citizens voting yes, the city can’t do anything. The heat’s in the kitchen and that’s where we’re at.”

The audience was reminded of Proposition 1 to go before county voters pertaining to making the prosecuting attorney’s position full- rather than its current part-time status.

The League offered this admonishment, “Brave people have died to protect our right to self-government. Let us show that we value that sacrifice by going to the polls on April 6th.”