Candidate Q&A: Bill Gluba
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By Times staff | Wednesday, September 26, 2007 |
Bill Gluba (FILE PHOTO) Buy this Photo
Office sought: Davenport mayor
What are the most significant challenges facing neighborhoods? How would you address them?
There are a variety of neighborhoods in Davenport. As a professional Realtor for 40 years, I have helped families buy or sell homes in all of them. Healthy neighborhoods are key to the city. Preserving and conserving housing, especially in older neighborhoods is a big challenge. Over the years, the City of Davenport has spent a great deal of time and effort addressing the challenges facing central city neighborhoods through a number of initiatives. Recently with the Davenport Action Initiative, a broad spectrum of residents provided time and ideas which have resulted in the formation of the HAPPEN program, advancements in environmental enforcement, and recently the 100 Homes effort. I support these initiatives. Davenport's federal dollars should be used wisely to leverage local investment to attract new single-family ownership and also help current residents preserve and conserve the housing stock, particularly in historic areas. In neighborhoods where crime is detrimental, I support a community-based approach to law enforcement that emphasizes crime prevention and programming to keep youth out of trouble.
In addition, there is a need to increase investment in older commercial areas that are home to many great opportunities for small business to grow. I feel that I am uniquely qualified among all of the candidates to establish strong relationships with neighbors, Realtors and banks to make this happen.
What's most important, providing basic services or adding amenities for residents and visitors? What approach would you take?
Both are important to a healthy, vibrant and growing city. First and foremost, Davenport must take care of providing basic services — police, fire, public works and sanitation. We do, however, need to invest in basic amenities that add to the quality of life and support a vibrant community with strong libraries, beautiful parks and inviting cultural and recreational areas. Strong amenities are essential in attracting new families to the area.
The challenge is to strike a proper balance between all the competing demands for the limited resources available. I pledge to help strike that balance.
What are the city's most important infrastructure needs?
There are several needs, but after consulting with Davenport's professional staff, it appears to me that the most important infrastructure need is the completion of the West Sewer Diversion Tunnel. This sewer diversion project is vital so that the city can open up 27 square miles of future development for housing, commercial and industrial use. This dramatic increase in our opportunity for growth will give us the chance to bring much-needed jobs for our citizens, especially our children and grandchildren.
Similarly, we should start investing in the infrastructure needed to develop the 65th and 67th cross-town corridor project. This extension will likewise bring additional development and an increased tax base. We simply can't continue raising taxes and fees to meet our budgetary needs. We need revenues gained from such expansions of our tax base to make Davenport prosperous and meet my goal of making Davenport the premier city to live, work, raise a family and retire. The long-wished-for branch library in northeast Davenport is also an infrastructure need. Knowing that such projects require critical federal and state funding, I would use my many key contacts within both the federal and state governments to bring state and federal tax dollars back to Davenport to make these projects a reality.
How would you approach economic development?
I would approach economic development by taking care of what we have with emphasis on existing businesses. Most new jobs that are created in any community (80%) will come from existing businesses. It is important to keep such thriving businesses and institutions as Deere, Kraft/Oscar Meyer, Carlton, Genesis, Nestle Purina, the Rock Island Arsenal, Lee Enterprises, Alcoa, St. Ambrose, Scott Community College, Kaplan, and Palmer included in the public policy process. I will keep an open line of dialogue with these institutions when developing strategies for economic development. By working with Area Labor Union Leaders, Bi State Metropolitan Planning Commission, The Quad City Development Group and Davenport One we can insure that we all do well. As the largest city in the region, Davenport has an obligation to lead by working with other cities on issues that we all care about such as keeping the Rock Island Arsenal strong and employing more people, providing an Amtrak link to Chicago, and marketing Davenport in the global economy as in International City. I will work with local companies to help them expand. We must be ready to use the tools and incentives the City has available to attract new business but we must also pay close attention to existing business and afford them opportunities to expand locally. I also support a more user friendly service for permits, plan review etc. All entrepreneurs, large and small, must be given friendly and efficient service by our departments.
Does the city have enough police officers? Are they deployed properly? What is the council's role in promoting public safety?
No, the city does not have enough police officers. The new chief of police, perhaps in consultation with the International Police Chiefs Association, must be allowed to evaluate the police department and determine appropriate personnel needs including proper deployment assignments. What is the council's role? The role of the city council is to provide whatever funding the police department needs to protect the citizens of Davenport. Individual council members should NOT try to micro-manage this department. Elected officials need to understand the difference between administration and policy-making. We can only have 1 mayor, 1 city administrator, and 1 chief of police…not 10. I also support a community-based approach to law enforcement in high crime neighborhoods that emphasizes crime prevention and neighborhood restoration. I want to maximize the use of public safety dollars and provide whatever police personnel are necessary to do the job.
How would you handle situations in which you disagree with another council member or members? Or does it matter?
I realize that there will be differences of opinion about city policies, but they do not have to mean personal disagreements that lead to insulting arguments. Simple respect for one another is the most important element. People can disagree, but not be disagreeable. I have found that identifying areas of agreement first is always helpful. If they are difficult to find, I will keep asking questions. This may take more than one meeting or discussion, but that is how democracy works. I have spent many years working professionally with people during difficult and stressful situations. This experience has taught me how to help people discover when they actually share perspectives. Once a common ground has been identified, then all the different and various opinions can be examined.
Disagreements and arguments always come easy. Collaboration does not. I will pledge, and I will ask each council member to pledge, either publicly or privately, to make Davenport's policy and decision making the sum of its parts, not the promotion of personal agendas. As mayor, I will seek out positive alternatives where there are honest differences, and work with all parties to promote solutions that come from consensus, not conflict.
In closing, I am the only candidate running for mayor who has no grudges to bear or old scores to settle with any alderman or city employees, nor am I a part of any faction on this city council. This will be important to a future, harmonious city council.
Should the Isle of Capri take over the RiverCenter South? If not, what should the city encourage the Isle to do?
The city currently receives approximately $2 million per year from the casino, and since its inception, over $42 million has been allocated by the Riverboat Development authority to numerous charitable and civic organizations. That said, I would prefer to see the casino moved off the riverfront, out of the downtown area and not take over the RiverCenter South. In this regard, many interesting possible sites for relocation have been suggested — North Brady Street (old Ramada Inn area), I-80 and Highway 61, I-80 and Highway 130 (Wacky Waters), I-80 and I-280, I-280 and West Locust Street, and I am sure many more potential locations will be forthcoming. However, everyone must be mindful of the fact that the Isle of Capri is a private business corporation, with which the city has existing legal and contractual obligations that must be honored and respected by both parties. We must be careful of simple, knee-jerk reactions to a complicated and complex issue. As to the future of the gaming industry in our city, I pledge to work with all parties to do what is in the best interest of the taxpayers of Davenport, the employees of the casino and the Riverboat Development Authority.
What is your vision for Davenport?
My vision for Davenport is a city where we accentuate the positive, by all working together — citizens, community leaders, city council and mayor — to build upon the many positive things our city has to offer. To paraphrase one of my heroes, “Ask not what your city can do for you, but ask what you can do for your city!” Unfortunately, the many good things Davenport has to offer have, too often, been overshadowed by excessive bickering and incivility at the city hall. This must change. Davenport 2025, the comprehensive plan for the city, sums up my vision when it calls upon our city leaders to, "collectively apply our unique talents and resources to make our city the premiere place to live, work, raise a family, and retire." To achieve this goal, the city must maintain a healthy balance between all the many competing functions of city government — police, fire, public works, libraries, parks, community development and administration.
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