Candidate Q&A: Barney Barnhill
- Font Size:
- Default font size
- Larger font size
By Times staff | Monday, October 01, 2007 |
Barney Barnhill (FILE PHOTO) Buy this Photo
Office sought: Davenport, 7th Ward
What are the most significant challenges facing neighborhoods and how would you address them?
How we make our residential neighborhoods and streets safe from increased traffic and crime is our most important challenge. Another serious issue is how to deal with increased rental property and problems associated with them in predominantly single-family-owned neighborhoods. I believe by increased community policing as well as support from neighborhood watch groups, we can make the criminal element aware that they are under constant scrutiny. By continually moving our traffic enforcement personal into residential neighborhood to help control traffic problems and supporting the beat officers, we can better provide the visual deterrent necessary to reduce both accidents and crime. Lastly, by identifying landlords and managers of rental property, we can remind them by a letter from our legal department of their responsibilities to the community and neighborhoods as well as the leverage of the city to use its nuisance abatement powers to reduce or eliminate problems.
What is most important, providing basic services or adding amenities for residents and visitors? What approach would you take?
Providing basic services such as police, fire, streets, parks and sewers is an extremely important need for our citizens because it ensures that their tax dollars are being well spent. Our citizens deserve to have the peace of mind that their homes and families are being protected, their safety guaranteed. Continually improving the condition of our streets and sewers allows our citizens to witness how their tax dollars are used. By further developing our recreational amenities, it allows our community to be more user friendly and family oriented and makes our city a more attractive and desirable place to live. If we as a community continually upgrade our infrastructure and recreational amenities, visitors will want to visit our city, new companies will want to locate here and bring their families to a more attractive environment and that in turn will create more jobs and broaden our tax base.
What are the city’s most important infrastructure needs?
Because we are one of the oldest cities in the state, existing 10 years before the state was founded in 1846, we have serious infrastructure problems that have been neglected over the years and create a serious challenge at budget time as to how much of our tax dollars can be used for remedial action to upgrade and improve this condition. The two most important infrastructure problems facing our citizens is our aging streets and sewers and their need for repair. We need to identify the worst areas where our storm and sanitary sewers are creating problems, prioritize these areas in a long-range comprehensive plan and correct and eliminate them. Our streets need to be done correctly with the proper sub-base and drainage in place, which in the long run will eliminate much of the deep patching process created by not doing them right decades ago.
How do you approach economic development?
Economic development is the key to smart growth, which combines many factors such as, population growth broadening of our tax base and good sustainable jobs. In the ever-increasing competitive market to bring in new companies, we must continue to promote our image as one of the most livable communities in the country. Our central location with favorable transportation systems provide us with an advantage over other municipalities. We need to better promote our cultural, educational and recreational amenities to entice companies to want to locate here and bring their families. Continual work with local and regional development groups is a must not only to promote Davenport, but the Quad-City region as a whole. All municipalities benefit from the spin-off effect.
Does the city have enough police officers? Are they deployed properly? What is the council’s role in promoting public safety?
No! One of the problems that needs to be addressed is how the department deploys its manpower and resources that are available. I believe there is a need for adjustment to be made to insure every academy trained officer is out on the streets, doing what he or she has been trained to do, i.e., making our streets and neighborhoods safer. No officer should be doing civilian clerical or dispatching work. The last question is a budgeting issue whereby each budget session elected officials must take the responsibility of providing the police department with manpower and resources necessary to accomplish their mission within budgetary limits.
How would you handle situations in which you disagree with another council member or members? Or does it matter?
Disagreements with fellow elected officials on issues are as old as politics itself. Respecting a colleague’s position on issues in a professional manner is an important form of political dialogue. Open criticism of one’s position during a meeting often creates deviousness and prevents consensus building. Speaking with a fellow elected official prior to a meeting gives an opportunity to share differences in a professional manner and promotes good relations. Lastly, it does matter! When you air your differences in front of the public, it creates the perception of hostility and detracts from collaborative efforts at consensus building.
Should the Isle of Capri take over the RiverCenter South? If not, what should the city encourage the Isle to do?
No! The council needs the IOC to live up to its 2005 development agreement as a gesture of good faith and deed the Blackhawk Hotel to the city so that restoration can begin. The public has spoken loud and clear, the RiverCenter should not be used for gambling. The IOC needs to pursue other possible land-based sites which are available.
What is your vision for Davenport?
We must continue to strive to make our city as one of the most livable in the country. We need to better promote and market our assets successfully to compete in every competitive arena for those companies who can provide good-paying jobs for our workforce and to broaden our tax base. We need to work in concert with county and school boards to share ideas, resources to reduce the cost of government and produce cost savings. If we continue to improve our infrastructure and reduce crime and promote safety, we will create the image of a vibrant, growing community where young people will want to stay and raise families as well as newcomers to relocate here.
del.icio.us
Digg
NewsVine
Fark
reddit» More Local Stories
Highest Rated Articles from the last 7 Days
- Serious Entrepreneur Only
- $250K Yr Potential. No Calling. No Selling. Residuals. $3k Start Up.
- www.YourMillionDollarGamePlan.biz
- Technology News Articles
- Computers, MP3, Phones & More. See Product Pics, Specs & Reviews.
- www.NexTag.com
- Discount Magazines
- Save up to 80% off the Cover Price. Select from your favorites.
- www.MagazineOutlet.com
- Ads by Yahoo!
