Editor’s note: This is part one of a two-part series on a candidate forum.
The first Pine Bluff City Council candidate forum and debate was held Thursday at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff as an initiative of outgoing councilwoman Joni Alexander and her nonprofit organization Y.E.S. (Youth Engagement Services).
Partnering with UAPB and DeltaPlex radio, Alexander invited candidates from Ward 1, 3 and 4, with terms that are ending, to take part in a forum and debate. All candidates were in attendance except for Alderman Steven Mays of Ward 4. Council member Glen Brown Jr. of Ward 2 is running unopposed and was not asked to participate as Alexander said this forum was for those who have an opponent.
Besides Alexander, the moderators of the debate were news personalities Ray King and Floyd Donald, who each posed questions for the candidates. Questions were based on the biographies submitted by the candidates. Each candidate had one minute to answer the question. A segment of the forum also allowed a candidate to ask their opponent a question that pertains to city government or their candidacy.
The forum began with Ward 1 candidates Latisha Brunson, Danny Walker, David Knott, Garland Trice, and John Proctor.
Brunson was tested on her familiarity with the city government by being asked to name the director of code enforcement and two of the department’s duties. Brunson did not know the director’s name, saying she has only dealt with zoning official Lakishia Hill. She said the duties were to make sure the city was in compliance with zoning.
Knott was asked if he thought Pine Bluff ’s population decline was the city council’s fault. Though he said he didn’t think it was the fault of the council, he did say the council should provide more support.
“We need to make everyone feel good about themselves,” he said. “I know we are working downtown but we got four wards and each one needs improving.” He also said he would not get on the council to argue but would collaborate with other elected officials and department heads on efforts to keep the city clean.
According to Proctor’s biography, he is an advocate for enhancing the city. He was asked what he meant by enhancement. “From where I sit and from my viewpoint, a lot of time people run for office, get into office and they want to change something or they want to implement something,” he said. “What I want to do if I’m elected, I want to help enhance, give publicity to programs that already exist.” Proctor said there was already a lot of good happening in the city, and he wants to use the city council platform to get information out to help enhance, uplift and support an already structured program.
Trice was asked why he was seeking office when he has a “legal entanglement with the city.” According to Trice, the entanglement is “illegal,” accusing the city of Pine Bluff of not following the rules and regulations related to the $123,000 that the city says he owes in connection with a building he owned.
“The waste management part of that bill is a total fraud. That’s a matter of record,” said Trice, who added that he has asked the city to correct the bill. “What you will find in the city of Pine Bluff, there are no buildings that will cost $123,000 to raze.” Trice, who was served by three police officers right before the forum started, said he spent 30 years as one of the largest demolition contractors in the city of Pine Bluff, and he will prevail and serve with distinction if elected as a council member.
Recently, Simplee’s Off the Grill restaurant announced it would be relocating out of Pine Bluff, blaming the restaurant’s situation on a lack of progress by the city of Pine Bluff, Go Forward Pine Bluff, Urban Renewal, city management and local bank institutions. Located at 1219 S. Main St., the business has been a part of the community for nine years.
Walker was asked if, as a council member, he would have been able to prevent the restaurant from leaving and how. “I would get with the other council members and work with the Chamber of Commerce, Economic Development, GFPB and the mayor to try to offer some tax incentives to some of these businesses,” said Walker. “It doesn’t have to be a long-term thing, but it can be a short-term solution such as giving people a one-year to two-year tax break to attract businesses.” Brunson was asked if she thought the city council should do more for small businesses. Brunson said she felt it was important to sustain local businesses and small businesses through education, exposure and support.
“We get lost sometimes in not knowing who has small businesses but also making the city aware of the small businesses that are in the city and also giving the businesses the support and the marketing that’s needed so they can move forward and sustain business within the Pine Bluff community,” said Brunson.
Proctor was asked why he would run for city council when his initiatives could be achieved as a nonelected official.
“What I plan on doing I don’t have to be on city council for it to happen, but in the city council, I will be able to be at the table with the people that make the decisions,” he said.
Go Forward Pine Bluff became a recurring topic of the forum as all candidates were asked if they supported GFPB or would vote against the sales tax that was promoted by the group.
Knott said he would support anything that would move the city forward.
“I will support Go Forward as long as it’s good for the city. I’ll support it wholeheartedly,” said Brunson, who added that he would want to see the facts first. “I’m not going to agree with everything that everybody does, but I will agree if it’s progressing the city,” Both Brunson and Walker said they would not vote against the tax. Proctor said he would ask for more transparency and if none were provided, then yes he would vote against it. Trice said the tax created a “fundamental problem.” “We have a tax that we passed several years ago and those funds have gone roughly $18, $19 million that has gone into the Go Forward,” said Trice, who said he felt the money was just sitting in the bank and drawing interest. “The city is not doing anything about it so what I would do is start with the legislation that within 100 days would abolish that fund going to GFPB and repurpose the funds to go equally to the four wards. We can do a whole lot with those funds.” Trice was asked about the several city plans that have been adopted and passed by the city council after he submitted his own plan of improvement throughout the city.
“We have got to come up with a better plan. Under that initiative, I don’t know if we have followed anything,” he said.
Trice also brought up a letter, recently reported by the Pine Bluff Commercial, which was signed by supporters of GFPB and that urged residents to support city council candidates who also support GFPB.
Trice said the letter was the best example of why it was time for the council members to take back the city of Pine Bluff.
During the segment where candidates could question each other, Trice asked Brunson if she was a recipient of the $5,000 that the letter writers were offering to donate to selected candidates who support the mayor and the GFPB initiatives. She said she was not a recipient.
Brunson asked Proctor if he had $1 million, what would he build in the city that would benefit the city. Making it personal, Proctor said he would build a track and field complex in honor of U.S. Grant, a former UAPB track coach, because Grant gave him a full track scholarship without ever meeting him and is part of the reason he is who he is today.
Knott asked Brunson if she liked what the city council was currently doing. Brunson said a consensus was missing.
“In order for us to continue to grow and move forward we have to gain alignment and with that, you have to have a consensus on what you want to see for the city and understand its deeper than one person,” she said. “It’s about the community and the city as a whole. You have one vote on the city council and it’s seven other people there. You can’t make the agenda about your personal agenda. You have to make it about what is best for the city and how we can continue to move forward, and when we do that we’re going to see growth.” Proctor asked Walker what his top goals were and how they would inspire others to be better and uplift the community, to which he replied “public safety and education.” “Without those two things, the city as far as growth, jobs and development, it’s over with,” said Walker.
Walker asked Trice if he agreed that public safety and education were the top priorities in moving the city forward. Trice said yes to public safety but disagreed with education.
As the first half of the session ended, Alexander said she wanted to put this forum together for the community to ask the tough questions that result in real answers.
“When I first ran for office and participated, the only types of forums that we had, the platform and the questioning allowed candidates to say what they felt people wanted to hear,” said Alexander. “So just tying into my passion with my nonprofit and doing something for the community, we’re asking them the real questions relevant to the position that has to do with everything within that position and not just saying what people would like to hear.”
Part two of this two-part series continues with Ward 3 and 4 candidates.
Ward 1 candidates (from left) Latisha Brunson, David Knott, Danny Walker, John Proctor, and Garland Trice. (Pine Bluff Commercial/Eplunus Colvin)