Candidates address voters, answer questions at forum

Nance (left) and Walker at the recent candidates forum

By LOU ANTONELLI

Editor-in-Chief

Mount Pleasant voters face some important decisions in this year’s May 4^th spring election.

There are three candidates running for mayor in the wake of the decision of Paul Meriwether to retire. There are also contests for two other seats on the city council.

Additionally, the Mount Pleasant school district is asking voter approval for a $55 bond issue.

The Tri-County Press hosted a Candidates Forum the evening of April 15 at the Mount Pleasant Civic Center. The well-attended annual event, hosted by Tr-County Press Publlisher Sonya Roberts-Woods, saw all the candidates attend.

In an effort to help voters make an informed choice in this election, Mount Pleasant for Real is publishing a series of articles based on the candidates’ appearance that evening.

We start today with the race for Place 1 on the City Council, where incumbent Robert Nance is being challenged by Jerry Walker.

 Nance, who has been on the city council over 40 years – most of that time as Mayor Pro Tem – said “I’m running because I love Mount Pleasant, and with the departure of the mayor we are going to have a great void.”

He said with the city getting a new mayor his experience will be needed on the council. “I want to help the new mayor. I like to think I’m a little spot of glue that keeps everything together.”

He noted that council members don’t receive a salary. “With me you’re getting a real bargain.”

Walker said he is a 1984 Mount Pleasant High School graduate and received a degree from ETSU (Now Texas A&M-Commerce) in 1992. He worked in the corrections system for 23 years, with 23 years as a parole officer. He retired as assistant regional director of the parole system in 2015.

He said when he was growing up in Mount Pleasant older people who mentored him said “we have an obligation to give back to the community, and that is what I am doing now.”

Woods then took questions for the candidates from the audience. When asked how they would improve the local economy, Nance said “we need to bring more jobs.”

He said the city is working at that already and “we need to keep doing what we are doing.”

He added that he is “not at liberty to discuss” some of the economic incentives the city is working on.

Walker said economic development in Mount Pleasant “needs to be a team effort. You need to have the taxpayers involved.”

He said the city needs innovation, especially in the wake of the Luminant power plant closing, “You can’t keep doing the same thing over and over again and expect to see different results.”

When asked what city government is doing for youth, Nance cited the city’s park system. Walker said he supports efforts to bring a YMCA to Mount Pleasant.

He cited how older people mentored him when he was young, “we need to help the younger generation like the older generation helped me.” He add that, drawing upon his experience with paroles, “young people are starting in the criminal justice system far too early.”

When asked if they support term limits, Nance said no, “you should let the voters determine that.” Walker said he has no objection to term limits.

“Some people stay in office for 20 or 30 years,” he said. “We need to give younger people an opportunity.”

When asked if they supported more help for non-profit organizations, Nance said he questioned if that is a government role.

“I support them personally as much as I can,” he added.

Walker said that from his experience with protective services he knows how to coordinate and development resources with various non-profit groups.

When asked if they thought the millions of dollars the city committed to build new parks should have been put to a public vote, Nance said “it is money well spent for our young people.”

He said that the two splash pads and new soccer field are especially important to youth.

Walker said he doesn’t think the new construction “should have been done the way they were.”

He said the city should have sought the approval of the taxpayers “who are going to pay for it, first.”

When asked what they think is the most important issue facing the city, Nancy said he thought it was avoiding divisions in the city council.

“We should not let it be split up,” he said.

Walker said it is job creation, especially in light of the Luminant closing. “We also need more citizen participation,” he added.

When asked if they approved of a city employees  working on a building owned by an upper management city employee on the city’s time, Nance said said no, and he wasn’t aware of that. Walker said he also didn’t know of that, but he was against it.

When asked why Oak Lawn is the worst park in the city, Nance said the city “let it slip” for a while but now people have gotten involved to improve it, and the city built a $150,000 splash pad. Walker said it is not the worst park in the city.

When asked if they owe any back taxes, Nance said “not to my knowledge.” Walker said no, and said it’s hypocritical to run for office “if you have not paid your own taxes.”

The candidates then made their closing remarks. Nance said he’s shown his love for Mount Pleasant, and he looks forward to working with and helping the new mayor.

Walker said he always planned to give back to his community in his retirement “and give back for the next generation.”

Early in-person voting is underway during normal business hours this week at the Titus County Elections Office, 100 South Madison.