NAACP candidate forum
Posted October 8, 2026, per source review
Speaker 1 · 0:10
Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the McVeigh County NAACP Candidate Chorus. Thank you to our audience for being here tonight and for taking an active interest in our community, and thank you for being willing to practice one of our democratic processes of coming together, being able to converse and talk to those that are asking us to vote for them. That's how I see it. So I want to say thank you and thank you to our candidates. We appreciate you all being here for tonight, and thank you for giving us the opportunity to hear what you have to say and what you want us to know about you. Because that's really what it's about. We want to be able to trust those that we elect and that we choose to be in office. That you will represent the people, not your ideals, but ours. But we want as citizens, and we have a right as Americans, all of us, to choose who represent us best. And that's what we're going to get tonight. You're going to get an opportunity to see those that are sitting here and ask the question of whom you choose to vote for. Thank you, and I'm going to turn it over to our political chair, Dr. Patricia Waters, and she will introduce our moderator, and we'll go from there.
Open original video (seek to 0:10)Speaker 2 · 1:40
Which, of course, I've
Open original video (seek to 1:40)Patricia Waters · 1:45
got to do, so I will have to do that immediately when I sit down. As part of the organizing team for this event, we prepared questions just in case, but we had great questions from people who are attending, so we're going to be using all questions from the audience. So rest assured, these are issues that come from you. Jasmine, will you be so kind as to hold up the colors, please? Jasmine is our timekeeper. Each speaker will have two minutes to introduce themselves, and they have two minutes to answer. Everybody see that? And the cards. We're sort of on a soccer thing here. We have green for go at two minutes. Then we have yellow for 50 seconds remaining, 30 seconds remaining. Sorry, and then your red card means the stick comes out. Okay, everybody got that. Everybody got that. We appreciate your being here, but we also want to say a word of thanks to Athens City Middle School. Amen. Hello,
Open original video (seek to 1:45)Rob Lewis · 3:13
everyone. My name is Rob Lewis. I'm going to be the moderator for tonight. And as has been said, we want to thank everybody for coming out. Hope that you'll get the information that you are looking for. In addition to the thanks that have already been extended, we also want to just really acknowledge this venue that Abbotts Middle School has provided. It's a gorgeous venue. I hope everybody's comfortable. Hope we get the information that we're looking for. And this is the future. We want to make sure that we're doing those things decently and in order, in order to put the right representation in place to move our city forward. And as the church would say, say Amen. Amen. So let me just recap a little bit. Dr. Waters is kind of let me kick it off, but the format, as she already mentioned, would be each candidate will have two minutes to introduce themselves. Thank you. Turn it on.
Open original video (seek to 3:13)Patricia Waters · 4:26
We're not in here. I ain't listening.
Open original video (seek to 4:26)Speaker 1 · 4:30
Silver button. No,
Open original video (seek to 4:30)Joyce Snyder · 4:34
we'll get these totes. Can you do it? I will. All right. Thank you. You're welcome.
Open original video (seek to 4:34)Rob Lewis · 4:57
As we've mentioned before. The candidates. Each candidate will have two minutes to introduce themselves. After that time, each candidate will have two minutes to answer each question. Your answers will be time, and the speaker will be cut off, respectively, cut off if they see that time. Time constraints to me that there will be three questions for the city council candidates, and that there will be two questions for the school board candidates. And as Dr. Waters had mentioned again, so this is a few questions from the community, in addition to the ones that we have already had prepared ahead of time. So, with that background, we are ready to get started.
Open original video (seek to 4:57)Abby Carrol · 5:46
Yay! Amen.
Open original video (seek to 5:46)Patricia Waters · 5:52
Okay.
Open original video (seek to 5:52)Rob Lewis · 5:56
So we'll begin with the city council question.
Open original video (seek to 5:56)Patricia Waters · 6:00
I thought school boards first. School boards first.
Open original video (seek to 6:00)Rob Lewis · 6:02
School board question. Okay. Starting with the school board question and introduction.
Open original video (seek to 6:02)Patricia Waters · 6:18
Is that why it works? I
Open original video (seek to 6:18)Emily Forrest · 6:28
moved to Athens, 2017, and. Oh, okay.
Open original video (seek to 6:28)Speaker 3 · 6:47
Is that better? I'm
Open original video (seek to 6:47)Patricia Waters · 6:50
sorry. Thank you.
Open original video (seek to 6:50)Emily Forrest · 6:55
So I am going to Athens in 2017, and my husband loves to tell the story of that I said I would never live here in here. So now I cannot imagine living anywhere else except for Athens, and thoroughly am glad that this is where we landed. I am a product of those schools, and my husband actually attended Athens's schools, and then my children currently serve and currently attend faculty schools. I have served on the museum board, and I have served as the auction chair of the annual arts calendar at the art center, and then also served in the children's ministry at East Denali, and then most recently have worked to help raise funds for AMPO, which I know some of you were there on Sunday night at our celebration, but in six weeks we raised $250,000 just to go camp. I am currently a level four in the end of oursmanship at the continuing education side of the school board, which is the only elected position that actually has required continuing education, so I'm on level four, working on level five, which involves a whole portfolio. So that is our next my next step. But I've thoroughly enjoyed my last four years on the board, and really proud of where ethnicities are and what we're doing and how we serve our community, and I will be honored to serve elected again as by the Athens community.
Open original video (seek to 6:55)Joyce Snyder · 8:41
So, hello. I am Joyce Snyder. I am a native Inglewood. grew up here, grew up in the county schools. I had the privilege of being hired at Ingleside by Ben Wilson, and so my career spanned about 39 years in public education. I am married to a wonderful somebody and have one perfect child, married to Clayton Snyder. Probably the thing you probably wouldn't want to know most about me. The three most important things in my life is Lord of us, my family, and children, school children, and my whole life has been to get dedicated to children, and I love I love everything about school. Everything I love seeing our kids grow, and when I had the opportunity and honor to be appointed, then Miss Abby stepped down. The board felt like I would be a good person or a good match, and I was thrilled to accept that position. And so here I am tonight, asking for you to continue this wonderful journey. And I am on to the what's best for Athens City Schools. I know it from all different levels: school teacher, instructional coach, tap mentor, not a principal. Those are hard jobs. Or on the legislature, that's also a very hard job. So I would appreciate your vote and look forward to continuing to excellence that is.
Open original video (seek to 8:41)Chris Schreck · 10:32
my name is Chris Schreck. I have lived here in Athens for about 10 years now, and in Mickin County my entire life. I have last listed. two children that are in that city school system right now, both in the middle school, and I was asked to to run. I'm excited to be a part of any of some children or some children. Sorry, I have a lot else to say. I have a business here in town, and I have a lot invested in just.
Open original video (seek to 10:32)Abby Carrol · 11:20
Hey y'all! I'm Abby Burke Carroll. I am 35 years old, and I am an assistant public defender here, serving McVinn in Garden Polk County. For those of you who don't know me, I am an Indian my whole life. I graduated from McMinn County High School in 2009 when I was 17. I graduated from Wesleyan at age 20, and the University of Tennessee College of Law at day 23. Since then, I've been practicing law and serving my community, and that's what I feel like we're called to do when we get into government and we get into politics. I am a member of Keith Memorial United Methodist Church. I have served on the Warming Center Committee, the Great University Committee. I just ended a term of eight years on the Athens City School Board, which I was very grateful to get to serve the people of Athens during all of that. I'm very blessed to have my parents, Fred and Paulie Burke, here with me. I have two sisters, Brittany and Madison, and then my favorite person in the entire world is actually at a high school soccer game tonight, but my daughter Sophie is a junior at Newtown High School, and hopefully gets tracking back with someone from her team about it here. But realistically, why I do this is because I believe in our community. I believe that what makes Athens great is the people of our community, and I put together a whole campaign. We'll get into some of that with the questions. It's on my website, shape of plugadigardral.com, which sounds really arrogant to say out loud, but it's a website. But you can find out more about me there. But please know that I'm approachable. I'm a person who will find a high school football game, and I'll sit down and talk to you about any concern you have. And I think that's what happens in our government right now. Thank you.
Open original video (seek to 11:20)Larry Eaton · 13:11
Good evening. My name is Larry Eaton. I'm a lifelong resident of County. I've been in Athens, Tennessee, for 33 years. Be 34 January the ninth, being married 33 years to the same woman, and and I've got two children. Well, they're they're grown now, and I've got three grandchildren. I I love my community. I fight for my community, as everyone everyone can see. I've I've stood up for for us when we needed somebody to stand up, and I will continue to do this. The last four years have been very eventful, very educational, but also our city is growing in a positive manner that that a lot of people was not seeing right here. But, ladies and gentlemen, we have a great community, and I am honored today to be to be up here with these other great candidates. I appreciate the NAACP for having this, and and actually the last two years because I wanted our community to be to be together. I am a member of the NAACP. I think that we all need to be coming together, and that we all need to be working together. Even though we have disagreements, we still need to push our city in a positive manner. There's a lot of great things fixing to happen that I wish I could I could tell each one of you, but it's got to pass away. Anyway, I appreciate the vote again. I this is this will be the second term if I'm elected, and I'm one of these. I love term limits. Me and the city council four years ago put in term limits for the city council, and. And I believe that that is the right thing to do to move this city forward to make sure we have better ideals moving forward. Anyway, I appreciate your vote. God bless you. First
Open original video (seek to 13:11)Tom Hamilton · 15:19
of all, I'd like to thank NAACP people putting this shindig on, giving us all of us the opportunity to say what we think. I'm the oldest one up here by a long shot. I brought my notes, and I hope I hope you'll forgive me for that. I'm I'm born and raised athenian. Attended Nyota Grammar School because that's where the bus went. McMahon County High School, Tennessee Westman. I'm married to Debbie Johnson Hamilton back there with Chris Adams, good girl. All of you need the door. If you don't, I'm a veteran of the Army. Spent three years in the Army. Came out with top secret security clearance. I don't know how long. 20 plus years. 10 or 15 of those as chairs. I oversaw the expansion, latest expansion of Heath, where we added about a third of the square footage to that building. I know a little bit about building expansion. I was a real estate treasurer for 25 years. As Jay said, I appreciate your vote. We will do all we can to grow Athens as most possible way we can. Thank you. I'm
Open original video (seek to 15:19)Perry McCowan · 17:18
going to give you some notes, and this is what I pray about. Everything I do, I pray about. And I'm gonna say this: Let's not fear the future. Let's shake it. The next thing is, if you can, if you think you can, or if you think you can't, you're right. They come from Henry Ford. This is the way I live my life. And the last thing I want to tell Athens, John F. Kennedy, that's not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country. And I'm gonna tell you, ask not what this city can do for you, but what you can do for the city. And I get back to my first point. Let's not fear the future, because people get stuck in the past, and we say, "Well, this is the way it's always been, and it's not going to change. I don't agree with that. Let's get involved, get on the committees, go to the council meetings. Let me hear what you. Let the council hear what you want, and the council is only going to agree with the majority. Okay, and that's the only thing that I have to say before. Now, there's a whole lot of things not to say what I just said that I can interpret later on, but I don't have enough time. You never let a preacher get to a mic because two minutes and 20 minutes. Thank you. Good evening,
Open original video (seek to 17:18)Lou Pasquarella · 19:28
everybody. Mayor Lou Pastorella, and thank you all for being here. Thanks to NAACP and everybody that's taken an interest to come into this auditorium tonight and listen to us. We appreciate that. I moved to Athens back in the late '80s, and I grew up outside of here. I had a three-year plan to leave, and that didn't work out real good. And here I am. My wife is. Sitting here, my oldest daughter sitting here. I know most of you by name that are sitting in the audience. I've been blessed to serve on about every nonprofit board there is in Athens, and I've served on corporate boards. I spent 25 years as a CPA. I got my master's from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. I spent some time teaching at Westland, giving back, and I believe in this community because it's done a world of good for me personally and professionally. I ask God if I'm supposed to do this, I will be up here talking to you. Well, here I am. So I ask for your vote. I ask for your support. I look forward to serving the citizens of Athens as good or better than it is now. Thank you all very much.
Open original video (seek to 19:28)Robert Patrick · 21:06
Hello, my name is Robert Patrick. I'm from the state of Virginia. Moved here back in the '70s. Went to Hawasi College in Madisonville. Transferred to Tennessee Westland. And this is a big city compared to where I'm from. thanks to NWCP for allowing us to be here today. I'm not a man of great means like some people, but I'm a people person. I've listened to a lot of people. I pass out cards. Ask people what they would like to see changed in the city of Athens, and there's a lot of things, little things, will make a big difference. And there's big things happening, but little things will happen that don't cost a lot of money. Little things the city can do, and I'm just grateful to have the opportunity to run and talk to people and meet people, and what you see is what you get. I'll always be a people person. I'm also a minister of the gospel. I pastor a church, and anyway, I used to have a business here, a bookstore, retired from a plant, almost a vest, which is ABV now, and God knows a lot of people here in the city, a lot of people, and I appreciate your love. I appreciate you telling me what you would like to see change in the city of Athens, and hope everybody is great. place to live with so much going on. Thank you.
Open original video (seek to 21:06)Chris Trew · 23:06
Good evening. It is nice to see everyone here for this event. I too would like to say that we appreciate NAACP hosting this event. My name is Chris True. My wife, Lady Gracey True, is sitting in the audience. We have between us raised five children, two of which still live here in Athens. We have five grandchildren, four of whom are here in Athens and are going to be educated here. I was born and raised in Edinburgh, educated in Mill County. I pursued my higher education at the University of Tennessee and later at the University of Tennessee Law School in 1984. I graduated law school with high honors. I received my license to practice law in 1985 and decided to return to Afghans to practice law. I began practicing, and most of you remember these names with Ken Higgins, Bill Bill, and Rick Chester. I now practice by myself here in Athens, and have been doing so since 1985 with the general practice of law. At various times, I have represented most of the businesses and manufacturers and banks in the Minne County and Athens Athens area. I have the privilege of representing Athens as city attorney for raising 25 years, and in that capacity, feel like I have the experience and knowledge of the city, the institution, and the things that make the city work, so that is why I think I'm qualified with that experience to lead and help with the city council, and I appreciate you.
Open original video (seek to 23:06)Rob Lewis · 24:57
Thank you to all the candidates for those introductions. We'll begin our question now, starting with our school board candidates. Start with this for us. First question is: How can Athens City respond to the looming funding crisis created by vouchers?
Open original video (seek to 24:57)Joyce Snyder · 25:28
I think there is.
Open original video (seek to 25:28)Emily Forrest · 25:32
I think it is something that definitely has the chance to affect Athens City Schools. I think Athens City Schools has a lot to be proud of, and so I think our results oftentimes can show how well our education is, and so I think although you know if a private school or some other school has been a student for their child. I think that is great for them to be able to go there. But I think us having such a very good quality school system that we will educate anybody that walks in the door and meet their needs and be able to serve them, I think is the bigger question. And so I think if we can continue to produce quality.
Open original video (seek to 25:32)Robert Patrick · 26:37
Sure.
Open original video (seek to 26:37)Rob Lewis · 26:41
That's okay. The question is, how can Abbott City respond to the looming funding crisis created by vouchers? Sure, sure.
Open original video (seek to 26:41)Joyce Snyder · 26:48
There's, there's always, there's always need for money. You know, there's usually never not enough. So this is not new to education. Every child deserves a sound and good education. I think personally better in the city than anyone else in the county, state, or worldly. Sure, there's challenges with budgeting. We have an Amazing person in our finance department that definitely we can make those dollars stretch. So I I agree with Miss Forrest that that we do a good job here in Athens City finding the resources where those may be whether they are grants or funding, other sources that support our teachers and our students. Is it a challenge? Yes, but it's probably a challenge for everyone, businesses and otherwise. But I concur that we will continue to provide the best education for our kids here in our city schools.
Open original video (seek to 26:48)Chris Schreck · 28:09
have a whole lot to add to that, other than it has been my experience that we have a very sharp year has always stepped up whatever we can be. being a public school child myself, I got to see that maybe we always didn't have what we needed, but teachers, parents, community members always filled in gaps. Thank you.
Open original video (seek to 28:09)Rob Lewis · 28:44
Returning to the sports for our second question. In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge that's facing our school system? What is the biggest challenge facing our school system.
Open original video (seek to 28:44)Emily Forrest · 29:04
I think it's probably not just our school system, but school systems in general. I think in general we are seeing each generation change, whether it is technology, the access to technology, the parenting, the lessons, and how we are meeting these learning requirements in different grades-it's a lot of pressure on little ones to try to perform in such costumers, and I think that's everywhere. Though it's not as it hasn't seen, but it is a lot of But I think we handle it well. I think teachers do an excellent job of modifying what they need to to be able to meet the needs of the students and being able to meet them where they are to be able to serve them appropriately. I think that's something that we can be proud of in the city. Is that we do have a wide variety of I would say clientele, which is really just the students. But we do an excellent job of being able to meet their needs at wherever it is, whether it's special needs or additional learning time or one-on-one learning, employing them in a smaller groups, why we're not
Open original video (seek to 29:04)Joyce Snyder · 30:34
going to be able to meet all those needs. So I would definitely agree with any sports kind of challenging for students and. probably the biggest until we've changed a lot over the last 39 years. We seem to have more needs for our children, whether it's regulated emotionally, and so sometimes it's a challenge for us to meet all those needs. And I'll promise you, we know better than anyone else. There's demands on our teachers to to do this. So since, like she said, a changing landscape. The the thing I think that Athens City does so well is we we recruit the best teachers and empower the best teachers. That teacher is the number one factor inside that classroom, regardless of the challenges she has. So maybe that could be maybe a bit of a challenge for us that young people are choosing other careers, and teachers lay the foundation for lawyers, doctors, or bankers. They're new ones. So maybe that also could be a bit of a challenge as we provide for for our children. But yeah, that might be a big challenge. So mr. Greg, and I want to.
Open original video (seek to 30:34)Chris Schreck · 32:08
Kids and all things things wear-they're all devices. It's-it's dumb. I couldn't do it. More than taper to do it. I don't see how these help kids adapt. Teachers are also asked to keep up with this and do so much more than I think they were asked to when I was a child, filling in the gap from home, where I think that's pretty good challenge.
Open original video (seek to 32:08)Rob Lewis · 33:03
Thank you to all of our school board candidates for those fine responses. We'll turn our attention now to the city council candidates, and we have three questions that each one of you will answer. We'll begin question number one with Ms. Carroll, and that question is sunshine law means that the public has time to review items on a public agenda. What will city council do to assure items are not added the day of the meeting?
Open original video (seek to 33:03)Abby Carrol · 33:42
So I talked about having a campaign website, and I have a full platform on there. And this falls directly under campaign item number four, which is a a recommitment in the city of Athens to following policy and procedure, and to implementing policy procedures where they don't already exist, because the problem doesn't exist only among council. It also applies. The Sunshine Law applies to every board and every committee along the way, and most items start at a board or a committee long before they get to the City Council. And what's important is that we get community input at every one of those points. And so, what each as a council should be doing is creating those policies and procedures. There's actually a section of our city code. It's section two that specifically says boards and commissions, etc. and is entirely empty. We knew it was there. We accounted for it when we created the code, and we never bother to fill in. That leaves our council members out to try. It leaves our employees out to try, and it leaves every volunteer who serves on a board or committee for us out to try. They're guessing how do we comply with the law. The law is not always straightforward. It it's correct. That's why water exists. That's why I think John's office has a job because it requires interpretation. The job of the city council is to take that interpretation out for its citizens, to take it out for its employees and its volunteers, and to put something in place where we know this is how we do it. We will have items on the agenda by this day, unless it is an emergency, it will not come up under new business with no notice. When we plan ahead, when we think ahead, when we use strategy, we don't have to have an emergency every meeting. We have policies and procedures we follow, and that allows our citizens to stay involved, to stay informed, and to make their voice heard. Thank you.
Open original video (seek to 33:42)Larry Eaton · 35:50
explain to you about the Sunshine Laws. Okay, the Sunshine Hall is is put in our protected citizens' classes and and and the citizens of Senate. When I'm put on the agenda, we have until Wednesday put everything on the agenda before the next work session. Work sessions that go over the agenda. Sometimes there there is things that comes on after the agenda. That's not breaking in the sunshine halls. Okay, the sunshine halls are items that we're talking about behind the scenes without public knowledge. So when we go into a public meeting and we do have a have a motion to pave the roads or something like that-that is not part of the agenda. It's still in public view. It's not a sunshine sunshine violation. But I do believe that that all the things that we're doing should be open to public. I've even called a I've called for a investigation on some things that I think was abolished in some child, and I'm very adamant about being open and transparent to the public. But sometimes after the agenda is made, there's things that come up have to be put on the agenda, and it is in open public meeting, so that is not a violation of sunshine laws. So the sunshine laws are specifically there for the protection of the citizens, so nothing can be done in the back back room to talk about and and getting getting everybody going on the right things. Everything has to be open in the public. So, ladies and gentlemen, the city of Athens does everything we possibly can to make sure that we are doing everything important to to the to the PCA. Thank you very much.
Open original video (seek to 35:50)Speaker 2 · 37:59
I can't
Open original video (seek to 37:59)Tom Hamilton · 38:06
believe I'm going to say this, but I agree with Larry. Sunshine is added to the agenda at the last minute. Had nothing to do with the sunshine. The state law and the city charter both say that the city council is to publish an agenda before the meeting. That's the sunshine law that come into play, and. There are obviously things that come up during the meeting or after the meeting, or that require conversation. The agenda always has a public comment section and a long. public comment recently changed. I think the March changed, and the City Council last meeting or meeting before that adjusted the agenda to to reflect the new changes in the public comment section for me. This stuff that is being added is supposedly being added to the agenda at the last minute. I guess would have to be addressed at those public comments. That section would be.
Open original video (seek to 38:06)Perry McCowan · 39:48
Now sunshine off. Okay, so we have work session. Okay, and there are last-minute things that come up. So we address that in the work session, and we can put it on the consent. And then, I mean, there, you know, everybody's at the work session, or the ones who want to come. So we address that at the work session, and and then we vote on it now. That's on what? That's on the second Monday, and then we have council on the third Tuesday, and then we can. It's going to be sent, and then we can vote. So there, there's you're not violating. You're not violating. But that's a good question. It really is a good question, so that people understand that we're not violating the sunshine law, just like everything they just said. If there's a group of people, you know, you know, doing something behind the closed doors, it's not without the citizens involved in evolving sunshine. So that's my understanding of the sunshine according to charter. That's what I understand. And if there's any other questions later on, we want to welcome them and ask those questions. But that's my understanding. Thank you. I'd
Open original video (seek to 39:48)Lou Pasquarella · 41:30
like to get, I guess, two key points on that common question that we brought up. First one, sunshine law. Annual training sometimes a big chance for. Bryan was one of the ones that actually did some of the Sunshine Law training when we were on the ADB board when I was on the ADB board. So I suspect that this is the same case for the City Council. But point being is this should be a completely transparent council period and the story in the state, and it's not that's a problem. I do think, as far as adding that agenda items, having served as a chair of several boards, I think you have to be very selective of what items get inserted. Is it really an emergency, or is it just somebody else wants to throw something in there to talk about. So should never be talking about personnel issues on an agenda that's slid in there. So just those are my comments on Sunshine Law. I don't have a whole lot of months, so I'm not going to belabor the issue. Thank you.
Open original video (seek to 41:30)Robert Patrick · 42:54
But what about your sessions? Are they open to the public? People come in and hear what's going on. Is it published? What's going to be spoken about at City Council? I just wonder: can it be approved? Because there seems to be a lot of arguments going on the city council, a lot of discord. Something needs to be done about all this. If people are informed better, they'll be better citizens and do more and listen more. Get up and cause some trouble. That's all I know.
Open original video (seek to 42:54)Rob Lewis · 43:54
absolutely. The question was: Sunshine law means that the public has time to review items on the agenda. What will the city council do, or what will you do on the city council if you're elected to assure that those items are added, are not added, or not added the day or evening?
Open original video (seek to 43:54)Chris Trew · 44:16
Okay, I wanted to repeat the question because the the app that you're referring to is technically called the Open Meetings Act, which helps you understand what it's about. But people refer to it as the Sunshine Law. That Open Meeting Act states that any time two members of a governmental entity meet to discuss the business of that governmental entity, the meeting must be open to the public. That's what that law requires. So I think what your question is more aimed to is what is the proper way for government and the members of it to conduct the business, and how can they conduct it in a fair manner among themselves to make an educated decision. And how can they also involve the public? Now that relates more to rules and policies that the government entities should put in place. And I think that the city council, through the years, has tried to do that to conduct its business and involve the city. An agenda needs to be published, and the public needs to know what's going to be discussed, so that members of the public want to come to that meeting and participate. They know what's being discussed. So, in that sense, it is only fair and reasonable to the public that that agenda not change, because people may look at it and decide, well, I know what those issues are about, and I think I'll stay home because when you start adding something to an agenda, then the public is not really allowed to participate in that decision making. And furthermore, your council members need to know what's on the agenda so that they can study the issue and make a good learning decision. And they're not going to be able to do that if a council member brings up something new at that agenda that that hasn't been discussed prior to. So, in my opinion, items should not be added to the agenda unless it is some type of emergency and you need to deal with it in that particular meeting.
Open original video (seek to 44:16)Rob Lewis · 46:26
Question number two, beginning again with Sparrow. Considering social issues like homelessness, affordable housing, and living wage, access to public resources, how might you address these community issues? All
Open original video (seek to 46:26)Abby Carrol · 46:43
right. Someone asked a loaded question. There it is today. So I will say this. I told you all earlier. I am on the warming center board. I'm a public defender. I believe in helping my neighbor. I believe that that is what God has called us here to do: is to love one another and respect one another. And that is always going to be part of it. That is always going to be balanced with fiscal responsibility, and that is where government gives hard. The best thing the city of Atkinson do is to build the best partnerships we can with the community resources we have. We have so many people in this room and in our community as a whole, who are so dedicated to so many different causes, no one person can change the world, but each person can change the world of one person. And when we build bridges between those individuals and we support them as a city, whether that be financially, whether that be with resources, whether that's just even advertising, whatever it is, when the city builds a bridge, every build every bridge we build is another way that we can eradicate something that is plaguing our neighbors. Because what every person living in the city of Adams, whether they live in a tent or whether they live in the Hollands, is your neighbor? They are our neighbor, and they are our constituent. If we are elected to the city council, and we have an obligation to each and every one of them, and as a council, we can't save everyone. There's not enough money to go around to do everything. But partnerships, support-that is where we build the community, the village that it takes for us to raise our children to a better, a better tomorrow. Thank you.
Open original video (seek to 46:43)Rob Lewis · 48:31
The question again, just to repeat the question again, it says considering issues, social issues like homelessness, affordable housing, and living wage, access to resources. How might you address these community issues?
Open original video (seek to 48:31)Larry Eaton · 48:49
I'm going to probably make some people mad, but I believe that it is community that needs to be. Government's been a problem for a long time. The problem is our communities are not stepping up. Our churches are not stepping up. I believe that that as a human being, as a Christian, that we need to come together as a community and help the ones that are in need, and and by doing that, we don't have the restrictions from the governments and and from the the taxpayers that that are put in place. If we had our churches that would actually come together as a whole, it doesn't matter from Methodist Baptist, Catholic, or whatever. All of us need to come together to have a better relationship, so we can help our community. That's the problem we're having. One church here, the other ones are not, and our community needs. One of the things that that I do believe that that that our that our that our city needs to do some things to help out, but I personally believe that in the private sector is where it needs to stay at because our Christian beliefs should be relevant to our community and how we how we receive the help of our community and the beliefs that we have. If we have government, then we have to do things the way the whole government does. And our community may not need this, and we may need that. We need something very specific, and by doing that, our community is the ones that we need done. Thank you very much.
Open original video (seek to 48:49)Tom Hamilton · 51:04
This year's annual budget, City of Athens has budgeted $294,400 for the Larry being lost animal shelter. Money well spent. We budgeted $4,500 to homestead. Where is our priority for animals for the homeless people? The median household income for the state of Tennessee is $256,800. In Athens, it's $197,000. The median that's unoccupied. The median household income is 26.2% lower than the state. We have to do something to increase wages, living wage in Athens is in excuse me in Green County for an adult, one adult, one child, $21, $21.61 an hour. That's what it takes to live in Athens in Green County. minimum wage, and main county seven, just to live on that. So we have to we have to do something to recruit good paying industrial jobs, but we also have to educate the people in this county, this city, particularly to fill those jobs.
Open original video (seek to 51:04)Perry McCowan · 53:23
That's a real loaded question, but I'm gonna say it like this: the business that I can't film. You gotta build infrastructure for growth. You build it. If you build it, people come. I am very. I see so many people that are hurt, and I wish that I could do everything by myself. And you're correct. Churches haven't come to the forefront, but unfortunately, you know, my brother. I have two brothers that are pastors. but people stop coming to church. And so, how do you pay for it just from the church? Well, that's a good question to ask us as just citizens. We see a need. Jesus taught us going to be communicated. You're not gonna chew the whole mountain down by yourself. Just go, just go make believe. If they need a cold, if they need something to be give it to. So now, as a city, We there's things that we can do. We all come together now. What we don't want to do is raise taxes, right? Nobody wants taxes, correct? I think. But as a group of people, we can. As a community, we can get. Organizations, organizations that we already have right now, to help out and do more. I love giving to something that that prospers, that's doing something for people. All you gotta do is just let me know. Just doing something for people and not just for you, I'm all for it. Thank you.
Open original video (seek to 53:23)Lou Pasquarella · 55:37
Sure. The question is: Considering social issues like homelessness, affordable housing, a living wage, access to resources, how might you address these community issues? Hey, first of all, I was a product of blue-collar upgrade. I learned the value of dollar by Western folks paid for a house for 30 years, a little 800 square foot ranch, and also learned that even at that lower wage bracket that they that I was raised in, you still saw people helping each other. You didn't have a social program back then that you do today, and I think I'll pause. I'm going to bring in the economic side. If you look at the cost of housing in the last 15 years relative to the cost of the increase in wages, there's a big misconception in this country. Our dollars are going to be valued significantly over the news or the grocery store. Diesel prices are high control areas. That does trickle into the city's ability to pay for additional programs, whether it's through tax dollars or whether it's through nonprofits. There are several nonprofits in town that their focus is to help people that are less fortunate than us. A lot of that is around today that wasn't before. So I think you have people that donate to these causes. You have people that work towards these causes. But in the end, it is going to get tougher probably before it gets a little easier as far as the value of the dollars can serve, especially for those who are working with other jobs. So it's a challenge. I think the city does a good job. I also think the city probably needs to address the fact that I heard it earlier in one of our candidates here. Athens has a significant increase in population going on. Why is that? Cost of living and more framing the city. So there's some challenges that lie ahead for this, and look forward to addressing them. Thank you.
Open original video (seek to 55:37)Robert Patrick · 58:07
Yes, that's just a lot of homeless people. Homeless people have been in my church before, and you ask people why you're homeless. They'll share you. They're open, poverty. But the number one reason people in homeless is mental illness, drug addiction. But there's a lot of people that's just down below up. They're homeless for different reasons, and I think Athens needs a social worker, Parker City, that can help homeless people fill out paperwork, can help them find the resources they need, and people need a lot of help sometimes. And to help those people that are close to being homeless, so they won't become homeless. We don't need more homeless people. We need people to get help, and I think we need some may disagree. I think we need a home shelter here now. I've talked to so many people, and they say that we do. There's a homeless camp that was out behind the local house back in there. Property was sold, and those people had to move, we need a homeless shelter. There's a place in Florida; they have a homeless camp by the justice center, and the church department can keep an eye on and make sure they stay out of trouble. There has to be a solution to help people. There are so many people that need help. There's some resources here in Africa to shower those. There's a place where people can be fed by lunch three days a week for the week in their favor. Be thankful among those people and different people can get. Where people can be helped, so maybe one of each church after one homeless person did something for that one person. These great things take place.
Open original video (seek to 58:07)Chris Trew · 1:00:29
Okay, as I understood your question, was how can city government assist in some of these areas that you mentioned, such as housing and others? And because of the limitation of time, I think I'm only going to address the housing, which necessarily means homelessness, but not necessarily all of that. There's some people who just can't afford better housing. We all are familiar with expression that government is not necessarily the end all of all problems, and it's not. But what we need to recognize is that a government entity such as Athens can only do the things that is authorized to do by state law. Someone mentioned the homeless shelter. I don't think that the city of Athens or the other city can own a homeless shelter, but it can certainly fund the homeless shelter, and that goes to your question: What the city can do is to fund the organizations that that work in these areas that you that you question address, such as homelessness, housing issues. There are lots of good organizations that have been mentioned that work in those areas, and while I haven't quoted, I was expecting to disagree with history with the references. The churches are not good enough. I would disagree with that. My wife and I are there to keep United Methodist Church, and our church certainly does what it can to help with homelessness issues, feeding issues, the nursing one program, which people are aware of. I'm also aware of committees in the church that are going out and trying to help some of these homeless people get their government assistance back. So the answer to your question is to seek out these organizations that are already working in these areas and properly fund them.
Open original video (seek to 1:00:29)Rob Lewis · 1:02:36
For our candidates is how are you going to connect? How are you going to reach out? How are you going to do what you can in your role on city council provided you make it there? What are you going to do to connect with those people? You said those people.
Open original video (seek to 1:02:36)Abby Carrol · 1:02:57
Is that under the people? The last question, or is that just with the community?
Open original video (seek to 1:02:57)Rob Lewis · 1:03:03
It's kind of a general question, but let me give you a little more context. How are you going to connect and get input from people, citizens, and families who are struggling?
Open original video (seek to 1:03:03)Abby Carrol · 1:03:13
Well, first and foremost, I have an advantage on how being a public defender because most of my clients have to be indigent in order to have my services, so that's who I spend every day with: are people who are falling through the cracks of our system. And part of being a public defender is trying to walk. Part of being a public defender is listening and understanding where things come from and what resources they need to get out of poverty, because poverty drives probably 95% of the crime in our area and almost every other area, so I have those skills already in place. But some of the things I tend to do are continue going volunteer performing center. Those people know me; they talk to me. You know, I'm a familiar face. Being approachable goes a long way. I go to every home football game. I sit next to some of y'all out there. I have someone people can walk up to and talk to. That's easy. Being approachable goes to so much of this, but making considerate efforts to do so. One of the things I started as part of my campaign is Coffee Saturdays. Basically, I put on my website. Here's where I'm going to get my Saturday morning coffee. If you'd like to come to see me, here you go. Here's a chance. It's not political. It's not high pressure. You don't walk into a room full of people. You don't wear a suit. It's just a chance to walk by. Hey, how you doing? You can be as standoffish or as approachable as you want to be, but I'm here and I'm available. Those are the type of things that we, as a council, need to be doing. I'm not saying it has to be a formal town hall because I think that's your thoughts. Some of those people who need help, no one wants to admit to their struggles in a public forum. But if we create. Small, meaningful opportunities, and if all the council commits to say we're going to do those individually, then imagine how many people we can raise. If five people are walking out and saying, "Here's where I am on Saturday morning. Here's where I am on Thursday night. Come see me. Come approach me, and let me listen to what you have to say. The
Open original video (seek to 1:03:13)Rob Lewis · 1:05:26
question again is: How are you going to connect with and get input from citizens who are struggling?
Open original video (seek to 1:05:26)Larry Eaton · 1:05:34
Ladies and gentlemen, that's a simple question. My wife doesn't go to Logan with me anymore because I'm usually in there for a couple of hours. If I go to the food scene, I'm in there for an hour or so because everybody comes up to and addressing the problems. The problem I see is is we do not have our our economy right now is starting to grow back the way it used to be back when I was a little kid, ladies and gentlemen. I mean, this was in the last two two and a half years, three years. We look at what has just came about Tennessee. We are we are cutting back to where we were right a long time ago. We're going to have to do a little bit more, and what we're doing is when the city manager we just we just was got rid of. Me and him was actually had 10 of the top employee employers of Athens, Tennessee, and sat down and had lunch with them. Hey, what what do you guys need from the city of Adams? And then we went to the developers, ladies and gentlemen. The developers, because of what we did and the roles that we've been doing, and picking up the phone and calling these developers and being open and transparent, we're having new entities coming in. I can't tell you what they are, but you're going to be in a restaurant here in a few weeks. That's going to be announced, and there's a few other things that's coming too. That because of the former city manager and what me and him have been calling these developers to pull in to help the people that are in need, we need businesses for people to make wages, and that's where we need to start concentrating on them and build for that. Thank you. One
Open original video (seek to 1:05:34)Rob Lewis · 1:07:37
more time. Absolutely. The question is: How are you going to connect with citizens of Athens who are struggling?
Open original video (seek to 1:07:37)Tom Hamilton · 1:07:51
I I think I can be corrected, but I think all of these guys up here, young lady up here, and all of the current council attempt all the time to make themselves available to these people who are struggling. I go to city council meetings, and there's three or four people there. The the people that you're talking about need to engage the council. The council also needs to engage them or be available to be engaged by them. But the the folks that you're talking about need to to if they've got a problem, they need to come come to the council. The council can't be expected to go to all the citizens who who have a problem. What's your problem today? That's that's one that can be asked of the council, but the council needs to be available, and the citizens need to approach the council at the meeting tonight. What
Open original video (seek to 1:07:51)Perry McCowan · 1:09:24
I do, I go throughout the whole city. I go to all the restaurants, events, going to a church event down here in the marketplace the other day. Talk to people, listen to people. I go to where they are, but I don't care if they smoking or whatever you know. I just sit there and listen to them. That's what I. I go where the people are, and I listen to them. And I give them an alternative. Some of them, unfortunately, have committed crimes, felons. I said, "Well, we let's let's get something for them. Let them learn a trade and start a whole business. Get educated in another direction. Some of them, some of them can't go. Some of them can't do certain things, and some of them just like nobody is concerned about. And I know some of you all here know what I'm talking about. And if we don't go and talk to them where they are, I will not put anybody down. I used to go to the prisons, all the prisons in the whole state of Tennessee, and talk with the harder. My brother met him in the January, and told him he can be born again. And you know what? Before he passed away, he said, "I'm a born again Christian. That's where we got to get to to help people and stop putting me there for where they are. Thank you.
Open original video (seek to 1:09:24)Rob Lewis · 1:11:34
Question again was: How are you going to connect with input from citizens of Athens who are struggling.
Open original video (seek to 1:11:34)Lou Pasquarella · 1:11:42
So I think I'm going to piggyback a little bit off what Abby said. She goes to football games. I think it's in the last couple years. We spent a decade plus building football games because all of our kids went through things. My point is, whether it's there, I serve on the gray South Florida. That is not the same group of people who go to the high school football game. By the way, not even close. So you got to be visible. You got to listen. Social media issues. I was told that as I started on my campaign, and I don't know, but I got some people to help me get some social media out there. So to me, how are you going to help the cause? You got to listen. You got to be visible. Social media. The people that go to Grace House, even they have social media, believe it or not. But those are what I will do to connect. Thank you.
Open original video (seek to 1:11:42)Robert Patrick · 1:12:57
Like I said, I talk to a lot of people connected. I go to a group called Celebrate Recovery here in Athens. That's the people the first half of the payment. And one man that I know, not been out of prison very long, and he went to Gabriel Lay and was born again, and completely changed his life. Baptized. He's one of the leaders. He's already cooking now, and he couldn't get a job in the plant because being a fellow, he waited like two more years. But he's worked in a restaurant, working a lot of overtime, like 60 hours a week-not 60 hours overtime, but 60 hours total in a very busy place. He is doing good, but we have to reach people. There was somebody that had a book after Jesus passed. Well, how we gonna help these homeless people? We gonna tell them how they can be changed, how they can be transformed. We can communicate and talk to them and help them. Like I said, not all homeless people, drug addicts, or mental mentally ill. There's a lot of people down below us, but they have to realize they're local to them. They can receive help, and all they've got to do is reach out. There's a lot of resources here in Atlanta. Tell them people. There's a shower bus. There's a woman's center. There's where people are fed about three times a week. There are places where they can get food. You know, food banks. There's help. So, what do we do? We help people. We talk to people. We communicate. That's all we can do. Be a helping hand.
Open original video (seek to 1:12:57)Chris Trew · 1:15:01
I am not going to repeat the obvious answer, which we've all said, which is being more accessible to folks. I want to approach the question in a different way, because struggling can be a broad, broad, broad question or broad, broad area, and there are more people struggling than just the homeless, and our community is more than just homeless. Which we've had two questions that have been addressed here. Our community involves business owners. Our community involves individuals. Our community involves communities. Our average community used to be, I'll use the word segregated. We've got Hillside area, we've got Cook Park area, we've got City Park area, we've got Miller City area, and all these people want to be able to connect. All these different areas want to be able to connect with council because all have their own goals and things that they would like to see happen. These communities, I'll use the word, they're struggling with their identity because they they don't have as many things as they used to. Everybody used to have a pool. Everybody used to have other things, but now we're all concentrated out of the regional park. And I'm not saying that's a bad idea, but to answer your question about connectivity, the council at times has gone out of this community, and I think the council will get back to that. Tell North City we're going to be out there a certain day. Tell Cook Park we'll be there on a certain day. Give them a microphone and let these people talk instead of the council people talking, letting people in these different areas who want to address council have the ability to do that, other than a public meeting up at City Hall, maybe when we get more issues raised in that manner, go out into the community. I'm willing to do that. I'm sure others are as well. Put a microphone in their hands and see what their needs are, and that's how they connect.
Open original video (seek to 1:15:01)Rob Lewis · 1:17:12
Thank you very much for all of those five responses. These were the questions that we had prepared ahead of time, and now we have some time left. We want to address some of the questions that came up from the community. So, but before we do that, we have one question that we want to ask from the entire panel. You want to go with the question there? Okay. I was trying to get to the real good question beforehand. Just trying to go with this one. a question that came from a community, and we want to have each one of you respond to it in the same amount of time that we've been around so far. The former city manager stated that there were funds available In 2025, when this project was proposed last year, the former city manager stated there was funds available. When the motion was made by a councilman in favor of moving forward, the current city manager, city council member, silenced the motion not once but several times. The question is: If you're elected, will you be committed to supporting and voting for a properly planned water feature at Cook Park? I'm just trying to figure out how we want to have because we always care. We want to do something before we start missing. That's okay. That's fine. So let me let me state that again. Last year, in 2025, a former city manager stated that there were funds available for a project that was proposed. When the motion was made, there was a councilman who was in favor of it, but moving forward, the current current city council member silenced him. Not once, but several times. The question at hand is: If you're elected, will you be committed to supporting and voting for a properly planned water feature at Cook Park.
Open original video (seek to 1:17:12)Chris Trew · 1:19:28
I have discussed this issue with Miss Landry, and I don't know she's the one that prompted that question. But I would answer it this way, in the same way that I tried to explain to her. I'm not familiar with the motion that was made. I don't know what happened at that city council meeting. I don't know what plans had been reviewed, what plans had been introduced, what the costs were. But with any project, including the water feature at Cook Park. Or North City, just to change a little bit, like a community center with basketball courts. All of these different areas want different things, and I will be committed to my own council to listen to whatever these needs are, have it appropriately studied by the folks with the city, that that's their job to do. Give me the benefits. Give me the expenses. Give me the pros. Give me the cons, so that I can make an educated decision. I'll tell you, like I told men when she asked me about this, I can't motivate anything, and I'm not going to commit. I'm not going to tell anybody I'm going to vote on something until I know the nuts and bolts of it. What it is, the benefits, the expenses, the costs, and not just the building, but how are you going to continue to operate it? We've got a fire hall that was built, and it's paid. It's going to be paid for $7 million, but to operate it's going to be $800,000 a year, and this whoever's on this next city council wants to figure out how to find that $800,000. So to say, sitting up here today, that I would support any project, I can't do that without knowing the nuts and bolts of it, but I certainly would listen to this man and anybody else that wants to bring to the council a water park picture at City Park and give it my best consideration. If it's the best image of that area and the city as a whole, and we can afford it and we can continue to operate, I certainly think that I
Open original video (seek to 1:19:28)Robert Patrick · 1:21:56
don't know how much rooms there, room enough, or water, whatever they need, you know, floor or splash pad or whatever. But I've had people complain about. I've heard people talk about like Cook Park. They need a better lighting system. You know, lights, fire lighting, people's windows. It's not real good. Like I said a while ago, it's the little things that make a difference. A lady approached me a few weeks ago talking about us on Hammer Hill Road. There was an old water tank. She said it's an odd floor. These people tore down the paint. Let's make Athens. Athens is a friendly city. Let's make it a more friendly city. Other city hall used to be a picture of a black man and white man shaking hands. That was was removed a few years ago, and the little things that make the difference. Little things that we can Do the parks cost money, but people cost money to take care of priorities have to be in a certain position. The homeless people may need more help than a water park. The water, you know, fast past time, and God help all people do everything to be unfailable.
Open original video (seek to 1:21:56)Lou Pasquarella · 1:23:45
I got two things that you were asking. One is if there's a budgeted amount, and there was a motion. Did that even get you said it outside? I'm not familiar with it. The point being is, I think, I think I know that professional decorum needs to come back into that council room. That is a must, and I think listening and understanding what those needs are, whether it's a water feature there, as mr. True said, there's different pockets in this community that would like the playground could be some other need, but I think there's an underlying issue here with the amount that was for the approval that was already done and how it was handled in council. That to me is how how council handles themselves. So I came here with mr. True. You got to know the details. So whatever it is, if it isn't water, what a feature is installed or a playground, got to know the benefits, pros and cons. And to the point that was made by fireball, $800,000 is a chump change when it comes to being able to fund that. That's a lot of money. Do the math. That 14,000 people. That's a lot of lot of per head. So that's all I have. Thank you.
Open original video (seek to 1:23:45)Perry McCowan · 1:25:24
I have addressed this issue before, and I made a motion for that we could park in and cook and get better lighting and cook. So I'm I'm focused on getting this done now, looks like it. It probably won't be done until after the election to get voted in. I mean, all the fundamentals and everything working out, and then and they're getting all that set. So I want to put first things first, and I'm talking to citizens as far as splash pad. I want the citizens to agree on. We the council has to listen to the citizens. The majority of the citizens of what they want, and I understand, and I've had this conversation, and that that's what this individual wants. But I want to listen to the citizens, the majority, because we got a lot of things going on in the city, and we only have so much budget. Okay, we don't have so much money. Okay, and as I said earlier, I don't want to increase taxes on anybody. So we got a lot of things going on. Let's put first things first. Let's get this done. Get let's get this apartment done and cook. Let's get this lighting done and cook. I don't want big old globe lights flying around in people's windows and things. Let's make it look nice that when you look back and look at it, you can feel proud of it. So let's get first names first, and then we can see where the funds are. Thank you. I have
Open original video (seek to 1:25:24)Tom Hamilton · 1:27:29
no idea how much it got the flashbed and water mixture. None that you understand how. certainly entertain studying that. We've got a lot of things that need to be studied. I would put that on the list at this point. I don't think anybody is going to commit to stand up here at this forum and commit to. put a water feature that couldn't work from anywhere else. That issue these deserves to be discussed, pluses and minuses that need to be looked at. I agree with where she did, but. We need to look at it, but that's step one. It's not not time to commit it to something like that.
Open original video (seek to 1:27:29)Larry Eaton · 1:28:44
I'll let everybody know. I was one in the bloody moment, and the reason why I was with the NAACP, the former president, and I think Miss Lloyd, I think he was he made maybe the former president and a few other NAACP members went with me to Cook Park. They told me specifically they wanted to do away with you. Splash Pat, we needed parking. The NAACP told me personally they wanted parking before they did anything. That's the first thing that I was told by the NAACP when I went to Good Park, so that's number one. Number two, as far as the lighting, all the lighting is needed. It just needed to be readjusted. I personally, my company actually donated all of the basketball lights, and I never, I don't ever tell this to a lot of people because I like keeping it private. But we have done so much work at that that park. It's amazing. Over I think it's 1.6 million dollars in taxpayer money that we have raised up. And what a lot of people don't understand was they were actually going to take the. Old cooking mechanisms from the regional park and put it at Cook's Park and put the need down at the regional park and me and I know the former vice board of mayor and a few others stopped it and we we made sure that Cook Park was taken care of. The last four years, we've done a lot of work for Good Park. Here's the problem, ladies and gentlemen: we have another park that's not even touched. We have to look at everything and make sure that we're doing everything correctly. Knox Park Powers didn't be in touch; it needs to be redone. But as far as far as Coon Park, the NWCP told me themselves they wanted parking, and that's $400,000. It's in the it's in the it's in the work session this this month. The the the budget is not approved; it has to wait until we we can find money for it. But the
Open original video (seek to 1:28:44)Abby Carrol · 1:31:14
So I think this is a great question because we are currently in a very unique situation. The state of Tennessee has just implemented a requirement for a master parks plan, and a lot of you were actually at that meeting before you came here that was being held out of the regional park. What that plan says is we have to account for every park owned by the city of Athens, and there's probably more than you realize. There's a lot of them that are parks that are formed what you've used to think of as a park, but this park plan has to account for all of them and create a plan to build them up in a way that makes sense individually for each of them. And I can't commit to you that I'm going to say yes to a water feature at the park. I don't know, as many of us say, I don't know the cost of this flash pad, and I don't know what's that bank account that set aside for it, but the commitment I will make is that I'm going to do exactly what I said in campaign number five on my website, another champion's plug, which is that when we look at how we're going to spend the city's money, we are going to do so not based on politics and not based on friendship. We are going to examine with data, with science and engineering and math, where we have been spending money and where we have neglected, what that goes to what areas of our community, which of our government departments, all of those things we need to look at and say where have we not been going because funding something in one park is not a privilege to fund something in another park. The needs for the Newport City is a walking trail would be a great first place because there is nothing to park. Maybe it's a water feature, regional park. It might be a convention center. They're all in different places, and we have to meet them where we are while acknowledging that they're starting from somewhere different, and so I can't promise you what I would commit to, but I can promise you that I will base it on science and budgeting and good financial skills to be equitable to our entire community and make sure that everybody gets receiving attention and everybody is getting their hair share. Thank you.
Open original video (seek to 1:31:14)Rob Lewis · 1:33:25
All right. Here's my last question, or second to the last question, depending on how the responses come in. But this one, I wonder how you, in terms of as a city council, the issue has come up time and time again about negative politics, negative. behavior, if you will. Given the negativity with regards to the city council over the city manager issue, how will you deal with that negativity? Number one, and then number two, how will you find and retain the active worker to retain a qualified city manager? And in this case, pop up just like Jack and Monts. Fill
Open original video (seek to 1:33:25)Chris Trew · 1:34:16
in.
Open original video (seek to 1:34:16)Speaker 2 · 1:34:20
One
Open original video (seek to 1:34:20)Chris Trew · 1:34:27
of the reasons, not the whole reason, that I decided to run for city council is because of the negativity, the lack of civility, the lack of professionalism that has been exhibited at City Council not for two years, but this goes back several years, and I think that with my background, my experience, my institutional knowledge that I have been sitting back, so I can guess away. I can talk to anybody. I can listen to anybody. I can reason with people and be civil, while at the same time standing up to what I believe needs to be the way the city council is running. And what was the best? The biggest part was finding the city manager and retaining retaining. Well, I will say that to all of you here and anybody listening, one of the most important decisions that this city council is going to make is the hiring of the city manager. We need a city manager that will leave this city not for one year, two years will continue. We've had some city managers that have stayed that length of time, and they have retired, and they've been good city managers. So that is certainly, to me, one of the more important things that the city council has to do. That the candidates need to be vetted, and I think that I saw this when I was working with Tennessee Westman. Whenever the candidates are gotten down to two or three, send somebody in that community to talk to that community, talk to the chain of commerce, talk to the biggest leaders in that community about character and how that person has led. going to second a lot of what mr.
Open original video (seek to 1:34:27)Abby Carrol · 1:36:35
Trude said, which is a lot of life experience teaches you how to deal with people who might be difficult. We have one of the few jobs where you might argue with someone all day, and then someone literally signs a piece of paper saying you win and you lose. And that does one of two things to people: you either learn how to be a good competitor in a good sport, or you turn to someone no one wants to work with? This job makes us uniquely qualified to do this because city council is largely the same. You have disagreements, you have a difference of opinion, and at the end of it, that is still your neighbor, that is still your colleague, and that is still someone you want to treat with respect. And you know this is the South. I can't control what anyone else is going to do, but my mom always raises me. Bless your heart, goes a long way, and then just move on, and that can solve a lot of problems that we currently have. When it comes to doing finding a new city manager, I think the number one key that our upcoming city council needs to remember is patience. We have lost a lot of the respect of people who have watched some of these incidents. I hate to say that, but it is true. We need to prove to ourselves, to our community, and to anyone who wants to work for us that we are a good employer to work for, that we are stable, that we are willing to invest where we need to invest, and that we are willing to do what it takes to recruit and retain the right person. We have a dinner in place. Patient is probably our best friend in this scenario. We don't have to hire somebody in December. We have time to stabilize, to have a long-term search for a quality candidate who has the right connections to want to invest in us and to make a commitment to invest in them. And that's how we get a city manager who will stand here and be a true patient. Thank you.
Open original video (seek to 1:36:35)Perry McCowan · 1:38:55
I'll say this, and I can't talk a whole lot about the dealership. I would say this. I think we're in good shape with our intern right now, and I'm happy that she's here. She's getting to go on vacation, and she needs vacation. And so I am pleased where we are right now, and I'm looking forward. Like I said in my last, I said this first for a reason. Well, you know, when you jump it over, right now, get together and learn how to get it back. Yeah. So this is the reason why I read this at the beginning. Let's not fear the future. Let's shake it. We're shaping our future right now. Forget about the past. If you stay in the past, that's your paradigm, and we're going to be stuck. Let's move forward. We can't do anything about the past at this point, citizens of Athens, let's move forward. Okay, that's the only thing I want to tell you right now. It's a bright. We are the hub sea. There are big things that get really happening in this city, and if we forget about you, will always have these shortcomings. But then you just gotta let it go away, so you can move forward. And that's all I want to say with Citizen Madden. Let's go. Let's roll. I'm going to
Open original video (seek to 1:38:55)Lou Pasquarella · 1:41:10
spend a lot of time in boardrooms. Negativity doesn't have to be tolerated, and those that are sitting around the five members that are sitting there, whoever those five may be, it takes professionalism and an effort to not go down into the hole and follow other people down the negative path. You can't change the past, but what we can do is shape the future, as we already said. But the negativity, to me, goes away by the other people that you sit with, the actions, and how you conduct yourself. So I would like to think that that's what I like to think. This is one of the reasons I'm running is to hopefully be a positive light and a positive student council, and to get rid of the negatives. Secondly, city manager concurs arguably one of the top two or three things, if not the top thing, that the council has to do is hire, fire, review, cultivate, challenge the city manager. Turnover is very different today than the employment rule. It doesn't matter if you're a city manager. Doesn't matter if you work; they're broker jobs. Just have to go to the Fred. It's turnovers is out there. It's people don't stay 30 and 40 years. I've been the chair of the pension committee for 28 years, and we froze that quite a while ago for a reason. People do leave. They didn't have a chance to get vested, but a 401 came forward. So, city manager is high on the list, setting the strategic direction and a positive attitude. That's what I'm doing. Thank you.
Open original video (seek to 1:41:10)Robert Patrick · 1:43:26
My question is: Why do we have a city manager? Why couldn't we go to a system like the county has that elected county mayor? Why couldn't we go to that system or the county? city mayor, the administrator would be subject to the votes, where they could be voted out or voted in. That's what I propose.
Open original video (seek to 1:43:26)Tom Hamilton · 1:44:07
I didn't really choose to do this running for city council. My wife would tell you that I was on and I was off. I've been asked 1000 times what are we going to do about this council? I can't believe that I could go to the city council meeting and hear one councilman say to the other councilman, "You're a liar. That stuff's got to stop. We've got to be civil, courteous to one another. I think I can be courteous to anybody out there, whether I like it or not, whether I think you're telling me an untruth or not. I'm not going to call them a liar. As far as the city manager is concerned, city council has three employees: city guard, city attorney, city judge, and city manager. All the other employees are employees of management, not the council. If you look at the organizational chart, there's no line between counsel to any department, any employee other than those three I mentioned. It's vital that we hire a city manager who's not going to learn on on the job. We don't need a PJ. We need people who know what they're doing when they come to this position. I think Miss Roberts has done an admirable job coming into the situation she was presenting, and she may very well be the candidate that the council eventually needs to hire. We need to do this in a responsible, slow, methodical way.
Open original video (seek to 1:44:07)Larry Eaton · 1:46:25
Ladies and gentlemen, I agree that negatively has been out without just crazy. I've been attacked more than anybody during the city council meetings, the emails, and everything else. But I've stood strong for our city. We've got right now something that each one of you voters need to really, really concentrate on. We have a city manager we need to hire, and also we have a city attorney that we're going to have. There's a lot of legality issues coming up that we're going to have to have a very strong firm take over, and also the new city manager. And ladies and gentlemen, it's going to be rough for a new city council even being positive to find a to find the next city manager because a lot of negativity through the through the years. But standing strong with a new city council, if I'm elected in, I I think the positivity will hold ground on what we have had in the last in the last few years. And moving forward, we can have the city in the right positive direction that it needs to be. We have, like I said, we have an extremely positive growth that is coming. That's already here, waiting for for our planning mission, our codes, and our public works start to start putting everything together for us. So there's a lot of great opportunities that we that citizens do not look yet that is very positive for our city. And moving forward, we're going to have to have a positive city council that's going to find the right city manager and also right attorneys to help us out with all these leadership. Thank you very
Open original video (seek to 1:46:25)Rob Lewis · 1:48:33
much. We've heard a lot this evening, and I want to thank all of the city council candidates for their remarks. There were so many other questions that were pending. Of course, time is not for goodness to go to the law. But one of the things that we heard as a current theme that everybody seems to agree on is that there's a lot of negativity has to be addressed, and there are issues that are specific issues, park related, and things like that. Projects that require a little more study. I think that was kind of the census of the group. So, what we wanted to do, and I think we've achieved it tonight, is to get a sense of what our candidates think, where they where they stand on certain issues, and how they feel about serving. And I think we achieved that tonight. So I want to again thank you for your time, thank you for your candor, thank you for your insight, and your good people desire to serve. So on behalf of the the everybody here tonight, and those who came out, those who provided questions remotely, those who are viewing via the live stream, we'll probably get some questions that we'll post on the website at a later date. But I think we achieve what we've achieved. So let's thank God every. We've heard kind of let it ruminate for a while, but we've got time to come back and digest some of these things a little bit further, and we're hoping to have some further discussions at some point. And Dr. Waters is looking at me. Can I get the fifth to say something? So I want to give the
Open original video (seek to 1:48:33)Patricia Waters · 1:50:20
right to say thank you to the school board candidates, to our school. Early voting begins next Wednesday. Yes. Yes. The most important thing you can do is to vote. Second most important thing you can do is to come to your community and speak to the candidates, speak to the candidates, have conversations, and genuinely engage, and then share those engagements with others. We have a great community. We need the civility that we have built over the years amongst all of us, so let's share that stability and let's share our concerns, and then remember we all need each other. Thank
Open original video (seek to 1:50:20)Chris Trew · 1:51:15
you. Respect their names. Respect their
Open original video (seek to 1:51:15)Speaker 2 · 1:51:21
names. I brought you. Yes. What are you doing to this? You know, negativity.
Open original video (seek to 1:51:21)