Mayoral forum, part 3

Now we're getting some questions. First up are the ones they knew were coming down the pike.

Q - economic development?
Republican Ken Johnson said he'll conduct a civil campaign. He said Art Ward is a friend and he thanked him for his support during recent trying times.
Johnson said the forums are "a chance to differentiate" the candidates.
"I have a wealth of experience" with economic development, Johnson said, after 21 years with CL&P and as a real estate agent. He served as a consultant to the BDA....
He forgot to turn on his microphone so some here couldn't hear him.
Now he's talking... and the microphone is off again.
While working for CL&P, he said, he helped deliver the prospective new owners of the old GM plant in the snow and brought them to Bristol to see the plant. He said he has 25 years of experience in marketing.
"We need to increase the tax base," Johnson said.
He said the BDDC needs to move aggressively "to get the downtown parcel back into the hands of a private developer" as quickly as possible.
Johnson said the BDA should market and promote the new industrial park.
As a city, he said, "we need to define ourselves" for marketing. He said the city needs to consider itself "an urban center" and define itself so that surrounding towns think of Bristol as "the city."
"I know that we can do a lot in this area," Johnson said.
"If the politicians cannot demonstrate fiscal restraint, I will," Johnson said. He said if they won't then he'll push for referenda to do the job.
Ward said those watching "will get a view of the candidates" that will assist voting on Nov. 6.
He said the basis of his campaign is setting priorities and fiscal restraint. He said getting the mall into private hands is crucial.
"We need to couple together the center mall and Route 72," Ward said.
"We need to increase our Grand List," he said. We must have the industrial park developed quickly, he said.
"A lot has slipped through our fingers" by failing to utilize the BDA the past two years, Ward said.
He also called on the city to work hand in hand with state and federal officials.

RED SOX 4, Angels 0. Top of the 4th.

Q: Downtown?
Ward said the city need to use code enforcement "to the hilt" to crack down on crummy landlords. He said safety is crucial downtown.
He said the city has "a base" with several complexes for older residents.
Ward said the city needs to pay attention to details on the mall revitalization.
Johnson said that as mayor he would ask BDDC - the corporation formed to oversee the mall site -- should "move aggressively" to get the site back on the tax rolls. Whether the city should have bought the mall and formed the BDDC should not be debated, he said.
Johnson said the FOI complaint could undo what's been done. He called for the complaint's withdrawal "so that Bristol can move forward."
He called for optimizing police presence and more code enforcement. But, he warned, people shouldn't paint landlords "with too broad a brush." He said there are plenty of good landlords.
"We need to involve the landlords in the process," Johnson said, to help make West End, Federal Hill and downtown better.

Last prepared Q: Schools?
Johnson said that "we have success" with the school system that has "very talented" graduates and excellent teachers. He is naming some of the bright young people who are working for him.
He said, though, the first question he gets from real estate buyers is about the schools. "We are clearly not going a good enough job" marketing our schools, he said.
JOhnson said O'Connell adn Bingham "must go" and both the Boulevard and Greene-Hills "have seen better days."
New schools are needed. But the 900-student schools proposed "hasn't been sold to the public and if it hasn't been sold to the public, it hasn't been sold to me."
Johnson said the school board hasn't done a good job of selling the idea. He said the Roberts property site is "the wrong idea" from any perspective for a school.
"We need a West End solution for the West End,"Johnson said.
Ward said he has grandchildren in the schools. He said teachers and the curriculum is key.
"We need to stimulate our students" to excel, Ward said.
As for a K-8 school, he agrees "that it has not been sold to the public. The communication on these projects leave a lot to be desired."
Ward said the projects need more input and more hearings. He said the questions have to be addressed.
Ward said much of the concern is switching back to K-8.
The school board has good, hard-working people, but its communications "have to change."
He said public participation at school board sessions ought to be at the start of meetings. He said the school superintendent should address Joint Board meetings every three months.




*******
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com