Ken Johnson said his position on the K-8 schools "is not yet fully formulated."
"I need more information," he said, and the school board need to give information to the public. He said elected leaders need "to reach out to you" so the public understands.
"The school board has done a lousy job of communicating," Johnson said. He said they should have as many hearing as it takes and to find other ways, too.
It is up to the government to tell you what it's doing and why, he said.
He said an appointed school board would do better.
Art Ward said a better dialogue between the school board and public would help.
With new ideas, he said, "we can move forward."
Q - investigate police command structure?
Ward said officials need to determine "if there's a bonafide reason" that would serve the police and public, then yes. But a lot of us "are very quick" to suggest studies such as this, Ward said.
Johnson said he is not in favor of bringing in an outside entity to review the issue. Instead, he said, the city should bring together a diverse group to look into it. If there is a need, it should involve peer review, an individual's superior, union representation, management representation, an elected official and the public, then it would work. He said people want to see that we're making "good, sound decisions."
He said a panel could be created to do it.
Q - Negotiating contracts?
Ken Johnson said he's been negotiating contracts his entire life. He said he's heard that the choice is experience versus new ideas. But, he said, he has experience, too.
As a real estate broker and utility executive, he negotiated contracts, Johnson said.
Ward said in his 14 years on the council, he's sat on many negotiating contracts. He said he was also in business for himself for 11 years, which helps.
He said that a mayor also gets support from a personnel director and department heads. A mayor should utilize that assistance, he said.
Q - taxes? privatizing public works functions?
"Absolutely not," Ward said. He said government has a responsibility to provide certain services. He said that the services public works provides are far-reaching. If you sell off equipment and get rid of the personnel then the city "is at the mercy" of the private contractor.
To go back, he said, would mean starting all over again with costly equipment.
Johnson said, "Why would anyone say no to exploring something like that? I would consider it my duty to explore any and all options to maximize efficiency in government."
He said that watching carefully is key to holding down spending.
However, Johnson said, one of the first orders of business he would do is to reimplement a municipal employee committee that would look into efficiency ideas. They know where to find "the efficiencies."
Still 4-0. Now in the bottom of the 8th.
Q: referenda on big ticket items like school plans?
Johnson said he supports holding a referendum on big projects. He said he understands it's controversial, but most of the difficulty comes from politicians.
"It's your pocketbook," Johnson said. If people don't want to pay, then it's no.
Johnson said that any time the city spends $10 million or more there ought to be a public vote. But instead, he might prefer to tie it to percentage of operating budget.
On the school plan, we need a lot more information.
Ward said he was early proponent of referendum. He called the school project a major reason for doing so.
Ward said he's talked to CCM about getting information for charter commissioners. He said he committee needs to explore when it should be done.
He wants a recommendation from the commission for the public.
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Copyright 2007. All rights reserved.
Contact Steve Collins at scollins@bristolpress.com
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