Campaign 2022: Here’s a look at the candidates for Fairmont City Council | Local News | #citycouncil

FAIRMONT — Early voting ends at 5 p.m. today throughout West Virginia as voters prepare to head to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 8. The Times West Virginian asked the local, county and state candidates three questions — 1.)What is your current occupation and why should voters choose you for this political office? 2.)What is the biggest challenge facing Fairmont and, if elected, how do you plan to address it? 3.)If elected, what are the first three initiatives you would execute? Here are their answers in their words. Fairmont City Council District 1 Josh Rice: 1. I have been employed for 10 years as a Union Steelworker at Novelis aluminum plant in Fairmont. I have also served on Fairmont City Council for the past four years. Voters should choose me to continue to serve on council because I’ve proven that I am experienced and accessible to all city residents having their collective interests at heart. I’ve already helped to pass many initiatives to better our wonderful city and want to continue to do so.

2. A major issue facing the city is drug use and drug trafficking. I myself battled with addiction as a young adult and I wish I knew how to save every addict. Addiction is a very tough road to travel for each and every person suffering from it. I would like to work with law enforcement officials, local social service agencies, and health care providers to make sure we’re doing everything we can to keep drugs off the street and have viable treatment programs readily available. 3. I’d like to see a new skate park rebuilt in the downtown area to accommodate skateboards, scooters, rollerblades, and wheelchairs. I’d like to lay groundwork to establish a project for replacement of sidewalks being in the immediate downtown area and branch out through city limits. Finally, I’d like to really evaluate and improve upon our relationships with Marion County, FSU, the Chamber of Commerce, etc. to ensure we’re doing everything we can to further educational and economic opportunities in Fairmont. Jonathan Woertz: 1. I’m a firefighter/first responder at Valley Volunteer Fire Department for 10 Years now. I’m asking for for the voters to elect me because I will work very hard for the people of Fairmont. I will be outspoken and keep the people informed about city issues and not sweep things under the rug. This current city council is not in touch with the people and that needs to change. 2. Jobs and getting people back involved with city council. I want to bring better paying jobs in the city limits of Fairmont. I believe that this current city council is so out of touch with the people of Fairmont. That has to change and get people back involved with city council. 3. 1. Getting the public informed with what’s going on with city council. 2. Roads and sidewalks, need to make sure the roads are being repaved and sidewalks being repaired. After all the people are being taxed need to make sure the tax dollars are being well spent. 3. Jobs: need to see what needs to be done to keep current business and attract new business as well with better paying jobs. Fairmont City Council District 3 Kevin S. Blaney: 1. I am currently working as a driver for WS Thomas. I work during the evenings so that I can attend college at Fairmont State University where I am finishing a bachelor’s in aviation management. Attending college as a non-traditional student has allowed me the opportunity to expand my horizons, to be more inquisitive and curious about how things work, and how improvements can be made. I have leadership skills, and management experience, and I think both of those things are necessary for this appointment.

2. For far too long, our city council has spent more time fighting amongst themselves than working for the citizens of this city. We need to bring back honesty, integrity, and a sense of purpose to the city council. The citizens deserve to be heard, and I intend to listen to their concerns, and to do my best in order to help find solutions to their issues. Whether that requires longer meetings than usual, or even special work sessions, I intend to do my part to help solve the important issues. 3. First, there are some serious issues with our city’s charter that need addressed. Currently, ordinances can either be accepted or rejected. This makes it hard to resolve issues that need to be addressed. Second, we need the opportunity to speak with and learn from city employees and department heads. Special work sessions could be a solution to this problem. Lastly, I would like to work to find solutions to the homelessness and drug issues that are becoming more common in our city. David Kennedy: 1. I should be chosen because of work experience in business management, planning, finance and design.

2. The greatest challenge to Fairmont is the rising of inflation and pricing of infrastructure goods and supplies. The lack of new businesses and having the courage to make the modifications to bring those businesses here. We need to modify our tax structure and create incentives to bring those jobs to us. 3. 1. A better communication between city and county. To have projects with a single cost. 2. Hire a professional grant writer to get us all the money…not just a crumb or too as it is now. 3. People move into a community because of schools and recreation. Work to bring those intenties to the same standards that are found in other states. David Prince: I attended West Virginia University and moved to Morgantown in the summer of 2004. In June of 2010, I started working for WVU Police as a dispatcher. During the fall of 2012, I moved back to Fairmont when my dad decided that they needed to move to Morgantown. I moved up in the department working as a shift lead after a few years and continued to move up into my current position as the Law Enforcement Systems Specialist and digital forensics examiner for WVUPD. This just means I handle Information Technology work for WVUPD on the law enforcement only systems.

I have been a homeowner in Fairmont since early 2013, when I acquired my childhood home. The house is over 120 years old, so it has its issues much like our city, and some maintenance had been deferred a bit to long. In 2020, I started the process of taking on some of the larger projects like a new roof, siding and porches. When I started the projects, I had to decide do I make these improvements to suit someone else or do I do it for me. I’ve decided that I’m staying and going to do it for me. So yes, that is a door on the second floor, I’m just not to that part of the project yet. I was an active member of the Fairmont Homebrewers Club and have helped in the past with their annual Homebrewers Against Hunger. This event raises money and food for our local food pantry. I’m a member of the West Virginia Citizens Defense League, the state’s premier Second Amendment organization, and I have attended the WVCDL Lobby Day at the Capitol. I’m a member of the Mason Dixon Rifle Club in Morgantown where I’m occasionally Safety Officer for monthly gun matches. Rebecca Moran: I am a small business owner (304 Collective and MotionWorks Wedding Films). Voters should choose me for their city council representative because I am dedicated to serving on behalf of all the residents and businesses of the city. I will work hard to ensure that Fairmont embodies the “Friendly City” motto by becoming a safer, more equitable, and friendly place for all.

I feel the biggest challenge facing Fairmont is lack of housing. Within the rental market, we do not have enough options for quality affordable housing, and we have almost no middle income rentals. Professionals looking to relocate to the area often choose to rent while establishing themselves and choosing a home to purchase, and Fairmont is losing out on attracting these families to the area. Utilizing existing city code to encourage the development of available properties would be my first step toward improving our housing landscape. My first 3 initiatives would be to first dive in and figure out why parts of our city code are not uniformly enforced, and take steps to make that happen. Primarily I hope to look at our abandoned building registry, alongside ensuring rentals are registered, as required. I also plan to follow up on great initiatives that I feel have stalled out (the Birding Center at Morris Park, other Parks developments). Third, I would explore options for having a grant writer for the city in order to secure funds for both the city and those within it. Main Street Fairmont is a fabulous partner, but they are very limited in who they can serve as defined by the Main Street area. Attaining grants through the city that could be awarded to businesses would serve a much wider segment of our local population. Laura Candell: 1. Currently I am a mortgage loan officer. In addition to my current occupation, I am actively involved in the community and want to see the City of Fairmont continue to grow and offer opportunities and activities that bring people to visit Fairmont or decide to also make Fairmont their home. 2. One of the challenges I see facing Fairmont is needing to stay relevant with what the city has to offer the residents in comparison to surrounding areas that are growing within the residential, retail, and activities areas of the community. Fairmont needs to be business friendly and go after inviting businesses to locate here in our community instead of the surrounding areas. The additional revenue, jobs, and activity in the city would be beneficial in multiple aspects. 3. If elected, I would work with the city officials to 1. have the confidence that we are a business friendly city, 2. have sidewalks that are safe and accessible for commuting throughout the city, 3. build a stronger relationship with Fairmont State University. I feel all 3 of these items work hand-in-hand. Having safe and accessible sidewalks can help promote Fairmont State University students to travel off campus and visit area businesses. Being business friendly will encourage more business to locate in the City of Fairmont and allow more revenue to come through our city and provide local shopping options for students and residents. Building a stronger relationship with FSU will allow the city to grow with the local campus and provide an atmosphere where individuals will want to attend school and settle after their schooling within the community. Fairmont City Council District 5 David Ice: 1. Independent contractor and we need a change with new people and new ideas.

2. City taxes and city service fee hikes need further review because we more senior citizens living here and are on fixed incomes and they do not need more money taken from them. They have enough to pay now why make them pay more for things that we have and try to bring something into fairmont for the kids of the future 3. Look at the budget. Look at city codes. Look at the revenue and see what we as new council can come up with. Chuck Warner: I am the owner of Chuck Warner Photography and have owned and operated in Fairmont City for over 30 years. One of my goals as a city councilman is to support the business climate of our city.

As a homeowner in the city, I understand the hardships and consequences that our misspent fees and funds bear on our city’s residents. Throughout our town we have homelessness, a drug epidemic, and a deteriorating infrastructure that we should be focusing on. We should be seeking answers from neighboring municipalities that have successfully dealt with the situation, and implement some of their ideas in our area. I would like for the citizens of Fairmont to better understand the functions and actions of the city government with a continuation and expansion of the “Fairmont 101” program. I plan to also seek input from our citizens to better understand what is most important to them in our area and use this information to the best of my abilities to implement and continue their ideas. Charles “Chuck” Hillberry: Lead police officer, U.S. Department of Justice since 2000. I believe Fairmont has been moving in the wrong direction for decades. Local government involves itself in numerous grant funded projects and nonprofit endeavors; but we have developed a reputation (whether in fact or perception) as a place that is not friendly to private sector business. We need only look north or south and see the contrasts between Clarksburg, Morgantown, and the White Hall area to Fairmont. Private sector businesses pay taxes, and create jobs based on consumer demand for their goods & services. We should try a new approach instead of doubling down on what has so far been unsuccessful.

Unchecked spending needs to end. The city created a paving fee then rather than reducing it split the fee to fund public services, the amount of money government takes from the citizen never goes down, bureaucracy always finds a way to justify the current tax burden or an increase, this to me is unacceptable. Council itself, not the executive management team needs to do a top-down review of all city departments. We need to get the city out of interfering with private business. About 10 years ago the city’s Home Rule application outlined how the city could have prevented an existing business from expanding. If your application requesting more power from the state is founded on a position of being hostile towards private business, how can Fairmont be perceived as a location for private sector growth? Council needs to govern the city, not simply approve the decisions of the municipal managers. The City’s Charter states that the authority of governing the City is vested in the Council. I believe we need a committed effort to return to that and an examination of the role of government in our lives. Fairmont City Council District 7 Nicholas “Nicky” Cinalli: 1. I have worked at the Department of Justice for the past 25 years and am currently an IT specialist and voters should choose me so that Fairmont will continue to be represented by a transparent and accountable councilman that will provide easy access to information along with a positive customer service attitude.

2. I feel that our biggest challenge is getting everyone on the same page with various issues, policies, and procedures. If elected, I will continue to learn and educate as many people that I can on these things. During my one and only year on council I have learned many of these things, but I have much more to learn. I will become more educated and work with the other councilmembers and the city manager to find a way to educate everyone on these things. 3. First off, I will continue to communicate and earn the trust of each citizen in Fairmont. Secondly, I will engage with community partners to come up with a plan to create safe and walkable neighborhoods and last but not least, I will continue to support growth and development in Fairmont. Jack Oliver: 1. I have owned and operated several businesses in Fairmont and Marion County for over 40 years. That included providing valuable services to numerous individual and business clients. I have previous experience as a council person and treasurer. During that time of service, the town built a community building, disposed of two mining gob piles, developed a ballfield and developed a housing development of approximately 35 new homes.

2. Developing a recreation center and sports museum. There is no place for young people to spend time with friends and to socialize and enjoy some recreation. The tremendously large number of individual players, teams, coaches, supporters, etc., that should have a place to depict adequate recognition to the accomplishments. There are many national champions from Fairmont. 3. Perhaps a combined effort of the City of Fairmont and the Marion. County Commission is needed to make this to happen. This concept has been the topic of discussion for years by our council. The museum could charge a fee that would support the entire facility. Fairmont City Council District 8 Bruce McDaniel: 1. I am retired and am ready to devote as much attention as necessary representing the citizens of Fairmont as a City Council member.

I have over 30 years of experience as a utility professional, a manager and working on community projects. My experience makes me uniquely qualified to professionally represent all citizens of Fairmont. 2. We need to make Fairmont better and govern with common sense. Too many every day issues are complicated with red tape. More businesses would look to move here, our citizens would have a better quality of life, and I think new residents would choose to move here if the city acted with more common sense. City Council needs go to each district regularly to see what the residents really want or need. Council then needs to act on the programs and needs that are identified. Revitalizing neighborhoods and our business districts, encouraging business development, collaboration with our public and private partners, provide excellent customer service and continuously improve the physical, social, and cultural infrastructure of our city are the keys to making Fairmont better. 3. Fairmont City Council is a nonpartisan governing body. Hold council meetings periodically in each district so citizens can participate. Secondly, take those ideas and develop a common sense plan to enhance our city. The plan should be a product of all stakeholders, citizens, strategic partners, City Council and staff. It should be a living document and remain in the forefront, but evaluated and modified as needed. Third, we need to compete for federal grants, state grants, and private investment. Citizen input made Fairmont competitive in the past and will do so in the future Only by working together can Fairmont have a balanced budget, a robust strategic plan, and enhanced physical, social and cultural infrastructure that will make Fairmont better. Shawnee Santee: 1. I am owner and artistic director of 5th St. Center for Dance, a lifelong resident of Fairmont, a mother and wife. I have watched municipalities and towns, north and south of us, grow and prosper and Fairmont remains unchanged. We continue to hinder growth and development with unfriendly codes and ordinances. We continue to focus on projects that remain either incomplete and undeveloped or not started at all. If elected, I will look at executing current plans and look at ways to enact short term, obtainable goals that will bring positive results that residents can see. I choose to be more accessible to residents and bring resolutions to their issues.

2. We have several challenges facing Fairmont. We cannot continue to over burden residents by raising rates, fees and taxes. If elected, I would look at ways to eliminate spending and find new sources of revenue. Another issue is the stormwater/flooding/paving and the combined sewage and stormwater problem. It will take a focused and engaged council willing to put hard work into planning and financing these projects. I want to see these infrastructure issues addressed immediately. 3. If elected, my focus will be on changing our Vacant Building Registry, hiring a full time dedicated grant writer and making our city council transparent, accessible and accountable to residents. Our current VBR offers no incentives or violations for property owners that continue to allow their property to be uninhabited, abandoned or condemned. We reward this behavior with free inspections, waste city resources, and offer tax incentives with an indefinite timeline. By restructuring this program, we could not only create a new revenue stream but inspire the property owner to sell or renovate their property. We can charge a fee for these properties to remain on the registry and increase that fee yearly. Eric Southern: 1. I am currently employed by the Town of Barrackville as head of the sewer maintenance department and street maintenance. I am a lifetime resident of Fairmont. As a child, I remember all the business that flourished in Fairmont including downtown, along with plenty of things for our children and family’s to occupy their time. Family and children are no longer on the agenda, nor is bringing business back to Fairmont.

2. Fairmont charges everything to its residents, and they receive nothing in return. They have to pay for parking downtown, where many small businesses are trying to survive. I have seen many smaller restaurants and businesses in downtown leave or just shut down, because they can’t make it. Most all businesses that move into Marion County are not wanting to move into the City of Fairmont. Why? That is the million dollar question. This is one of many items I would like to see on the agenda. 3. We have many Fairmont residents on fixed incomes, along with many others working at minimum wage jobs. This to me is an issue when Fairmont raises water, sewage and stormwater rates. Along with street paving fees still on the books – among other issues that plague Fairmont that I would like to address if elected. Working for a small municipality, I understand what it takes to run and operate a town on a budget, that is nowhere near the size of Fairmont‘s budget. If elected to Fairmont city council these are just some of the issues, I would like to discuss and have some public Input on. Remember I am only one voice, it takes a majority vote to get anything done. So think about this when you are voting. Thank you for your time. Theresa Markley: 1. I am the owner/operator of Tender Mercies, a three-bed in home assisted living facility here in Fairmont. The people who’ve known me for a long time say they are voting for me because they believe me to be honest and a person of integrity. That I care about others. They believe I’m willing to learn and then take that knowledge and use it for the betterment of those I would be in service to. And they absolutely know that I am passionate about and love this nation. For me, being elected to city council would be one of the ways in which I can truly serve my country.

2. I feel one of the major challenges we face as a community is that of caring for our homeless and addicted. The forgotten. But it is my firm conviction that for every challenge there is a working solution with ongoing benefits for the whole community long term. There are great success stories in other communities with these same concerns. So I plan to see how these successes can be initiated and implemented here in Fairmont. With a vision and the fortitude to see it through, the stories belonging to other communities can be ours as well. 3. I plan to begin looking into policies that are currently affecting the people of Fairmont in an unproductive or negative way. Changes could then be made in order to correct possible wrongs with regard to certain decisions that are proving to be of no benefit or even problematic to ‘we the people.’ I would like to end by saying that if I’m fortunate enough to be elected I would like the people to know they truly have a voice and that I will be listening if they choose to speak. Fairmont City Council District 9 Donna Blood: 1. I am employed as a social worker at the Marion County Child Advocacy Center, where I work closely with law enforcement, Child Protective Services, and the Prosecutor’s office, advocating for child victims of abuse to provide them with healing and justice. I have served as a City Council Member for the last four years. I have worked to make Fairmont a better place for all our residents, and if re-elected, I will continue to work within the city’s budget to make Fairmont the best place to own a business, live, work, go to school, play, and raise a family.

2. Growth and new housing are real challenges in Fairmont. I will continue to focus on attracting and recruiting new businesses while supporting and maintaining current businesses in Fairmont. To do this, the city must extend its relationship with the County, Chamber of Commerce, Marion County Regional Development Corp., Mainstreet Fairmont, Fairmont State University, and the Convention and Visitor Bureau of Marion County. Revitalizing our downtown is crucial to this goal, as well as having recreational opportunities for our residents and prospective residents. 3. A. Build new market-rate and affordable housing and continue the demolition of blighted buildings. These efforts together would boost the city’s tax roll while fulfilling the ability to attract new residents and businesses. B. Expand beautification efforts in the downtown and the surrounding area, including all of Fairmont Ave. Add additional trash cans to ease the litter on the sidewalks and streets. Fairmont has made progress in this effort and needs to continue. C. Complete the connection of the rails to the trails through Fairmont. Our city is one of a few that has broken links in the Pittsburgh to Parkersburg trail system. Kandi Nuzum: 1. I am a retired registered nurse. I wanted to be a nurse because I wanted to help and serve people. As a city councilwoman I desire to serve the people as well. I believe a city councilperson is to be a servant to the people and that is want I desire to do, serve my city.

2. We need to fix our image in the eyes of the citizens and outsiders first thing by creating a positive image of our city for those who live here or for those who may be looking to relocate here. Council members should respect other council members opinions and the public’s opinions by how we respond to each other and to the community whether in a council meeting or out in the public. 3. 1. Create a committee to look at the Fairmont City Charter and make updates as needed. The City Charter was approved by the voters on August 17, 1976, when the current form of government was adopted. There have been a couple changes in the last 2 years only. 2. Have monthly work sessions to be open to the public to discuss upcoming ordinances and issues to give council a say in how ordinances are created and worded, rather than simply voting on what is placed before the body with no input on the creation of the ordinance. As it is now the city council does not know what ordinances are being proposed until 5 days before the council meeting when the agenda is posted on the city’s website. 3. Work with the police department giving them all the necessary resources and manpower to eliminate the drug problem & homelessness. I would like for city council, provide resources to the organizations that already have systems established dealing with these problems.

Hillberry