FOX 34 News and the Chamber of Commerce are hosting forums for the three contested City Council seats in the May 7th election.
Current District 1 Councilman Victor Hernandez is vacating his seat for a mayoral run. Hernandez's term was not completed, meaning the candidate who wins this special election on May 7 will only serve until 2018, rather than the regular four-year term. Four council hopefuls filed for the special election; Ben Medina, Juan Chadis, Frank Gutierrez and Tristan Ramirez.
Medina has lived in District 1 for 40 years. He currently works at Covenant Medical Center.
"I am familiar with working with government agencies and and with the general population as a whole," Medina said. "I think that experience will serve me well on council."
Chadis was born and raised in district one. He is currently retired.
"Before retirement, I worked with County Mental Health and Retardation for 10 years, managing a $2.5 million contract," Chadis said, explaining his qualifications.
Lifelong District 1 resident Frank Gutierrez is an army veteran, a Texas Tech alum and represented most of District 1 as a county commissioner.
"I bring to the table of the City Council, not only experience, but some endorsements from some business groups in the community," Gutierrez said.
Ramirez declined to participate in Monday's forum. He is a 21-year old team member at Whataburger and has been a Lubbock resident for one to two years.
District 1 encompasses north and east parts of Lubbock, including the downtown area. Growth in rooftops and businesses are particularly slow in this area. The candidates discussed the appropriate policies to handle such slow growth.
"Get some basic beautification going in the neighborhoods to make the area more attractive to potential home buyer," Medina said. "Do what I could as an individual office holder to grease the wheels of government, if you will, help folks get the necessary permits and maybe even council could look into tax incentives."
"I'll be in a position to visit with them and establish a dialogue to see how we can find and create new ideas," Gutierrez said. "We're going to work on that issue and we're going to find ways to make affordable housing more of a reality than a dream."
"You hear about the beautification of the downtown are and, for some reason, the neighborhoods adjoining the downtown area are blighted," Chadis said. "We need to start holding these absentee landlords accountable for it."
The candidates traveled back in time to the new year and that historic Lubbock blizzard. The gave their opinions on how city government should have handled it more effectively.
"Problem being communication from the top all way down to the City Council," Chadis said. "It goes to my safety background, being proactive instead of reactive."
"Inter-local agreements as to when and if it happens, that all available equipment is out clearing the streets so that the public can have access to schools and to their working environments," Gutierrez said.
"It would have been appropriate for the city to, instead of wringing it hands as to the lack of equipment, they should have done, as many of the businesses in town did and hire private contractors," Medina said. "I would hesitate to invest funds in equipment that would be used very rarely."
The candidates also offered up ways to combat the crime rate city-wide.
"If you increase the number of people employed, you will reduce the crime rate," Medina said. "There's the old saying that idle hands are the devil's tools and an idle mind is the devil's workshop."
"Having the police substations and increasing police visibility would be definitely a step in the right direction," Chadis said.
"We have to reach out to the different sectors of the community and educate the public on the roles of law enforcement and the personal responsibility that is involved at all levels," Gutierrez said.
Early voting begins April 25. Election day is May 7. Candidates urge you to let your voice be heard.
The contested council seat forums continue Tuesday with District 2. The District 4 forum will be Wednesday April 20. Each forum will air from 6 to 7 p.m. on FOX34 News Now, on radio at AM 950, 100.7 FM and will be live-streamed on the internet at fox34.com.
