Jay
Maynard

How should the city use its local option sales tax money?

Their pick: Split the money between a building and the lakes.

I believe we should first start with the problem we are trying to solve, and to me, the problem is simple and one nearly all of Council will agree on: What do our kids do in the winter? Right now, there aren't a lot of options. That we have that sum available affords us an opportunity to make a much more substantial contribution to the lives of our citizens than if we simply depended on incoming property tax revenue or bond money our perpetually gridlocked state legislature seems unable to agree on. I think we need to spend that money on an all-season recreational center. Not just an athletic field house, as some have proposed -- not all kids are interested in athletics -- but a genuine recreational center for all to use. We've already allocated $2 million of the LOST funds to the lakes, and I would maintain that.

Should the city consider cutting staff to reduce spending?

Their pick: No, keep current staff.

Absolutely not. We have the people we need to do the job the citizens of Fairmont need to get done. Some citizens call for "cleaning out City Hall" or firing 80% of the city's workforce. They don't understand that we have dedicated workers who bust their butts for the citizens. Not only that, but chasing off people would just make it harder to hire in the future - and Fairmont already has a problem in that area. We need stability and predictability in city government, not people who want to flip the table.

What should voters do about the Charter Commission's proposed amendments?

Their pick: Adopt some and reject others.

The third of these amendments would resolve an ambiguity in the charter. Right now, the charter says that Council must approve purchases over a defined amount. A separate section of the charter says that the Public Utility Commission can make purchases on its own. The city attorney has recommended that we amend the charter to resolve this ambiguity. This amendment is the result, and I support it. The second amendment cuts Council out of the nomination process for Charter Commission members. I oppose this amendment, because as state law is written, Council is intended to have a part in recommending members of the Charter Commission. The first amendment is a direct attack on me as a member of both Council and the Charter Commission. It would deprive the Commission of needed expertise. The voters should adopt the third amendment and reject the first two.

What should the city do about its ice arena agreements?

Their pick: Renegotiate the terms.

The city should honor the existing agreements while renegotiating them. Once the city enters into an agreement, it should honor it; to do otherwise is to make the city an unreliable partner, and that will drive away business and investment more certainly than anything else. That doesn't mean we should give the Fair Board a blank check to do as it wishes with the arena. We have committed to repairing damage to the building caused by our occupancy. We need to get an honest assessment of just what the damage is, how severe it is, and whether it is actually structural or merely cosmetic. Once we know what is actually needed, we can then negotiate a solution acceptable to all - and then honor that commitment.

How should the city approach permitting and building code?

Their pick: Keep the process and improve communication.

Some current Council members want to micromanage how city employees do their jobs. Just as with any other city employee, Council cannot tell the building inspector how to do his job. We can and do tell staff that we want them to not just say no, but work with people to find a way to do what they want to do. But that's the extent of it. We cannot and should not try to tell the building inspector to ignore the law in service of bringing business to Fairmont. Some people say we're too strict on enforcing building codes. The reality is that any reputable contractor expects to be held to code and plans accordingly. Don't like the legal requirements? Don't take it out on the building inspector. He can't change or ignore them. Go talk to the folks in St. Paul.