Nevada City Council candidates share views

Friday, April 1, 2011

Nevada Daily Mail

Four candidates are vying for election to two seats on the Nevada City Council in Tuesday's election. The Nevada Daily Mail asked identical questions of each candidate. Their answers appear below.

Jeffrey Bloom

Jeffrey Bloom is seeking election to the Nevada City Council.

If you could instantly change any one thing about the Nevada city government, what would you change and why? How would that change affect the average resident?

The one thing that I would change, if it could be done immediately, is to get rid of the contractors that took over our water and sewer systems. I believe that training on these facilities could have been done in-house, and the person or persons sent off for training could have come back and crossed-trained our other employees. This would have made more sense than to make a five-year contract worth millions and loss of everything the former city employees had accumulated during their time of service with us. This is our tax money paying for this contract that was produced in such a short time frame.

According to the 2010 Census, the population of Vernon County has grown during the last 10 years, but at the same time the population of Nevada has decreased. What can or should the city do to encourage people to live inside the city limits instead of moving outside of the city limits?

People are wanting to move to the country because it's a quiet place, versus living in the city. In the city you have so many rules that have to be followed or you are considered to be breaking the law. I believe that a lot of these laws are necessary, but some could be eliminated. Public feedback on the ones that should be eliminated would be a recommendation to solve citizen issues. More people need to attend the council meetings that take place, and voice their concerns about what is going on with you or around you that you would like to see changed. If you don't attend, or voice your opinions, the city can't fix, or attempt to fix, what you are having problems with. Also, since the gas prices are going up and up, maybe consideration of golf carts, ATV's, etc. should be a consideration for alternative forms of transportation. This should be brought up and rules implemented and run by the public for feedback on what everyone else thinks.

Is there anything else you would like to address?

I want to end this by just asking everyone to get out and exercise their right to vote. April 5 is election day, so everyone should make a note somewhere and don't forget. This is your-our city, and our money that is being spent, so get out and make a difference! If I am elected, I can honestly say that I can't change the world, let alone the city, by myself, but with your help, and working together, we can make a difference! Thank you for your time.

Brian Leonard

Brian Leonard is seeking re-election to the Nevada City Council.

If you could instantly change any one thing about the Nevada city government, what would you change and why? How would that change affect the average resident?

It is important to understand that changes to the Charter must be voted on by the residents of the city of Nevada. According to the city Charter all employees (except the city manager, city clerk and finance director) are under the supervision and direction of the city manager, not the council. Ordinances must be approved and amended by a MAJORITY vote of the council.

In my opinion, one of the most important changes I would like to see would be the Public Safety Building. The fire and police departments put their lives on the line for the residents of the city of Nevada. They need the tools necessary to protect our community, but at the same time protect themselves. The current facility is unsafe and a health concern. I would like to see the city replace the current facility with a new up-to-date public safety building to house the police and fire departments. This will better prepare them to do their jobs and allow for quicker response times.

Jobs in the technology field are the jobs of the future. As a technology teacher at Nevada High School, I am fully aware of the skills and training the young people of today are acquiring in school. Preparing our youth for technology jobs is important. Our community needs to diligently work on improving our technology. As a city we need to improve high-speed Internet for businesses and develop easy and convenient connectivity to attract new businesses to our area. There are many positive benefits to living in the city limits of Nevada. Citizens of Nevada are provided outstanding police and fire protection. There are a variety of fantastic parks to enjoy. We have many miles of smooth streets that are continually improved on a yearly basis. Nevada also has an up-to-date waste water treatment plant which provides more sanitary living conditions to its citizens. I am PROUD to say Nevada is my hometown and I love to see all of the positive changes that have occurred over the last 10 years.

An optimistic viewpoint can help ensure a strong, positive image of our community as it pertains to promoting the city and can help encourage new residents to choose to live within the city limits.

Sherry Steward

Sherry Steward is seeking re-election to the Nevada City Council.

If you could instantly change any one thing about the Nevada city government, what would you change and why? How would that change affect the average resident?

Over the past year, there have been several significant changes within our city government which I believe were positive changes, including an increased economic development effort, an increased effort in enforcing nuisance codes and working toward identifying and addressing issues in our water treatment process and wastewater priorities. I believe we need to address the issue of the public safety building. The current facility is an unhealthy work environment for our public safety employees due to the mold within the building. This facility also lacks the proper space to conduct confidential meetings regarding sensitive needs of our citizens, as well as not providing segregated facilities should female firefighters be hired in the future. Moving the fire department off Austin would also provide for safer exit from the station when responding to emergency situations.

This is a difficult issue. I believe the biggest issue surrounding the lack of growth within the corporate city limits is the lack of attractive building lots within the city limits.

There are not many larger lots and there are still neighborhoods in which building a new home might not be desirable. We need to work to continue to improve the properties within the city to make it more attractive for new construction.

Is there anything else you would like to address?

I have been honored to have served our community since November 2009. I would appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve for another three years.

Randy Boultinghouse

Randy Boultinghouse is seeking election to the Nevada City Council.

If you could instantly change any one thing about the Nevada city government, what would you change and why? How would that change affect the average resident?

I would want to change the process of how a new ordinance is made. Council discussion is a must, but I feel that it should not occur before it is researched and city residents are polled or given ample opportunity to voice their opinion. Taxpaying citizens should be given due consideration. I feel it would help the citizens of Nevada to feel like part of the process and that would help the council make strong decisions.

Because of the current economic situation we face, not only as a city but as a country, every person has to decide what is best for themselves. I feel that as a city we need to look to the future growth within our city limits. Our main focus should be about local business. Nevada has to focus on bringing new business to town. It is my opinion that any new business will bring more people. Anything that would promote jobs would be where it starts. Jobs mean people; people mean growth.

Is there anything else you would like to address?

My final thoughts would only be to get out and vote. Without votes nothing changes. People make the difference in anything we do.

Comments

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Jobs, Jobs and more jobs, but the real issue is a good paying job one with a livable wage. To many of the jobs in Nevada are only enough to pay the bills and not to get ahead. 10$ an hour is not a good paying job. Nevada has to be made an attractive place to live. It has a good school system, and a fairly low cost of living, but once you get past that it is lacking. That is why most people go to Joplin, or KC to shop eat out. seeing the downtown revitalized would be a good start.

-- Posted by endersgame on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 12:51 AM
Vote Boultinghouse and Bloom. Let's change the city council.

-- Posted by TerryB on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 6:57 AM
Speaking of the intrusive nature of the city, how about the stupid lawn flags that get stuck everywhere because a lawn is 1/4" above the "allowed" height! One of the dumbest wastes of employee salary.

-- Posted by ThePilot on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 7:09 AM
This town is no more restrictive in their ordinances than any other town of this size or larger. There is an attitude in our society that says "leave me alone", that's why people choose to live outside the city. They just want to be left alone, and left alone they should be, no fire protection, no law enforcement, no city sewers, no sidewalks, no paved roads, no nuisance ordinances, no animal control, etc.

Nevada is a great place to live and work, in spite of the nay sayers.

Please vote for those who want to improve our way of life.

-- Posted by Nevadan on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 8:37 AM
Grab ahold of all your friends too, and have them vote..even if you have to drive them to the polls yourself! If this town doesn't show that they care, one way or another, by the numbers at the polls, then this town will continue to be ran exactly the same...no matter who is voted in. I'm for Boultinghouse and Bloom myself, but no matter how it goes, I want to know that the people care enough to get to the polls in the first place!!! If you need to, send them pictures of what the women went through to get the right to vote!

-- Posted by anabullinger on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 10:37 AM
The red tags have become a way to harrass and nit pick. There is a point that it is extreme and needs a red tag, but if you drive down the street and every other yard has a tag, it's extreme going the other direction, in which nobody learns a lesson, they just become angry at the bullying.

-- Posted by anabullinger on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 10:52 AM
Even the YMCA got a red tag. What was up with that?

-- Posted by TerryB on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 11:01 AM
I have never lived in a town that has harassed people so much with those red flags in peoples yards. Totally overboard when there's signs on every block. I didn't used to be like this. Why the sudden need to go so overboard on yard inspections this past year?

I think it is pathetic that there is no public transportation in this town. One city bus would be nice. It's expensive to buy a car, pay insurance and vehicle taxes just to be able to get to Dr. appointments or grocery shopping.

-- Posted by undeded on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 11:39 AM
The biggest problem with these reg tags all over the place is, if you are a new family coming into this town looking for a place to rent or buy, and every other house has a red tag in front of it, do you think you would want to live here? It takes one day of leaving something in your yard to get a red tag, but it takes a week to get them to take the red tag out of your yard. So how "trashy" does that make your town look.

-- Posted by anabullinger on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 12:07 PM
I have never lived in a town that has harassed people so much with those red flags in peoples yards. Totally overboard when there's signs on every block. I didn't used to be like this. Why the sudden need to go so overboard on yard inspections this past year?

I think it is pathetic that there is no public transportation in this town. One city bus would be nice. It's expensive to buy a car, pay insurance and vehicle taxes just to be able to get to Dr. appointments or grocery shopping.

-- Posted by undeded on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 12:46 PM
GET OUT AND VOTE NEVADA!!! As Brian Leonard said, "According to the city Charter all employees (except the city manager, city clerk and finance director) are under the supervision and direction of the city manager, not the council" BUT THE CITY DICTATOR, IIIIISSSSS UNDER THE THE SUPERVISION OF THE COUNCIL. Remember when you vote for council that they DO control the city manager, and so far have done nothing about his overly controlling issues he has with employees. The ones that say, if you don't agree with me on the way I'm controlling the city, I can find find reasons for you to start job searching.

-- Posted by chrome_dome_74 on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 1:10 PM
As far as living in Nevada versus living in the county, well the last I remember the county has some pretty good volunteer fire departments with pretty good equipment. The county has the Sheriff's Office for law enforcement. The county has plenty of paved highways and county roads. As far as animal control well I always considered my 12 gauge and 30/30 as animal control. In the county you have the right to have your own sewer system that you control. As far as sidewalks go well I live in Nevada and I don't have a sidewalk in front of my residence and I can think of a lot of people in Nevada that don't. So let's see what are we missing in the county? OH YEAH!! In the county there are no nuisance ordinances. THAT WOULD BE GREAT!!

Let's consider this, the red flags didn't start showing up until a year ago and the city manager was hired about a year ago. He is the reason for all the red flags, there's just no disputing that. And I realize we need some kind of nuisance ordinance to keep the value of our property up and to keep the neighborhoods pretty but it's absolutely ridiculous that we can't work on our vehicles in our own driveways without being harassed by the city!! Don't get me wrong I love my town, but we need some change and that starts with new city council members.

-- Posted by chrome_dome_74 on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 1:48 PM
I try to walk in the evenings for exercise, but there are so many vicious dogs running loose, it's risky. I could get a cc but if I shot one, I could still be arrested. This is a lot worse than it was a year ago. Why not put the red tag brigade on nights to pick up the dogs?

-- Posted by TerryB on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 2:31 PM
Nevada is a great town....I know; I have lived her for 60 years. The city council has always been people of civic stature. I believe now is the time to get people that are not lawyers, teaches, doctors, or present city council members. I feel we need people that are working class. They have more opportunities to mingle among the working people of Nevada and learn their concerns. Then they can propose it to the rest of the city council, research thoroughly, and vote on it. Stop this rubber stamping that seems to be going on right now. Like the Alliance contract and the spending $175,000 for a tract of land that was rushed through. Did they research how much it would cost to demolish the current buildings, prepare the land for building, and building the new public safety building. I don't think so. So when you go vote Tuesday April 2....think about do you want the city to continue in the direction it is currently going. Or would you rather get council members elected that will lose the rubber stamp and actually research the issues before they vote.

Please get out and vote Tuesday. I know the people I will vote for......Bloom and Boultinghouse. I feel they are more in touch with the people to get their feelings and concerns.

Either way we cannot reach for change unless you get out and vote.

-- Posted by electronic77 on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 2:44 PM
Boultinghouse and Bloom. ABSOLUTELY!!! They are what our city needs.

-- Posted by chrome_dome_74 on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 3:17 PM
I have a concrete bbq in my back yard. It's been there since at least the 50's. I was told recently by the city, that I need to call and get permission to cook on it. It is considered an open fire. How ridiculous is that? These ordinances are excessive.

-- Posted by TerryB on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 5:27 PM
Yes TerryB, that is ridiculous! Was it a friend that told you, or was someone trying to give you a ticket for it?

-- Posted by anabullinger on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 6:05 PM
Speaking of wanting the city to grow, we came here and,in the beginning, we liked living here. We've had enough (red tags, city council not listening to the public) and we're leaving. Had we bought a house in the county and not in the city, we might be staying. But, that's not how it happened. For the most part, unless things change, people who come here mostly cannot wait to leave. Not only does the city need to figure out how to attract people, they need to figure out how to keep from chasing away those who move here.

-- Posted by justawife on Fri, Apr 1, 2011, at 8:47 PM
One of the firefighters was warning me. Nevada city government has been a disaster for years. Who can forget the money being stolen and no one charged. The city firing employees a few years ago so they wouldn't amass enough years to draw a pension. could tell you more but I won't.

-- Posted by TerryB on Sat, Apr 2, 2011, at 5:05 PM
Justawife, I'm sorry to hear you are leaving....I so wish we could, but I have a Junior in school, so I sure don't want to start him at a new school. I saved for years to get the down payment for my home. I was a single mother of three kids at the time, so it was definitely not an easy task to save for. My children and I were so excited to finally get a home of our own. Now,that excitement has turned to how am I going to sell my home in this town so I can leave. I moved here in 1999, and fell in love with this town, but in one year have become very angry; with the way things are ran and with what happens to employees that don't agree with the way things are ran. I honestly wish the city manager position was a voted on position, because I guarantee things would be different! Randy Boultinghouse and Jeff Bloom are my choice because of this last year and because after reading this news article, they seem to be the ones saying things need to change. I agree, I need to love my town again.

-- Posted by anabullinger on Sat, Apr 2, 2011, at 8:47 PM
I would love to leave but I'm retired and my house is paid for. I'm too old to start payments again.

-- Posted by TerryB on Sun, Apr 3, 2011, at 12:21 AM
Lets see if the new council members will have more courteousness to families of crisis! Hopefully the city attorney wont tell them not to talk to families, media and friends. Maybe the city attorney ought to call those families and tell them personally that they don't want to answer questions! Hell if the city attorney would respond to families such as mine we would be more understanding! Oh yeah and by the way NATIONAL ATTENTION is on its way for Cheryl Kenney! True Facts with Jon Lieberman will be profiling her case and all the incidents that have taken place!

-- Posted by joshuadarnell on Fri, Apr 8, 2011, at 6:41 PM

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