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On a little bit of everything . . . From NIMBY mentality to racism to open government to
the proposed Hunter Lake to the future of the city’s smoke-free
ordinance and back to race relations, Ward 10 Ald. Bruce Strom and
Springfield Mayor Tim Davlin parried and jousted Monday in the first of
debate of this year’s mayoral campaign. At least two more debates are
planned before the municipal elections to be held on April 17. Here are
highlights:
Tim Davlin • Minority report — Admits that increasing the number of people of
color in the Springfield police and fire departments has been a challenge
and credits Dr. Chris Miller, hired by the city to boost those numbers, with
“making great strides.” For nontested positions, he puts the
number of minorities he’s hired at 14.7 percent — but, citing
unspecified legal reasons, the mayor says he can’t provide those
individuals’ names. • Potpourri — The mayor defended disbanding the Springfield
race-relations task force, saying that its function was moved into the
city’s Office of Community Relations, thereby combining two
commissions into one. He says that a decision about the construction of a
second lake won’t be made with the current City Council
but should come soon. Responding to questions about urban sprawl on the
city’s west side, Davlin says there isn’t much room left for
expansion to the north, south, or east but also says he won’t tell
developers where they can and can’t build.
Bruce Strom • Cinderella story? — Sporting what appears to be a new haircut,
Strom seems more relaxed, more self-assured, than he did at the start of
his bid for mayor in January. Perhaps he’s realized, in the tradition
of March Madness, as the underdog challenger, that all of the pressure is
on the incumbent, Davlin. • Ald. Stormed — Strom repeatedly raises the issue of nonstop
controversy in the Springfield Police Department, calling the situation a
“lightning rod.” He goes on to note that Ward 2 Ald. Frank
McNeil, usually a Davlin ally on the City Council, recently raised
questions about minority participation in the construction of city’s
new power plant. And Strom questions Davlin’s
trustworthiness.
Citizens decide elections. For this reason, from now
until Election Day, we will let candidates explain in their own words where
they stand on issues that matter to you. Let us know your issues. Contact
R.L. Nave at rnave@illinoistimes.com
This article appears in Mar 8-14, 2007.
