6 - Morrisville and Preston Progress, Thursday, Oct. 30,1997
Meet the candidates
Morrisville voters will go to the
polls Tuesday to elect a new mayor
and commissioners.
To give readers a glimpse into
how the candidates feel on issues
facing the town, we asked the
hopefuls to respond to five the fol
lowing five questions we posed.
Here are their answers.
How do you plan, if elected,
to improve relations between
members of the board?
Mayoral Candidate Incumbent
Margaret Broadwell: I will al
ways encourage professional, re
spectful behavior aS Town business
is conducted on the Town Board. I,
as Mayor, however can only sug
gest and encourage, bring into play
all available resources to both in
form and enlighten Board mem
bers, and do my personal best to
lead by personal example. Other
members have to want to get along
with each other.
Mayoral Candidate Gordon
Cromwell: One thing 1 think
would help improve the perception,
at least, is if internal disputes be
tween the commissioners and the
mayor were not aired in public.
Most of that stuff should happen in
an executive session or in private.
It shouldn’t happen in a public fo
rum. It would at least help improve
the perception of the relationships.
Mayoral Candidate Bruce
Newnam: I would encourage eve
ryone on the board to put aside any
personal differences they may
have. If elected mayor, I would also
encourage the board members to
have a positive attitude with each
other and conduct themselves in a
professional manner during town
council meetings.
Bill Case, commissioner candi
date, District 2: 1 would have my
own opinion about issues with the
town. I would also be open-minded
and professional in the discussions
to the policymaking process. This
is what we don’t have at the present
time, but what we do need for the
growth of our town.
Phyllis Newnam, incumbent
commissioner candidate. District
2: I plan to work very hard to es
tablish a positive relationship with
everyone on the board. The major
ity of the board gets along really
good, but you have a few that want
to be difficult. The people of Mor
risville put us in office to do what
is best for them and I will do my
best if re-elected to see that this is
done.
Faulkner, candidate commis-
sioner-at-large: When elected, I
will do my part to improve rela
tions between members of the
Town Board. Some of the current
members of Morrisville’s Town
Board have quit listening to the
citizens concerns, each other, or
member of the business commu
nity. I have attended several of the
Town Board Meetings and have
seen a lack of respect for other
members on the board as well as
for the Mayor. Elected public offi
cials need to have open ears and
open minds. When elected I will
remain honest and receptive.
Sauls, incumbent candidate
commissioner-at-large: The ma
jority of the board has good rela
tions.
What is one talent or experi
ence that you personally bring
to the board that you feel will
help the town?
Broadwell: As Mayor of Morris
ville, I have excelled in building
professional relationships with
peoples of many nations, those in
all walks of life, and those in vari
ous levels of government. I truly
believe that my love for this job
and for all citizens has helped me
to represent Morrisville in a very
positive way wherever I go.
Cromwell: 1 have quite a bit of
experience in being president of a
council in New York for over 12
years, and in industry I was in su
pervisory and management posi
tions for over 20 years, I think that
should probably help.
Bruce Newnam: I feel that my
communication skills, out-going
personality, and keenly competitive
and well-disciplined character
along with municipal experience
will help the town.
Case: The professionalism that I
have gained through my job with
Eckerd Drugs as well as being a
Volunteer Captain and part-time
paid lieutenant with the town of
Morrisville Fire Department. Also
being involved with the community
as a firefighter 1 see the needs in
our community for the growth.
Phyllis Newnam: I have been on
the board for almost four years. I
have learned a lot about the work
ings of town government and
would like to continue to put to use
what I have learned. I also have a
lot of experience in public rela
tions, I deal with the public on a
day to day basis and I feel that this
is an asset to me being on the board
and communicating with the people
of Morrisville,
Faulkner: My talent that I will
personally bring to the board is the
ability to put the correct emphasis
on issues that are most important to
the citizens of Morrisville. This
will not be an emphasis on personal
control, egotism or such trivial
things as office space for public
officials. Instead, an emphasis on
such things as honesty, an open ear
to the citizens as well as local busi
nesses, and insightful planning for
the future growth of Morrisville.
Sauls: The ability to work with the
board and to get things done.
Are you happy with the level
of service the town is provid
ing, and if not, what sugges
tions would you make for im
provement?
Broadwell: Generally, I am happy
with the level of service that our
Town government provides our
citizens. I would like to see how
ever, a recycling service and would
also like to re-examine our land
scape contract to allow for greater
beautification of Morrisville. The
roadsides need greater attention
during the growing season. Perhaps
a successful partnership can occur
with the Department of Transpor
tation in this regard.
Cromwell: Yes, .I’m not com
plaining. But I think sewer should
definitely be provided. Sewer and
water is a necessity and it should be
provided to all residents. Those that
really need it should get it first.
There are some places that really
need it. Shiloh has been promised
sewer for some number of years.
As yet they haven’t got their sewer.
I think that needs to be taken care
of
Bruce Newnam: I believe that the
level of the town services at this
time is good, but additional staff
should be added in the future to
continue a high level of committed
service, because of the expected
future growth of the town.
Case: In some cases the level of
service is ok, but, in some cases—
i.c., sewer and water, it has been set
up as a quick fix not for future
growth.
Phyllis Newnam: I think that the
services that the town provides is
good but we can always improve.
We need to be able to provide wa
ter and sewer for everyone and we
need to reduce the costs of water
and sewer whenever possible. We
need to keep our tax rate at the pre
sent level or lower so the people of
Morrisville can get the best rate
possible.
Faulkner: The Morrisville staff
has worked hard over the past few
years. We have been faced with the
rapid growth and extensive devel
opment within our jurisdiction.
However, the process that proposed
site plans and zoning changes go
through shouid.be streamlined and
reviewed carefully to optimize the
personnel currently in place and
also to assure timely attention,
Sauls: Yes, but as revenue in
creases, so will service.
Do you feel the town has an i
adequate plan for growth? I
Explain your answer.
Broadwell: No. Our Land Use I
Plan is outdated because of actual |
development, which was allowed
but has not always followed our
original Land Use concept. The
great influx of residential projects
and supporting General Business
uses will reshape our needs and
change our total buildout picture
over what was first envisioned. We
need to consider outside influences
of other jurisdictions as well be
cause of our close proximity to
each other.
Cromwell: If the long-term plan
which they have on the books is
carried out, I think it’s a step in the
right direction. A plan for growth
has to be continually updated; it
can’t be static. I think the plan that
is on the books at the present may
be adequate for the present, but I
think it's got to be continually re
viewed and updated as sewer is
made available, as areas of the
town grow up, as rules and regula
tions change. It’s got to be some
thing that is not nailed into stone
and unchangeable.
Bruce Newnam: No. At the pres
ent, the town is in need of a plan
for affordable water/sewer services
for the entire corporate limits. The
town's expected future growth
needs updated planning for its
utilities, roadways, and land use
plan.
Case: I think they are trying to plan
future growth but I feel at the pres
ent time a, lot of issues are on a
quick-fix basis.
Phyllis Newnam: The town has a
plan for growth, but it has been a
while since it has been updated.
The plan for growth needs to be
updated now and at least every two
years. The town has grown a lot in
the last five years and will probably
grow even more in the next five
years. The growth needs to be well
thought out and controlled so Mor
risville can have a variety of good
things for the people to be proud of
and call home in the future.
Faulkner: The updating of our
current Land Use Plan (or plan for
Morrisville’s growth) is one of the
most important issues facing the
Town Board. Morrisville needs this
plan updated to aid in making deci
sions when proposed site plans and
developments are brought before
the Town Board. When I am
elected, I will work with the Plan
ning Board, suggest changes to the
Land Use Plan, and make that plan
available both to the Town Board
and to the public for their continual
review,
Sauls: Yes, but we need more staff,
and to update the land use plan.
What is your vision of Mor
risville 10 years from now, and
how can you help make that a
reality?
Broadwell: I would like to see
Morrisville achieve “All American
City” status. The community has to
participate in joint projects with the
Town as well as the Town as a
whole has to represent the best
quality of life to its citizens by its
infrastructure, police and fire pro
tection, recreation programs, civic
organizations and cultural arts
availability. Since we cannot grow
geographically because we are al
ready surrounded by other towns, it
is all the more important that we
build and plan right the first time. I
would imagine that 10 years from
now, we would have grown to our
capacity as long as utility services
are able to be provided. I will be
proud to know that I have had a
major part in seeing Morrisville
become the best that it can be!
Cromwell: At the present time,
we're pretty well surrounded by
other municipalities and the RTP.
Boundary-wise we’re limited. We
have some limitations due to the
airport overfly problems, and so I
think as a town in 10 years from
now, we will physically be about
the same area. They have done a
good job in the past of controlling
the way the town has grown.
I think the town has to make pro
jections as to how they want the
residential population to grow. If
they want it to grow and just be
more and more people, the apart
ment idea is good. I’d like to see
more single-family housing. But
the airport does affect how you
build the town. Because of that, and
because of the limited area of the
town, we’re probably going to end
up with a lot of emphasis toward
multi-family housing.
I expect in 10 years, we will be
pretty well built out. The only thing
you could do is help control the
way it grows. I think we have to
keep a good mix of residential and
industrial. It looks like that has
been planned. I think we need to
keep an updated plan, something
that indicates where we are and
where we are going, a moving
thing, not permanent. The commis
sioners, those that have a say in
this, have to make sure that plan is
a plan that fits into the wishes of
the people of the town.
Bruce Newnam: To have estab
lished a workable infrastructure,
utilities, and public services that
would be efficient and effective to
all. I can help make this a reality by
working closely with town staff,
board members, residents and busi
nesses if elected mayor.
Case: I think 10 years from now
Morrisville will be a very large
community. But you need a town
government that is willing to work
together to address the needs for
the town and future growth. I
would like to see street upgrades as
well as pedestrian walkways to
ensure safety for the children and.
adults in our community.
Phyllis Newnam: My vision for
Morrisville ten (10) years from
now include water and sewer for
every household. I would like water
and sewer rates to be lower if pos
sible. We want the best police, fire,
inspections and other municipal
public services that improve the
quality of life for all our townspeo
ple,
Faulkner: Morrisville is a growing
community with a limited amount
of land to develop. In the near fu
ture 1 see Morrisville continuing to
develop at a quick pace. If the
growth rate continues, the majority
of the land in Morrisville will be
developed within the next 10 years.
Such growth requires continuous
thought and detailed planning.
Once the pace of development in
Morrisville levels off there should
be an emphasis on civic groups,
community services and organiza
tions, greenways and overall qual
ity of life in Morrisville.
Sauls: Morrisville will be bigger
and better, but still be a wonderful
place to live.
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