Candidates for Exeter city offices answer top questions
A series of questions was submitted to each candidate for office in the City of Exeter with opposition. Answers appear in the order in which the candidates appear on the ballot. All answers are printed exactly as they were received, with no changes for spelling, grammar or punctuation. Sean McNiell will appear on the ballot for South Ward Alderman, but is not actively campaigning for the position.
For Mayor
Name: Michael Vasey
Age: 49
Why are you running in this election?
Because I feel that I can bring my 25 years experience in management and contracting to help move the city in the right direction.
What experience do you have that makes you a good candidate?
25 years in management. Worked for the city of Purdy in public works and animal control. and I know how city government works
What do you feel is the role of local government?
To be a strong leader and to put the tax dollars towards the most critical thing that are facing us.
If elected, what objectives do you have for the first 90 days in office?
Looking at things that are important that are facing the city. Working with city council to come up with a plan for the city.
How do you measure the quality of a local government?
I feel it is the way the mayor work with the council for the benefit of the people.
What issues in your city are important to you? How would you change things to benefit your community?
Very important to me is the city utilities the roads and the school.
By coming up with ways to bring in revenue for the city, Having a good relationship between the city and the school.
Name: Lance Eaton
Age: 35
Why are you running in this election?
I am running for mayor to be a voice for the people of Exeter. I want to help this community take pride in their city. I have grown up in Exeter and am raising my family here. I just want what is best for them and for the community.
What experience do you have that makes you a good candidate?
While I don't have any political experience whatsoever, I still have experience being a leader and managing. I will do my best to get better everyday at representing the people of Exeter. I will work with City Council to better our city.
What do you feel is the role of local government?
The role of local government is simple; be a voice for the people. It is the job of local government to represent the people of the community to the best of their ability. Local goverment needs to be able to look at what would best serve the community and work towards making those things happen.
If elected, what objectives do you have for the first 90 days in office?
In my first 90 days, I would look into improving or moving City Hall as the current building structurally unsafe. I would begin working and talking with the City Council to better understand the needs of the community and bring new ideas to the table that maybe no one has considered quite yet.
How do you measure the quality of a local government?
I measure the quality of local government by how much they listen to the community and by how much they do to better the community. I want the people of Exeter to be a proud member of our community. We are a close knit community and support our children in school and in extracurricular activities. I want to see that support and pride fill our streets and make us better.
What issues in your city are important to you? How would you change things to benefit your community?
The issues that are important to me at the moment begin with City Hall. We need a safe place to meet for our city meetings and city workers need to feel safe while they are at work. Finding a way to fix the current building would be great to keep our history, but if we must find a new location, then I am not opposed to that idea, either. Another idea I have is to have a citywide beautification day. Cleaning up around town, painting, planting, and helping the people of Exeter improve the look of the town would help people begin to take more pride in the community.
Name: Troy Berry
Age: 57
Why are you running in this election?
I dont want to see our town go down economicly.
What experience do you have that makes you a good candidate?
I've been a minister for about 30 years and was a road commissioner.
What do you feel is the role of local government?
Be a example role modle.
If elected, what objectives do you have for the first 90 days in office?
Safety first of all.
How do you measure the quality of a local government?
Fair to all citizens.
What issues in your city are important to you? How would you change things to benefit your community?
Safety and more economic growth.
Name: Kenen L. Martinez
Age: 32
Why are you running in this election?
My adult life has been devoted to the service of community, whether it being as a volunteer firefighter, deputy sheriff, child protection services investigator, police officer or Chief of the Exeter Police Department. I'm running to become the next Mayor of Exeter to keep the small town charm of our community and to change and fix the things that are broken.
What experience do you have that makes you a good candidate?
In Law Enforcement, you have to learn not only state statutes and city ordinances but also Attorney general's opinions as well as the case law and precedents on why you can and cannot do certain actions. The Mayor of a City of the fourth class (which Exeter is) has many statutory obligations imposed upon him/her as well as many restraints; I feel that my past experience as a law enforcement officer and education at Southwest Baptist University will give me a unique insight on the responsibilities of the office.
What do you feel is the role of local government?
Local government is the unit of government that is responsible for safe water, lawful sewage disposal, law enforcement and the regulations that ensure that our homes are safe, secure, watered and sanitary. It's not about oppressing people and it's not about forcing your agenda on the other seven hundred and seventy-eight other souls who live here.
If elected, what objectives do you have for the first 90 days in office?
The Mayor isn't a dictatorship and certainty isn't all powerful under the law. I am going to urge the Board of Aldermen through the various means available, to change the meeting times to allow more citizen participation, to encourage public comment times being created, to remove the Exeter Police Department's focus from traffic and revenue generation to community oriented policing and quality of law issues. I will be focused on making sure the laws we are supposed to be following as a city-are followed. I'm also going to be focused on a top to bottom review of the expenditures and ensure there are no "show up and collect a check" jobs and no waste of the peoples' hard earned money.
How do you measure the quality of a local government?
I think when the people know when council meetings are, show up and offer input, both positive and negative, when the citizens are proud of their town and are committed to the betterment of the community, I think that is how you recognize the quality of the local government.
What issues in your city are important to you? How would you change things to benefit your community?
I have serious concerns about very rarely seeing the Exeter Police Car out at night and the idea that we may be shirking our responsibilities not only to the tax payers of Exeter, but a moral obligation to the citizens of the County. I am shocked that our meeting agenda is not announced sooner than the twenty four hours as mandated by law. I don't think it's fair or right that meeting times aren't known a full month before the next meeting and the city's aging waste water treatment facility is a constant concern.
The meeting agenda and meeting times are easily fixed; the performance and scheduling of the Exeter Police Department and the money to modernize the plant are something that is going to require careful study and due concern for the money the citizens of Exeter pay in taxes.
For South Ward Alderman
Name: Rhonda Scott
Age: 53
Why are you running in this election?
To help ensure that our city continues to operate effectively.
What experience do you have that makes you a good candidate?
20 years of serving in local city government and 14 years of working in our community's local school system.
What do you feel is the role of local government?
To be financial administrators, and provide services that ensure the health and safety of it citizens.
If elected, what objectives do you have for the first 90 days in office?
To continue to serve the city, where I have lived for 30 years to the best of my ability.
How do you measure the quality of a local government?
We have a strong leadership that recognizes realistic goals and listens to the concerns of its residents.
What issues in your city are important to you? How would you change things to benefit your community?
To bring back city pride.
I would like to create a community of volunteerism,where government leaders, business leaders and citizens come together to help our neighbors.
Age: 53
Why are you running in this election?
To help ensure that our city continues to operate effectively.
What experience do you have that makes you a good candidate?
20 years of serving in local city government and 14 years of working in our community's local school system.
What do you feel is the role of local government?
To be financial administrators, and provide services that ensure the health and safety of it citizens.
If elected, what objectives do you have for the first 90 days in office?
To continue to serve the city, where I have lived for 30 years to the best of my ability.
How do you measure the quality of a local government?
We have a strong leadership that recognizes realistic goals and listens to the concerns of its residents.
What issues in your city are important to you? How would you change things to benefit your community?
To bring back city pride.
I would like to create a community of volunteerism,where government leaders, business leaders and citizens come together to help our neighbors.
