Four candidates for three at-large Athens City Council seats shared their views on topics ranging from parking reform, public safety and rental housing in a discussion forum last night.
Ohio University graduate student Elahu Gosney joined current at-large council members Amy Flowers, Carol Patterson and Jim Sands for the forum, sponsored by the Athens County League of Women Voters and hosted at the Athens Public Library. All candidates are Democrats; no Republicans filed by the deadline.
Flowers said she would like to improve pedestrian and bicycle safety to help improve environmental, parking and traffic problems in Athens, important local issues for her.
Gosney emphasized using alternative energy sources and possibly taking part in the nationwide, environmentally focused Cool Cities initiative.
Athens City Council needs to do whatever they need to do to keep Athens a special and unique city
he said.
Patterson said she intends to focus on working with other council members, the city's comprehensive plan and existing legislation to alleviate problems in Athens.
We need to adapt the comprehensive plan and create legislation to make it clear to those who come to our city she said.
Sands also said that council processes need to be clearer to improve communications between the public and council. When questioned about rental housing in Athens, he emphasized the importance of using existing city code when building new student housing complexes.
If we want to bring houses back to family ownership and get them better taken care of we need to change the market
Sands said.
The next forum is 7 p.m., Tuesday, April 17 at the library. The three candidates seeking the position of city law director will be speaking.
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