Candidates address local, student issues in forums
With primary elections coming up on Tuesday for mayor and two council seats, activities on campus have presented opportunities for students to see and hear from the candidates firsthand.
“This election is about the future. Today’s decisions will mean tomorrow’s successes,” said mayoral candidate Darla D. Clark.
Forums were sponsored by Associated Students of Utah State University for seat candidates and mayoral candidates Monday and Tuesday at noon in the Taggart Student Center Sunburst Lounge. In addition, a city-wide forum was held in the Whittier Community Center Monday night for the seat candidates and another will be held tonight at 7 p.m. at the center for the mayoral candidates.
At these forums, candidates introduced themselves, their platforms and answered questions relating to student issues at the student forums and local issues at the city forum.
The first student forum was held in memorial of Michael De La O, a journalism and communications student killed in a car accident last weekend on the way back from Las Vegas, said Celestial Starr Bybee, ASUSU executive vice president.
Latrice Banks sang, His Eyes on the Sparrow before time was turned to the candidates for questions.
The candidates are as follows:
For Council Seat No. 4, Steve Bower, Merrill D. Russell and Stephen C. Thompson are running.
For Council Seat No. 5, Lorin A. Engberson, Jeremy Kidd, Joel Nitchman, Tami W. Pyfer and Gina Wickwar are running.
For mayor, Bryan E. Anderson, Darla D. Merrill Clark, Michael D. Huston, Tom Kerr, April A. Mortensen and Douglas E. Thompson are running.
Topics addressed at the student forums were a need for more jobs that paid more, getting a new student recreation center and the relationship between the students and the community.
Most of the candidates spoke in favor of getting more jobs in Logan with higher wages.
Thompson said they’re going to give higher paying jobs a higher rating.
Mortensen said there also needs to be a balance with specialty and technical jobs that pay more with minimum wage jobs. She said there needs to be more internships offered.
“Come talk to me, I would generate jobs,” Anderson said.
Clark said there need to be more aggressive incentives to businesses who pay higher wages.
Huston said the council should demand the Chamber of Commerce increase wages and not allow businesses into Logan that don’t pay enough.
Kerr said there is a surplus of people and there will not be a solution in the near future.
Wickwar said she is in favor of growth, but wants it to be planned around green spaces.
“I understand the need for high-paying jobs. The city should take an active role in bringing in higher paying employers,” Nitchman said.
Russell said he would like to see the city continue what it has already begun, but the pay issue is really not one they have much control over.
Stephen Thompson said he thinks he should lead by example. He said he employs students at above minimum wage in his own business, Tacky Casuals.
“It is imperative that not only students receive higher wages, but everyone have a livable wage,” Bower said.
The majority of candidates spoke in approval of the recreations center, but didn’t focus on details.
Bower said it should be built now.
Stephen Thompson said the students wanted it and recreation is a great thing.
“Government should not compete with private groups,” he said.
Russell, Huston, Mayor Thompson and Wickwar said the university and the community should cooperate.
Kidd’s representative said the new proposal was going to be very expensive to students and other alternatives could be less costly.
Mortensen said, “Interest and money should be married.”
Kerr was concerned about how Logan would have to pay for this.
“This might be something to provide, but it’s not justified as a minority of students will use it,” Nitchman said.
Anderson said he didn’t have enough information to reply.
And finally, candidates talked about improving relations between the university and the community.
Kerr commended President Kermit L. Hall for his efforts, and said there needs to be more student representation. Anderson said Hall was doing a good job, and didn’t see any gap.
Huston said he would make sure students got their own council seat.
Clark said there will always be problems. Utah State is a “city within itself.” When students have been given opportunities in the past to participate, there has been low turnout, she said.
“You have a big voice. Students should be heard in the community,” Clark said.
Mortensen said there is already a high level of involvement between the community and the university. Students just need to decide how involved they want to be.
Katie Thompson, Doug Thompson’s daughter, said he reads the Statesman every week and gets input from his two children who are USU students.
Wickwar said the students as a group need to get out and vote. The city needs to “treat them as citizens, not interlopers.”
Nitchman said he would provide access to students who had issues, but he said “people don’t listen unless you’re involved.”
Kidd said it could be done by increasing the number of service learning activities for students to go into the community.
“It would be really nice to have a representative at city council meeting and communicate on a regular basis,” Russell said.
Stephen Thompson said the administration needs to listen to what students are saying.
“Get out and vote and you could run this city,” Bower said.