Candidate questions

Editor’s Note: The West Alabama Watchman invited the four candidates for mayor of Demopolis to respond to five questions. Two of the candidates — incumbent mayor John Laney and businessman Woody Collins — responded.

The Watchman will post one question each day through Monday and the responses from each candidate.

Today’s question is: What changes, if any, would you make in the organization of city departments?

Collins:  Our city has been blessed with some very qualified and capable department heads. Presently, each Councilman is assigned to oversee a department; but as I understand, that Councilman has not been authorized or encouraged to really help the department head and the department. My goal would be to work with that Councilman and department head, as well as all personnel in that department, to maximize the productivity and efficiency of that department, and report to the full Council periodically all of the work and progress made.

Laney:  I have spent the past four years reorganizing and strengthening the organization of the City. I believe the positive results speak for themselves. I recognized the talent of our City Clerk and encouraged her to take courses to improve her skills. Today she is President of the Alabama League of Municipal Officials. We have torn down 30 dilapidated houses. We worked with Demopolis Hickory Mill on a $200,000 upgrade adding jobs and increasing competitiveness for their plant (they pay City taxes). We have awarded a $3 million paving project to repave City streets. The Fire Rating for the City has improved based on National Rating Agencies from 4 to 3. The Planning Rating has improved on a National Scale from a 9 to 4 (the State of Alabama average is 6). Police Department continues to help reduce crime rate through good community policing. Public Works continues to improve as equipment has been upgraded; the City of Demopolis thorough the Parks and Recreation Department hosted the Babe Ruth World Series in 2019.

I believe in Continuous Improvement so we will continue over the next four years to evaluate everything we are doing, discarding what is not working and replacing with improvements. We can never be satisfied with the status quo. Improvement is a daily process.

Tomorrow’s questions: How would you encourage residents to become more involved in the community?