Candidate question No. 3

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:  How would you encourage residents to become more involved in the community?

Collins:  Our city has always been fortunate at the number of volunteers that have stepped up over the years. However, volunteers are underpaid, overworked, and underappreciated. Many of our volunteer efforts have lost faith in city hall and feel totally disconnected. I intend to once again embrace these groups and offer assistance and guidance from the mayor and council to once again energize these volunteers.

Laney: Each year for the past four years the City has hosted District Meetings for our Citizens, I started these meetings for the express purpose of seeking input from our citizens on what they liked and disliked along with explaining where the City was going during the coming year. I have been very disappointed in the attendance at these meetings as I felt this was a good venue to get the Citizens input. I plan to continue this and will seek Citizen input on how to increase their participation.

I ask Citizens that would like to serve on boards to make me or their Councilperson aware of this. The more interest that is expressed the easier it will be to get our Council to move to limiting board terms to two consecutive terms.

I will start a Student City Council to enable high school students to not only understand the functioning of our City Government but to give them an opportunity to get their ideas a hearing before the City Government.

Tomorrow’s question:  How would you encourage business growth in Demopolis? What requirements would you support for businesses who receive concessions from the city?