April Election 2013: What Your Candidates For Aldermen Say is City's Greatest Challenge

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 With the April 2 election day drawing near, Patch wants to make sure voters are able to make informed choices about their candidates.

There are seven total open aldermen seats in Town and Country and Manchester, with eight candidates running. Only one race is contested, which is the seat for Manchester Ward III alderman currently held by Alderman John Schrader.

Aldermen are elected to two-year terms.

Earlier this month, Patch sent questions regarding the election to all aldermanic candidates. All week, Patch will share the candidates' responses with readers.

Each day, Patch will post one question along with the answers of those who responded. 

Editor's Note: All candidates received an identical questionnaire via email and were each given the same amount of time to reply. They are listed below in the order of their wards. 

PATCH QUESTION:

3. What is the greatest challenge the board of aldermen will face in the next year?

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CANDIDATE ANSWERS:

TOWN AND COUNTRY:

Ward I: Lynn Wright-

The greatest challenge is making sure we have a balanced budget and maintaining the zero property tax rate we have in Town and Country.

Ward II: Tim Welby-

No Response

Ward III: Fred Meyland-Smith-

Our most significant challenge is to continue to make our dollars work the hardest for our City…..get maximum use of the financial resources we have. Our City relies on sales tax and business license fees for the majority of our revenue as we have not had a property tax in town since 1996. Beginning last year and continuing into the near term future, we will be undertaking the most aggressive program in the City’s history to improve our infrastructure – our streets, curbs, sidewalks and trails  - as well a long list of needed storm water control projects. We must make these investments while maintaining our excellent police, fire and EMS services.

Ward IV: Jon Benigas -

No Response

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MANCHESTER:

Ward I: Paul Hamill -

The biggest challenge will be to keep up the level of services that the City provides in a very difficult economic climate. As tax revenues have continued to decrease and costs have continued to increase, the City, just like residents, will need to find ways to do more with less.

Ward II: Michael Clement -

A big challenge for every Board is to maintain a sense of collegiality and collaboration between members, even as members disagree with each other. In years past, Manchester’s Board of Aldermen was deeply divided and combative. As a result, the City suffered. This year and last, we have seen similar divisions in other communities surrounding Manchester, but not here. Manchester’s Board of Aldermen over the last two years has regularly shown a willingness to disagree on issues but to remain respectful of peers who vote differently. That is a sign of a mature Board that is doing the work of the residents. But, as disagreements arise, that sense of cooperation remains a difficult challenge.

Ward III: John Schrader (Incumbent) -

Fiscal responsibility, as I stated previously, we have a good fiscal outlook however with the rising costs of services, we have to be very aware of the services the residents of Manchester have come to expect and appreciate and make sure we are not put in a position to have to cut any programs.

Ward III: Anthony Mueller -

Employee morale in the city is down. I think finding ways to encourage employee satisfaction without putting additional pressure on the citizens needs to be addressed. Happy city employees provide better service; resulting in a better city to live in.

READ RELATED STORY:

April Election 2013: Meet Your Mayoral Candidates

April Election 2013: Meet Your Candidates For Aldermen And Their Qualifications

April Election 2013: Candidates For Aldermen Discuss Their City's 'Primary Issue'