Howard County General Election Guide

Oct. 21--POSITION -- Mayor

Candidate: Martha Lake (R), challenger

Age: 70

Education: I graduated with honors from Western High School and earned a scholarship to Indiana University Kokomo. My education comes primarily from my 38 years of experience working in local government.

Work: Currently in my third term as Howard County auditor, previously served two terms as Howard County treasurer.

Family: I was married to Thomas Lake who passed away in December 2002. I have two grown children and a total of 12 grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

What is the biggest issue facing your city and how do you plan to address it?

Stabilize city finance: We must know exactly where the city stands financially. This would be accomplished by conducting a complete audit examining all city bank accounts, department budgets, contracts, leases, agreements, etc. in existence between the city and individuals, businesses, agencies, entities, etc. City government allocates money for trustworthy services and economic development. We have some very large, new and some unfinished projects in progress. The city incurred new 2014 debt in an amount over $24.5 million plus interest which totals $32 million to support four of the new downtown projects. The total debt is $61 million-plus.

Some of the debt will stretch out as far as 2034, being paid by our children. We must insure financial control, accountability and sustainability. We do this by putting together a strategic plan to stabilize our financial future. Before we make promises to revise spending or promote new expenditures, we must know that our actions are financially responsible. The city receives approximately $50 million a year in tax money for general operations. The plan is to shift monies saved by eliminating unnecessary spending, to the needed areas which have been neglected.

Other important issues of focus are public safety and drug treatment and enforcement; sustained economic growth and stability with a skilled and educated work force; street, sidewalks, and infrastructure repair; and better provisions to deal with mental health issues.

The solution: A city administration, given the right leadership, can solve the problems that it has the authority to manage. Otherwise, city leaders must help create dialogue, ongoing communication and partnerships between all of the stakeholders in the community who can coordinate efforts and find realistic solutions. These stakeholders include: government agencies, including the police; all educational institutions; healthcare providers; mental health care providers; churches/religious organizations; all social service agencies; state and federal legislators/officials; and all interested, caring citizens.

By establishing determination and focus, and combining and coordinating resources, success will be realized. I will promote motivated leadership by incentive, encouragement, and appreciation.

Position: Mayor

Candidate: Greg Goodnight, (D), incumbent

Age: 50

Education: Graduated from Haworth High School, attended IU-Kokomo

Work: Incumbent Kokomo mayor, formerly worked at Haynes and served as United Steel Workers president.

Family: Wife, Kelli; children, Brody, Devon, Alek and Ava

What is the biggest issue facing your city and how do you plan to address it?

The biggest challenge facing our city is that 9,192 people travel to Kokomo and Howard County to work, but leave at the end of the day and go home to another county. That means they are taking their paychecks with them as well.

These workers obviously know Kokomo is an attractive place to work. Our challenge is making Kokomo an even more attractive place to live.

You spend most of your income where you work. Our small shops, dentists, furnace repair businesses and other services are losing customers because those 9,192 people take their paycheck to a different city. Our top economic development goal must be to make Kokomo the best place to live, work, and raise a family.

We do that through multiple avenues. First, we maintain a clean and safe city. We've done that through enhancing our code enforcement and removing blighted properties as well as improving curb appeal. We've reorganized our police department to get more officers on the street. We have seen these efforts pay off as major crime has dropped 24 percent since 2008. Even total calls for service are down 9 percent.

We need diversified housing choices. We've worked towards creating walkable, urban housing for those who seek that lifestyle. At the same time, we have encouraged single-family home construction and helped develop opportunities for new senior or assisted living facilities. Kokomo has housing for all stages of life.

Great housing means we also need good schools. We work side by side with our local schools and universities to create the best environment for our students to thrive. We have seen that pay off in multiple ways including the development of International High School Student Dorms, collegiate athletics at Indiana University Kokomo, and innovative partnerships with the Career Center.

Kokomo must provide outstanding amenities for our residents. That means quality parks, hiking trails and bike paths. Kokomo Municipal Stadium is one of the best facilities of its kind in the country.

Everything we do, we do with a purpose. That can be seen in how we constantly seek to maintain a sense of authenticity and preserve the history of our community. We know that it is often less expensive to restore a property than it is to create a new one.

Our goal is to make the city inviting to our current residents but also attract new residents. Whether redesigning roads to increase safety and save taxpayer money or trimming our budget to match the size of our city, our purpose is to make Kokomo a great place to live.

Position: Kokomo Common Council District 2

Candidate: Bob Cameron

Age: 71

Education: Kokomo High School graduate, attended Purdue University

Work: Delphi retiree, strength coach at Kokomo High School

Family: Wife, Joanie; daughter, Nikki Diggs; and grandchildren, Sophia, GG and Shelby.

What is the biggest issue facing your city and how do you plan to address it?

First and foremost, I am committed to the service and representation of the people of my district. I am available at all times to listen to their concerns and to assist in helping resolve issues that matter to them. I am not a politician, but a common citizen of Kokomo, who is passionate about this city, where I was born and raised. I enjoy helping others and enriching their quality of life.

Secondly, I want to assist in the continued revitalization of Kokomo. One of my most important goals is to make this a city that people want to live in, come back to, and where they can find work, attend good schools, play and worship, and retire in a safe, enjoyable environment. Providing a city venue for our teens to congregate for social interaction on the weekends, in a safe and fun atmosphere, is a personal project that I want to become a reality.

Lastly, in pledging to strive for a safer Kokomo, I am committed to working with our police and sheriff departments to clean up the drug problems that plague most cities in our nation. I want Kokomo to be an exemplary city where drug laws are strictly enforced. I will diligently work to revamp and establish youth prevention programs, empower crime watch neighborhood groups, eliminate drug dealing and meth labs, and reduce the overall criminal element in Kokomo.

Position: Kokomo Common Council District 2

Candidate: Lee Williams

Age: 69

Education: Master's degree in social work

Work: Army veteran, clinical social worker

Family: Wife, Jeanie, who passed away; one son; and five grandchildren

What's the biggest issue facing your city and how do you plan to address it?

In the 1960s, one in three workers were in a union; today it's one in 10. As a consequence, our middle class is sinking into poverty and income disparity has multiplied. We must invite and do whatever is needed to bring in union friendly industries. Until then, government must act at all levels.

To illustrate with our stats, Indiana is 40th in income per capita. That is out of 50 states and 47th over the last 20 years. We did rank sixth in bankruptcies. About 20 percent of Kokomo's residents go to bed hungry. We have got to do better.

I would like to follow Seattle and raise the minimum wage in Kokomo. The mayor of New York City included such a proposal in a recent economic recovery speech. Denmark has a $21 per hour minimum wage and its economy is soaring. Adjusting for inflation, there has not been an increase in the minimum wage in Indiana in 45 years. Most other countries have a higher minimum wage than the U.S., from Turkey and Korea to Poland.

Please join the coalition to establish an increase in the minimum wage. Our citizens need and deserve a living wage, pride and independence.

We have over 9,000 veterans in Howard County. They have to travel an hour for a clinic appointment and over two hours for a specialty or hospital. They deserve better. We plead for a clinic in Kokomo and the freedom of choice as to what hospital to go to. After all, they gave us all of our choices.

I would like to lower property taxes for the lower-valued homes and provide tax credits for all homes for repairs and improvements only when the work and supplies are provided by Kokomo workmen and suppliers.

I believe we can find a private solution to recycling. We owe it to our children's children.

I would like to see an expansion of senior services and special needs children. I am developing an entertainment program and just need the music. I have purchased the sound system.

Position: Kokomo Common Council District 4

Candidate: Donnie Haworth

Age: 55

Education: High school graduate, attended IU-Kokomo

Work: Public relations at Dan's Variety Bakery

Family: Single, with seven brothers and sisters.

What is the biggest issue facing your city and how do you plan to address it?

Continuing the progress the city has made over the last few years. Now is not the time to slow down or stop. It required bold action to stop the bleeding from the recession, and it will require just as bold action to continue moving Kokomo forward.

I would continue to invest in our city. This means building relationships with private businesses and when possible use city resources to jump start private investment in Kokomo.

The decisions we make in the next few years will be critical. We must take bold action to ensure Kokomo continues to grow. This is what will separate winning cities and losing ones. Losing cities will fade away through negligence and indecision. We need to work to build wealth and improve quality of life.

As mentioned above, we must work to build wealth and improve quality of life without raising taxes. If we can continue to do these two things, skilled people will want to live here and businesses will follow that field of talent. We already are seeing this. Unemployment is at a 15-year low, and billions of dollars in private money have flowed into Kokomo. Kokomo has bucked the trend of surrounding cities and is growing. If we expect businesses to invest in our community, we must too.

Position: Kokomo Common Council District 4

Candidate: Greg Jones

Jones did not submit a response.

Position: Kokomo Common Council At-Large

Candidate: Robert Hayes

Age: 64

Education: Bachelor's of general studies from IU Kokomo.

Work: Delphi product line purchasing leader

Family: Wife, Reba; six children; and 14 grandchildren

What is the biggest issue facing your city and how do you plan to address it?

Neighborhood blight and neighborhood development: I plan on continuing to support the administration in its effort to clean up blighted areas of the city by supporting our code enforcement department through continuing funding. I would like to have city council meetings throughout the city at least once a quarter. This way we can make it easier for citizens to come to the meeting and express their concerns. As a city councilman I will continue to support and budget the needed funds to bring about new development in blighted areas. It is not enough to just tear down blight but we need to replace it with new housing and/or business. We have already several new developments that have been supported and assisted by Mayor Goodnight, the administration and the city council. We can work together on more.

Public safety: I am proud to say we have seen crime down 24 percent since 2008 in Kokomo. Everyone in city government has a role to play in crime prevention and reduction. It cannot just be the police department, however as a city councilman, I can support the police department's budget and work with the administration to make the necessary funds available to support the department needs. Also, it is important as a councilman we talk to citizens about their roles in crime prevention and reporting. If you see a situation that may be putting you and neighbor in jeopardy, they should report and identify crime. We have tip lines that we all can use to report crime anonymously.

Smoke-free Howard County: I have in my previous term introduced legislation to make Kokomo a comprehensive smoke-free community and will still support that in my next term should I be so honored to be re-elected. Working with city and county government, we can create a healthier community for all of our citizens, especially our children. This should not be a divisive issue and we must be tolerant of all positions on this issue. Vilifying those who disagree on this gets us nowhere and is not what Kokomo is about.

Position: Kokomo Common Council At-Large

Candidate: Steve Whikehart

Age: 33

Education: Master of Education, Indiana Wesleyan, and Master of Arts in Adult, Community and Higher Education. Doctoral student in Adult, Community and Higher Education.

Work: Assistant Professor; Program Chair for the School of Education

Family: Wife, Leslie; and son, Jonathan.

What is the biggest issue facing your city and how do you plan to address it?

I feel that the biggest issue facing our community is the continued diversification of our local workforce. We have been very fortunate to have industry like Chrysler and Delphi as a means of employment for so many. But, if we are going to attract the best and brightest talents as a way to grow our population and grow our tax base, we have to look at how we can offer employment through other sectors beyond manufacturing. This can be accomplished through collaborative efforts between the development department, the mayor's office and the Kokomo Common Council. Working together, we can identify the ways in which we can utilize existing infrastructure to bring industry focused on areas like technology. We can also provide the proper incentives to allow these businesses to be successful, but with the expectation that they provide a long-term investment in our community. After all, a diverse workforce creates a more vibrant and productive community, one that is even more resilient to national and global change.

Position: Kokomo Common Council At-Large

Candidate: Mike Kennedy

Age: 65

Education: Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Indiana University

Work: Employed at Miami Correctional Facility under contract with Grace College.

Family: Wife, Susan; two children; and 5 grandchildren

What is the biggest issue facing your city and how do you plan to address it?

I believe the biggest challenge facing our city will be to continue the progress that has taken place over the last eight years. By being progressive and aggressive toward economic development, Kokomo will continue to grow and prosper.

The Kokomo Common Council has set a great example. I want to build on the success of the administration and council and continue positive growth for our community.

Position: Kokomo Common Council At-Large

Candidate: Brad Bagwell

Age: 61

Education: Bachelor's degree in chemistry from Indiana University, and an MBA from Indiana University

Work: Six years as a chemist at Cabot Corporation (now Haynes International), 24 years at Delphi in various management positions, county commissioner for 16 years, owner of Bagwell Events for seven years, and plant quality manager at Remy International since April 2015.

Family: Wife, Janine; two children, Chris (Roxanne) Bagwell and Erin Bagwell; five grandchildren; stepson, Joseph (Allyson) Parker; and two children who have died.

What is the biggest issue facing your city and how do you plan to address it?

There are several issues facing Kokomo, but the biggest might be a lack of integrity. I have heard many stories about individuals who were approached by a Realtor on behalf of the city, asking if their properties were for sale, since they were in areas the city wanted to "redevelop." When the Realtor was told no, a week or so later, a city building inspector would show up and find several "violations" that needed to be repaired or the owner would face severe penalties. Then, a couple weeks later, the Realtor would show up again to see if they wanted to sell now that the violations were found. Facing an extremely high price for either renovation or penalties, the owner reluctantly sold the property, which later became part of a city redevelopment activity. This story has been repeated several times by several individuals, so I'll let you decide its validity.

Second, the issue of following the rules. The stadium is a perfect example of not following the rules by this administration. While the result is a really nice stadium, the ends don't justify the means of getting there. It was well known that there were FEMA restrictions on properties where the stadium was built. While the administration asked for a ruling, it never waited for an answer, assuming that no news must be good news, all the while knowing the FEMA restrictions were there. Now, when we get heavy rain, the street department has to sweep water off the stadium surface in the middle of the night to make it suitable for any activities the next day. The mayor touts the decision of Lafayette and Noblesville to join the same Prospect League as the Kokomo team, but I doubt they will be building their stadiums on FEMA-restricted sites.

Lastly, only because of limited space allowed, is the focus on downtown at the expense of the rest of the city. The mayor actually communicated to an individual that he really didn't care about anything south of Markland Ave. The lack of attention to the areas that were annexed four years ago is testament to that. Only now, just weeks before this election, is anything being done by the city in these areas, except collecting their taxes. No need to raise the tax rate when you can annex areas to increase your tax revenue and not expend any tax dollars there.

Position: Kokomo Common Council At-Large

Candidate: Jim Clark

Age: 56

Education: Some college

Work: Owns and operates Jim's Pizza since 1999, US Army Reserve veteran and previously worked for Milbank Mfg.

Family: Son, Jim Clark II; daughter, Jamie Rodrigues; and several grandchildren.

What is the biggest issue facing your city and how do you plan to address it?

Kokomo's biggest current issue is our drug problem that has resulted in numerous overdoses. I would look into assisting and developing an inpatient/outpatient addiction treatment program in which I would look into federal or state grants so that it would be at little to no cost to the taxpayers. The treatment services I speak of would be to help those with addiction who are low income and/or do not have health insurance which would make this different than any services offered by the local hospitals.

Position: Kokomo Common Council At-Large

Candidate: Phil Thurston

Age: 68

Education: Kokomo High School graduate

Work: Retired Kokomo firefighter and deputy executive director of public housing. Currently serves as housing quality standard inspector for the Peru Housing Authority.

Family: Wife, Peggy; two children, Laney and Jordan; daughter-in-law, Kylee; and two grandchildren, Hannah and Palmer.

What is the biggest issue facing your city and how do you plan to address it?

There are a couple of issues that come to the forefront when talking about issues facing the city. With all the new construction of apartment complexes and the renovation of the downtown area, I feel that sustainability is crucial. Many small businesses have opened but cannot sustain the economic burden. A couple of industries have opened which is a very positive move. If we were to lose either General Motors or Chrysler we could be in a tough spot. I would encourage and I would, if asked, participate in the effort to attract other industry to our city.

Our streets and some of the infrastructure appear to need serious repair. I would encourage the administration to move in that direction. Every candidate who is running for office currently talks about street repair. We have had a couple of harsh winters and our streets have taken a beating. We need to look at this issue. The streets are part of the focus needed for neighborhood beautification.

George Myers can be reached at 765-454-8585, by email at [email protected] or on Twitter @gpmyerskt.

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