Challengers for elective positions in both Garner and Fuquay-Varina were scarce at the candidate forum sponsored by the Southern Wake Republican Club last week.

From Garner incumbents Gra Singleton and Kathy Behringer were on hand to answer questions along with one challenger for a council seat, Arnie Osborn.

Amaka Flynn and Mona Parks, both of whom have filed to run for the council, were not present.

No challengers were on hand to answer questions along with Fuquay-Varina incumbents Mayor John Byrne and Commissioners Bill Harris and Cindy Sheldon. Three other residents have filed for municipal office: Rob Gray for mayor and Chris Wrenn and Jim Abernethy for board seats. None was present.

About 30 club members and visitors were in the audience.

Osborn, the one challenger participating in the forum, depicted himself as more fiscally conservative than the incumbent Garner council members. He said the town cut its budget 12 to 13 percent for the current fiscal year due to the difficult economic times; however, he said, the town manager was given a raise. “Our manager makes more than the Governor,” he said. “I didn’t get a raise,” he said, indicating that most other people he knew of didn’t either. He said he would not have approved the raise in current economic times.

Osborn also brought up what has been a contentious subject in Garner in recent months, the awarding of a contract for the town’s waste disposal that did not go to the lowest bidder. The contract went to All-Star Services rather than the low bidder, Shaw Sanitation. Council members based their decision on a belief that quality of service would be better from All-Star.

Osborn said at last week’s forum he would have awarded the contract to Shaw explaining that its price was $1.50 less per household per week. Osborn emphasized the need for council members to remember whose money they are spending. (Since the board action, Shaw has filed suit against the town.)

Another question pending before the Garner Town Council is whether to build a new town hall and, if so, where.

Incumbent Ms.Behringer said the town owns enough property at the site of its existing municipal building to construct a new facility but is considering other possible sites. She said the police department, now located in town hall, is badly overcrowded and could occupy all of the present building if a new town hall is built. She suggested it would be nice if the town hall could be on Highway 70 where people driving through could see it and be aware that Garner is a separate town, not an extension of Raleigh.

But she said some feel the town hall should remain in the downtown area.

Osborn, referring to the overcrowding of the police department, said, “When our schools are crowded, we shove our kids into trailers.” He suggested building a new police building at the present town hall site or adding a second story to the present town hall to take care of needs produced by growth. He said the police need to be very visible to help cut the crime rate.

Candidates were also asked how they feel about forced annexation. Both Singleton and Behringer said the board has not forced any annexation. They recalled that one neighborhood was annexed at the request of residents because they were having sewage problems.

Osborn said “When anything has the word ‘forced’ in front of it, it rubs me the wrong way.”

In their summation statements, Ms. Behringer said she became interested in politics, living where the Walnut Creek Amphitheater was being planned and not knowing anything about it until the facility came into being. Since then, she has served on the Garner Planning Appearance Committee for six years and the town board for four.

She said she has been accused of not talking enough. She explained that she spent her first year learning. She described her way of approaching town problems: “ I gather information, I listen, then I talk and prepare to make a decision.”

In his closing remarks Singleton talked of the need to stay on track with the Timber Drive extension project that he believes will open that area up for development. He talked of the town’s need to be ready to move ahead on several capital projects once the economy rebounds.

Osborn closed by saying he is a simple A or B person. “It’s good or it’s bad.” He said to his fellow forum participants, “I’d never tell you that you haven’t done a good job, but I would say that I would have made some different decisions.”

All of the candidates emphasized the need for more communication with members of the Wake County Board of Education.

Fuquay-Varina candidates

Since the Fuquay-Varina candidates had no challengers, they generally explained the way they handle board business, listening to citizens before making decisions, working to keep taxes low, seeking new industry and business to provide jobs and enhance the tax base.

In answer to one question from the audience, they did indicate some difference in point of view. The question had to do with how the town planned to handle connecting its two business districts, the Main Street district that was once the heart of Fuquay Springs and the Broad Street district, once the heart of Varina.

All three candidates answered with explanations of a plan now in progress to extend the Streetscape project, completed on three blocks of Main Street a few years ago, north along Highway 401 to Ennis Street and then to Broad Street. The project will involve installing attractive sidewalks, curbs and gutters, lamp posts and landscaping along the route between the two business districts.

But in further conversation Mayor Byrne talked about the need for connection while Ms. Sheldon declared that she is “conflicted” about the emphasis on connection. She said she sees the town’s two business centers as unique and interesting.

Commissioner Harris agreed with her. He recalled that the town once had a study done that suggested the two should be connected, but he doesn’t think that’s necessarily the way to go. “Each has its own history,” he said.

Fuquay-Varina citizens approved a bond issue in the spring of 2007 that included funding for the Streetscape extension to tie the two districts together. Two weeks ago the board voted unanimously to award a contract for the Streetscape extension.

In answer to another question as to whether the town board accepted stimulus money from the federal government, Ms. Sheldon explained. She said the board sought and received enough money to hire two police officers. “We needed the officers,” she said. And she said the board looked closely at budget projections to be sure that once the grants run out in two years we will be able to continue those two positions.

Byrne said, “We try to take advantage of every opportunity.” “It’s not something we are doing without being sure we can maintain the positions. “We have to keep our eyes open to what’s available.”

In his closing remarks Byrne said, “One way to judge us is on what we have done, not what we say we will do.”