Lindsay Council Race
How to improve relations with constituents
Seven candidates, including three incumbents, are running for three seats on the Lindsay City Council Nov. 6.
They are Mayor Ed Murray, Mayor Pro Temp Esteban Velasquez, Councilmember Pam Kimball, and challengers, Steven Mecum, Timothy Daubert, Rosaena Sanchez and Eric Eugene Perfecto Sinclair. As part of its election coverage, The Recorder has asked three questions of each of the candidates.
The final question is: What kind of outreach programs, as far as hearing the concerns of your constituents, will you implement when and if you become a member or are re-elected? All of the candidates except for Sinclair, submitted an answer.
Mayor Ed Murray
“I have always made myself available to meet with folks in Lindsay. I am willing to meet one on one or with a group or club. I have met with church groups and community based organizations and will do so in the future. I am reachable by cell phone, (804-0223), work (562-2574) and e-mail (murraye@orangebelt.net). I want to continue to serve the folk of Lindsay. Lindsay is a great place to live and work.”
Mayor Pro Temp Esteban Velasquez
“I am very accessible now and I talk to residents everyday. I am able to get a real sense of what the community’s wants and needs by these conversations. I will continue to encourage citizens to contact me with issues and or ideas on how we can all work to make Lindsay even better.”
Councilmember Pam Kimball
“I’m in the phone book and I always return calls. I can be reached by e-mail and through the city, and am very active in the community and accessible for conversations. If re-elected I am considering holding ‘office hours’ on a regular basis, as is being tried in some other local communities. How that evolves will depend on the response, but I hope it will encourage a broader engagement.”
Steven Mecum
“I will get much needed community input and involvement by creating citizen appointed boards and commissions, mailing feedback questionnaires to residents, holding town hall meetings, installing a suggestion/comment box at City Hall, holding open hours to meet with residents, posting video of council and committee meetings, as well as updates on city issues, finances, city salary information, road repair progress, etc. on the city web site.”
Timothy Daubert
“By answering questions in the City Council meeting and finding solutions to their problems. Having open government, town hall meetings and a locked suggestion box outside City Hall for suggestions.”
Rosaena Sanchez
“The problem isn’t that the people in this town are not engaged in their community. The problem is that they have been ignored and treated like second class citizens by the incumbents. This is unacceptable and will change the day I am elected. I have been, for the last two years, an involved citizen and will continue as a city councilwoman to actively listen to my neighbors.”
