Pubdate: Wed, 14 Apr 2004
Source: Herald-Dispatch, The (WV)
Copyright: 2004 The Herald-Dispatch
Contact: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/hdinfo/letters.html
Website: http://www.hdonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1454
Author: Jean Tarbett, Herald-Dispatch Reporter Scott Wartman Contributed To 
This Report

SAFETY, DRUGS ARE TOP ISSUES IN LOCAL RACES

Area Residents Get Chance To Meet Candidates At Two Regional Forums

HUNTINGTON -- Safety and drug prevention were top concerns for Fairfield 
residents who attended a Meet the Candidates Forum Tuesday at the A.D. 
Lewis Community Center.

The Huntington Chapter of the NAACP hosted the forum, where Mayoral 
candidates Dave Felinton (incumbent), Rick Houvouras, Tom McCallister, 
Larry Patterson and Charlie Thompson, all Democrats, and Republican Leonard 
Samworth discussed ways to stop drug crime, along with issues such as 
improving city streets and communication between the City Council and 
administration.

City Council candidates spoke as well. At the forum were Damon Core, Brandi 
Jacobs and Joseph P. Williams of District 5, as well as at large candidates 
Mark Bates, Jimmie "Jimbo" Boyd Jr., Garry Black, Lura Miller, Dave Peyton 
Jr., Bob Rufus and Rebecca Thacker.

Crime is a major concern for Barbara Johnson, who lives on Artisan Avenue. 
"I'd like someone who's going to clean the place up," she said. "We can't 
go outside after dark."

Candidates were asked what they would do about the size of the police force 
in Huntington and what sorts of measures should be taken to let people know 
the drug problem in Fairfield should be taken seriously.

Samworth said that a strong police presence is a definite solution to 
addressing drug activity. But when it comes to the size of the police 
force, it's crucial to consider the pension budget problem the city faces, 
said Patterson, who now represents District 5 on City Council.

Regardless of who is elected, community members need to back up their 
representatives to help improve safety in the neighborhood, Williams said. 
When someone calls 911, "it takes Lord knows how long for someone to get 
there," he said.

To address the drug problem, Felinton said it's also important to consider 
other alternatives, such as finding some funding for rehabilitation programs.

Houvouras suggested that Cabell County as a whole rethink how tax dollars 
are spent when it comes to law enforcement. There are several law 
enforcement bodies in the county and there should be a workable way to 
arrange their coverage to meet needs, he said.

Houvouras also suggested programs in which the federal government 
confiscates property used for drug activity. The city then could rebuild it 
and put it into a lottery for young people looking for affordable housing.

Specifically, candidates were asked if they would support an organized 
burning of a drug house, which could send a message that drugs will not be 
tolerated.

Jacobs supported the idea. "Desperate times call for desperate measures," 
Jacobs said. But several other candidates said they would not be 
comfortable with such a measure.

Miller, an at large candidate, said drug prevention needs to begin in the 
homes and council members should do what they can to help facilitate that.

Other city matters that were discussed were repairing roads and cleaning 
the city. It's a health issue as well as a quality-of-life issue, Thompson 
said.

"Everywhere you go, you'll find filth," he said.

When it comes to improving communication between the city and the 
administration, McCallister said he'd like to start with strong leadership 
that keeps council members apprised of what is going on.

Huntington resident Loretta Hagler said she liked some of what she heard at 
the forum. She'd like elected officials to address the drug issue in the 
Fairfield community and employment, "so young people can stay here, and we 
don't become a dead town," she said.

"I was pleased with some of the things I heard," Hagler said. "Some of them 
are very enthusiastic, and I think would do an excellent job. I would like 
to see people do what they say they're going to do."

The city needs more people who know how to manage money, said Wanda 
Johnson, who attended the forum.

She'd also like to see honesty -- "someone who's more than a flow of 
words," she said.

Meanwhile, candidates ranging from state senators and delegates to city 
council candidates spoke Tuesday at the Guyandotte Improvement 
Association's meeting at the Guyandotte Library.

Creation of jobs and better communication among residents ranked high among 
the topics of discussion. Three Republican candidates for the 15th district 
of the House of Delegates, Jim Carden, Carol Miller and Paula Stewart, 
spoke Tuesday night. Democratic candidates for the Legislature, Bobby 
Nelson, who is running for the 16th district in the House and incumbent 
Sen. Robert Plymale of the 5th Senatorial District, also spoke Tuesday in 
Guyandotte.

Many of the candidates, both on a state level and local level, spoke of 
West Virginia's need to create more jobs. Residents at the meeting said 
they wanted to see elected officials clean up the crime and garbage along 
the streets of Guyandotte. Resident Wanda Linville said she is particularly 
interested in the prosecutor race between incumbent Chris Chiles and 
challengers David Perry and Ashley Lockwood. She said she sees too many 
drug dealers and crime on the streets and wants more aggressive prosecution 
of crimes.

"I think so many people are let off too easily," Linville said.

Linville said Guyandotte also needs to better clean its streets by removing 
abandoned cars and encourage residents to keep garbage and clutter out of 
their yards.

Debroah Thompson of Guyandotte said she wants to see government address 
streetscape improvements in Guyandotte to make the area attractive and draw 
more visitors.

"We don't have our niche yet other than Civil War Days," Thompson said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom