Tuesday night's political forum at Avery Trace gave each of the candidates for City Council an opportunity to speak and answer questions before voters. 

 The air conditioning at the school was not working properly, so it was a warm evening for the forty or so candidates gathered for City Council and other races.    Sponsored by the Herald-Citizen, the event began with the introduction of each candidate in attendance.

The ten City Council candidates present were given five minutes to introduce themselves and their platforms.  What follows are excerpts of those messages:
 

Connie Albright stated that  Cookeville has been her home for 30 years and recalled her work for a newspaper as well as her volunteer work at state and local level.  Albright said that job creation was her main platform, referencing May 2010 unemployment of 9.2% vs. three years ago at 4.1%.   She stated that she plans on supporting and maintaining current business and industry and that 80% of jobs created are with current business and industry.

Albright supports the 5th interchange and stated that quality of life must stay high.   She said that police, fire and emergency services are a big priority and talked about roads and how we have to keep them up when we are growing.  Albright stated she values diverse education offered by schools TTU and Nashville State and referenced TTU's impact on surronding area of 285Million dollars.  She stated that she likes the amenities available in Cookeville but knows how to stay within a budget.   She said that she may not know all but is willing to find out.

Alma Anderson stated that she was a military child born in Alaska who came to TTU in 1973, met husband Bruce in 1975 and worked for 15 years for a local doctor.   She stated that she then went on to teach at the adult high school, before getting her teaching degree at the age of 40.    She said that she has always been a volenteer, so it was natural for her to run for council.    Anderson stated that she has no axe to grind, supports our quality of life and believes that parks and greenspaces are essential.   She would like Cookeville to grow in a controlled, responsible manner, making sure local business is still supported and pledged voters that she will always call you back, even if she disagrees.

Zach Bollen stated that he would like to see dramatic change on the City Council.  Bollen stated that the previous council had failed to get the job done and emphasized that budget considerations were job one.   A relative newcomer to the area, Bollen referenced building a successful business here and stated that he knew what it took to be successful, but also recognized firsthand some of the frustrations and obstacles faced by business owners.   Bollen stated that he felt it was important to have someone on the council who was unafraid of asking questions, unafraid of voting no.   Bollen had stated previously that he was greatly disappointed to see how often the entire City Council voted the same way 5-0 on issues.   He felt it indicated that open Council meetings were not forums for discussion and discovery, but forums where pre-determined "deals" were made.   He stated that we need to take care of our own citizens and city employees first and that he is against the 5th interchange based on the available information today. 
 
John Donnally, Jr. stated that he was a "military brat" who came to cookeville after his military service to go to TTU.  After working in a building supply company he served as a Putnam County Commissioner.  He stated that with 4 new councilmen experience would be key to success in the coming years. 

Larry Epps stated that he is a nurse a nesthesiologist who is also a family man for whom faith is of utmost importance.   As a County Commissioner, Epps said he had made some tough decisions.  Referencing growing up very little means he said that he was commited to help both the private and public sector.

Harold Jackson stated that being a previous mayor, vice mayor, and councilman had given him a first hand look at this job.  He stated that he was proud to call Cookeville home and that he felt education was extremely important.  "If we do not educate the children what will cookeville looke like 20 years down the road?" asked Jackson.  He stated the importance of fair wages to city employees and stated that he was extremely supportive of the Highland inititive.   Jackson stated that he hoped to see job creation and that he supports the 5th interchange and the road north from it.

Anthony Maxwell praised the current council and stated that he is from Cookeville and currently a practicing lawyer with a degree from Memphis.  Maxwell stated that his expertise in law would be a help as a councilman and that he thought that the major priorities would be education and quality of life.   He would like to see the council do rails for trails for the tourism benefit, suppor the completion of the Highlands business park, keep good relations with the hospital, TTU and small businesses.

Paul Spite stated that he moved to Cookeville 6 years ago and has enjoyed his community work with rotary and the Boy Scouts.
An architect by trade, Spite stated his strong belief that less government is better government.   He pledged to look at laws to see if they are good both past and present and stated that he was very conservative.   Spite stated that raising taxes is not what you do, that you do with what you have. Spite would like to start an incubator program to help new businesses succeed.   He stated that new businesses shouldn't be taxed so heavily and that taxes collected locally should be spent locally

Matt Swallows stated that he had graduated TTU with a degree in Finance and that his work makes him stay within a budget.  Swallows said that he wants to serve, but has no agenda.   He wants to be part of helping Cookeville.  Swallows stated that the first priority was to take care of current business.  A second priority would be to recruit the right kinds of new business, possibly with an emphasis on technological jobs.  He'd like to retain our quality of life, keep our culture alive.  Swallows stated that Cookeville has a lot of talent and needs to keep the different arts and entertainment alive.

Jim Woodford stated that his family had owned a car dealership in Cookeville for 70 years.  He believes that government must live within its means, that we must be aggressive in recruiting new jobs and promote Cookeville as the only place to locate.  Woodford would like to see the 5th interchange go forward and stated that  improving roads is essential for growing the city.

With early election starting Friday, citizens are thinking hard about their choices in City Leadership.   This year's vote will be particularly critical, as the entire council will shift from previous leadership to new.