I have received a response from Greg Woodard, who is running for an at-large seat on the Greensboro City Council. I appreciate his taking the time to complete and return the questionnaire. His responses are as follows, unfiltered:
1. What do you regard as the single most important function or purpose of local government?
To provide the community with basic services/infrastructure: Police, Fire, Water and Sewer, Sanitation, Parks and Recreation, and Libraries.
2. What would be your specific plan or approach to attract new employers, and retain existing employers, in the City of Greensboro?
I would work, cooperate and partner with business and education institutes. With the city, I would seek out new employers with higher skilled jobs and ensure our education institutes can and do provide the required training. Although I am not fond of incentive, we have to compete with other city. Saying that, we must provide reasonable incentives, when necessary, to attract, retain and help employers grow. I have worked behind the scenes on several businesses that have moved into Greensboro. I continue to seek out business opportunities by holding Job Fairs at my VFW in partnership with the Employment Security Commission and participating in the MPACT Learning Center Job Fairs.
3. What would be your specific plan to reduce crime?
Go back through the Budget, look for non-essential programs, or items not require by law and move the funding to the Police and Parks & Recreation Budgets. (Basic needs are the first responsibility of city government.) Hire more police officers, reduce the response time, Create a full time gang unit, get police officers into the neighborhoods, walking patrols, bike patrols, Work with Parks and Recreation to offer more youth programs, Work with the over 700 Churches to provide youth programs, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4H clubs, Explorer Clubs, etc. Start a program like High Point's West End Program.
4. Would you ever vote in favor of a tax increase?
No. I live on a pension/budget. The city needs to do the same. Use the tax dollar for what it is intended for, the needs/requirements of the city. If there is funding left over, then go for the wants. Stop the wasting of the taxpayer's money. Learn to budget.
5. Are you going to seek or accept the endorsement of the Simkins PAC?
Yes, I will accept their endorsement, if they wish to recognize my Volunteerism and community service.
6. Are you going to seek or accept the support of TREBIC?
Yes, I will accept their endorsement, if they wish to recognize my community service and work in bringing business to the Southside of Greensboro.
7. Do you support same-sex domestic partner benefits for City employees?
No, I do not think the city is ready for it.
8. What would be your specific plan to clean up the Greensboro Police Department?
First let me say, I have known Chief Bellamy for several years. I feel the city made an excellent choice. Under his command there has been positive changes, I have heard nothing but compliments about his handling of Police Department.
I would support a Community Review Board, holding everyone Accountable to the citizen. Based on my military and community service, I would insure the city manager stays on top of any problems and keep everyone appraise of the situation, public included. I would require openness with the community. After all the cities problems are the citizen's problems. I would be a leader, not afraid to ask hard questions and demanding answers. We need to build trust. I think we are taken some good steps toward it.
My reaction: Mr. Woodard is retired, and military service was his career. I appreciate his response.
His answer to the first question follows a pattern we have already seen numerous times-- he states the city's broad mission, and then lists a number of individual services.
His approach to attracting and retaining employers is not unreasonable, but I cannot be sure that it is sufficient. He says he would not raise taxes, which is helpful in this regard. I cannot assess whether there is an overall "business-friendly" attitude.
His plan for crime reduction is very good from the standpoint of trying to assure sufficient police staffing, and recalibrating spending priorities. But moving money to parks and rec? He emphasizes police presence in the community, which is good, and preventive approaches such as youth programs. But it is possible to have all these things in place, and to still experience excessively high crime rates. It matters how you use police.
Again, he says he would not raise taxes. That is excellent.
It is very unfortunate that he would seek or accept the endorsement of Simkins and TREBIC.
It is good that he opposes domestic partner benefits, although I cannot be sure about his stated reason: "I do not think this city is ready for it." Does this statement mean that if he perceived the city was ready for domestic partner benefits, that he would support it? This is an important question because, after all, we already have this policy in place, thanks to Keith Holliday, Mitchell Johnson and the current city council.
The last question dealt with the GPD mess. Mr. Woodard, overall, seems to support the current approach, and lauds Chief Bellamy's "positive changes." He favors a "Community Review Board". But he says he would keep tabs on the city manager, require openness, and "ask hard questions and demanding answers. We need to build trust." What does this mean? It appears that he is, at once, supporting the current regime while suggesting he would require more communication.
The rest of the candidates' responses may be found by clicking "Council Candidates" below or at the top of the right column. Links to all of the responses may also be found on this page.
I didn't care for Mr. Woodard's answers at all. He sounds to me like he is rather well satisfied with the status quo and finds not too much wrong with what has been going on. Simply asking "hard questions" of someone who has been proven again and again to be a liar is hardly intelligent. It is a shame because I have been impressed with his blog. And Diane Davis whom I greatly admire thinks he is one of the best running. So far my list of At large candidates has 2 Maybe Possibilities, 2 No Way in Hells and 1 Only as a Last Resort. BB
Posted by: Brenda Bowers | August 24, 2007 at 12:32 AM
Brenda, I thought the responses from Bill Knight, who is running for an at-large seat, were good. And an added asset is that he is a CPA. But he is renouncing special interest money and support, which decreases his chances of winning in a city like Greensboro; and has less name recognition than some of the others.
But even if Mr. Knight were to prevail, there are two more seats to fill.
Posted by: Joe Guarino | August 24, 2007 at 06:49 AM
Mr. Knight is one of the "Maybe Possibilities" Joe. I am also including Sandra Anderson Groat in that category as she seems to have seen the light. As for winning an election it is up to those of us who want them to win to help them to win. And a sign in our yards won't be enough. And neither will them passing out signs do it. Being elected if you are not known takes "pressing the flesh" even when people are fed up with the ones now in office. BB
Posted by: Brenda Bowers | August 24, 2007 at 02:25 PM