Chamber forum puts spotlight on mayoral candidates
Mayoral candidates Tom Watson and Pam Smith-Wright discussed their plans and ideas for the city for a second time this week, when they answered questions Thursday morning at a forum hosted by the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce.
Smith-Wright and Watson, who both have long careers in city government, discussed a wide range of issues, including gun violence, local taxation, merging city and county governments and projects.
The candidates spoke at the Chamber of Commerce’s “Rooster Booster” breakfast at the Owensboro Convention Center.
Watson, who is running for a third consecutive term and four term overall, said, “I have had the opportunity to be your mayor for 12 years, and it has been a very humbling experience.
“I’m just one of five” members of the city commission, Watson said. “For anything to get done, you have to the famous three votes. Proudly, in the years I’ve been mayor, we may have had only one vote that hadn’t been unanimous on our commission. I think through my leadership … we’ve been able to do things other communities can’t do.”
When asked about what the city could do to reverse what moderator Jared Revlett described as “shootings are being reported on a daily basis.”
Watson said he commended the work of the Owensboro Police Department and other cities agencies.
“The number one job of an elected official is public safety, obviously,” Watson said. “…I think a little bit of caution (about saying) ‘increased shootings.’ I’m really not aware that is going on, but I’ll take your word for it.
“All of these issues come down to ‘kitchen table’ issues: If you’re not being raised properly and you don’t have the opportunity to have both parents there a lot of times, or one parent has to work, I think it’s difficult to get those ‘kitchen table’issues that keep you off the street,” Watson said.
Smith-Wright said she has been endorsed by the local Fraternal Order of Police, and that she respects OPD and first responders.
Smith-Wright also said parents need to play a role in curbing violence.
“I think this generation of parents are not engaged with their children, and sometimes they are not even at home with their children,” Smith-Wright said. “These kids can obtain weapons from wherever — from in the house and from cars that are not locked,” which increases crime, she said.
“We have to do something about the parenting aspect of it, and trying to stop this,” Smith-Wright said.
The candidates were asked about affordable housing, particularly changing local zoning laws that prohibit having more than one detached dwelling on a parcel of land, which prohibits the construction of more than one “tiny home” on properties.
Watson said he is seeking a grant to put 11 to 12 tiny homes in front of the Elizabeth Munday Center, which he said would be a “start,” but didn’t specifically address zoning changes. The homes could be used as transitional housing, until a person had the resources to afford a larger home, Watson said.
Smith-Wright said the issue could be solved through economic development.
“I think we need some better-paying jobs in our community,” Smith-Wright. “That would also help people who are trying to own their first home.”
Smith-Wright also didn’t address zoning changes but said, if tiny homes were constructed by the city to help the homeless, “what are you going to do after you build it? You still have utilities, you still have all those things. Who pays for that?” Smith-Wright said she would have to research tiny homes, but hadn’t ruled it out.
Revlett, who is a member of the Chamber of Commerce’s Chamber Young Professionals, asked the candidates what the city could do to create professional opportunities for people under age 45?
Watson said he would “give them an opportunity to serve on the Young Professionals, give them an opportunity to serve on the Chamber of Commerce, and not just come and say, ‘what can you do for me?’ It’s a partnership, and the city is happy to partner with the young people,” Watson said, and that, “we’ll do as much as we can to keep young people here.”
Smith-Wright said, “We have to let our young people know we are interested in what they want,” and then pivoted to point in her campaign, that, if elected, she would be the first woman mayor.
“This city has been run by men for the last 29 mayors, and I want to change that,” Smith-Wright said. “I want you to know I am interested in young people, and I would like to create, I don’t know if it would be a board, but create an opportunity for them to tell us what they would like to see in Owensboro, because they live here as well.”
Both Watson said they supported “home rule,” which would allow the city to create its own taxes such as restaurant taxes. When asked about city cooperation with Daviess Fiscal Court, Smith-Wright said, “I don’t think that’s a big deal.”
“I think all we have to do is be able to communicate with someone,” Smith-Wright said.
If elected mayor, Smith-Wright said she’s have an “open door” to the judge-executive.
“We don’t have to have combined government for us to get along,” Smith-Wright said.
Watson said, “I’m for merged government,” but he also meets monthly with Judge-Executive Charlie Castlen, and said City Manger Nate Pagan meets with county officials on a regular basis.
“I don’t there’s a big problem there” between city and county government, Watson said.
Asked if there was an exciting city project they would like to pursue, Smith-Wright said she would be interested in the idea of a banjo-shaped ferris wheel. The idea of the ferris wheel/drop tower was floated by a Nashville developer in 2019.
“It would serve all ages of people,” Smith-Wright said. “Everybody loves a ferris wheel.
Watson said, “I’d like to merge governments, and, along with that, have a new courthouse built for merged government and turn the downtown courthouse into a bed and breakfast.
Watson closed the forum by stressing his connections with Frankfort and other agencies.
“If I have a value, it’s my relationships I’ve build over the last 40 years in Frankfort and Washington and even Indianapolis, trying to do things like build roads,” Watson said.
Smith-Wright said the election was a time city residents could make a change.
“I look at the city as our home, and every now and then you move furniture around, you change it around to get a different aspect,” Smith-Wright said, and said, “I would ask that you look at me as part of your home and being something different.”
Later, Smith-Wright said, “Mayor Watson came in, and he changed the view of his house. I’m asking you to give me the same chance you gave him, so we can change the view of our home.”
James Mayse Messenger- Inquirer