District 6 candidates take part in Brainerd forum

The six candidates on the ballot for the Feb. 5 City Council District 6 election discussed crime and a host of other issues Thursday night at the Brainerd Unity Group forum.

Carol Berz, Julie Chamberlain, Melinda Hickey, Rick Igou, Barbara Kelley and Charles Shaw participated in the event, which was attended by more than 50 people at Friendship Community Church in Brainerd. The candidates are vying for the seat given up by Marti Rutherford, who resigned last fall amid a residency controversy.

On a question about crime, Ms. Chamberlain, a former city employee who ran against Ms. Rutherford in 2005, said she and her husband have taken an active role in patrolling their neighborhood.

“It’s neighbors watching out after each other,” she said.

Mr. Shaw, a small-business man, cited difficulties in recruiting police officers and said that police pay should go up.

“Chattanooga Police Department needs to be the highest paid in the Southeast,” he said.

Dr. Berz, who heads a mediation business, said she has experience with police issues by leading the local human rights commission and through other roles.

“I’m a lawyer and working very closely in representing police and sometimes having to deal with challenging problems with them,” she said.

Ms. Kelley, widow of former Mayor Ralph Kelley, said she supports “whatever we can do as council people to help the police department retain” officers.

Discussing safety issues, Ms. Hickey said times have changed and urged personal responsibility in discouraging potential crime.

“You have to take care and take ownership of what belongs to you,” she said.

Mr. Igou, who runs the nooga.com Web site, said many local police officers are young and inexperienced because many who have more years of service leave for higher-paid employment elsewhere.

“I see all the officers, but to me they all look like a bunch of kids,” he said.

All the candidates said they would run for re-election if they win the special election for the remainder of the unexpired four-year term. The seat will be on the ballot again in spring 2009.

Early voting continues through Jan. 31.

EARLY VOTING

Early voting for the Feb. 5 election takes place each day but Sunday and continues through Jan. 31. Here are the early voting locations and times in Hamilton County:

* Hamilton County Election Commission, 700 River Terminal Road off Amnicola Highway, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday

* Brainerd Recreation Center, 1010 N. Moore Road, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday

* Northgate Mall at adjacent strip shopping center near TJ Maxx, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday