Chattanooga City Councilman Russell Gilbert is a glass-half-full kind of guy, and for that he is unapologetic.
"I want this city to be the best city in the nation," he said in an interview with the Times Free Press editorial board ahead of his March 7 re-election bid in District 5. "We have more good here than bad. But I want to provide opportunity for everybody."
For Gilbert, who manages food services for Parkridge Valley Hospital locations, those aren't platitudes but are the way in which he lives his life, on the council and off.
The representative for District 5, which includes Bonny Oaks, Dalewood, Eastgate, Woodmore and Lake Hills areas, won a special election for his seat in 2008 and ran without opposition in 2009 and 2013. His work ethic - "I don't say things to be seen; I just try to make sure [the district] receives what they need" - may be one of the reasons why. And although he has opposition this year from Cynthia Stanley-Cash and Jeffery Evans, we endorse him for a third full term.
Gilbert, 56, points to district accomplishments such as infrastructure improvements on Lightfoot Mill Road and Tunnel Boulevard, sidewalks adjacent to schools and a new subdivision going up in the long-dormant Woodmore neighborhood, but he says what's important is figuring out "what can we do to work together. We need more of that."
To that end, he said he worked with various factions to counteract the food desert in the Wilcox Boulevard/Dalewood area, which now has a Wal-Mart Market next to Dalewood Middle School. He said he had to help show Wal-Mart why it should put a store there and has continued to check back with the retailer to be sure it is hitting its targets.
Gilbert said he now is working to get more development on Highway 58, which includes part of his district and which experts say will be a Chattanooga growth area. But one of those projects is in Councilman Ken Smith's district.
"It's not about the territory," he said. "It's about working as a team."
Regarding that, Gilbert says he is working with his fellow council members to make the city safer. While he admits "some components" of Mayor Andy Berke's Violence Reduction Initiative need to be improved, he is more interested in giving young people more tools to stay positive. He personally has seen that work with programs such as Impact 1, the Chattanooga Ambassadors Program and Chattanooga RBI (Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities).
"People need more structure," he said. "The problem is [we] don't do a lot of follow-up. But there's always a way to find a way."
Cash, 62, who is retired, says Gilbert is "not aggressive enough" and that she can devote more time to the job. She says the district needs more economic development, more emphasis on neighborhood problems and more "fairness, accountability and transparency with our dollars."
Evans, 50, a pastor, is interested in seeing more offerings for released felons, a trade or career center in the district, improved public works and "an avenue [for young people] to get out of the gangs."
We're convinced Cash and Evans are interested in their district but believe Gilbert offers the most sound leadership.