Democratic candidate Joda Thongnopnua fields questions from attendees during a debate between Tennessee House District 30 candidates at East Hamilton Middle/High School July 9. (Contributed photo by Dalton Temple)Growth and development were among the many topics up for debate last week during a community-hosted forum between Tennessee House District 30 candidates at East Hamilton Middle/High School.
District 30 includes East Brainerd, East Ridge, Apison, Missionary Ridge, Westview, East Lake, parts of Collegedale, parts of Brainerd, parts of Concord, parts of Ooltewah, and Ridgedale.
The forum pit Jonathan Mason, one of the two candidates vying for the GOP nomination, against lone Democrat Joda Thongnopnua. Fellow Republican candidate Esther Helton told organizers she would be unable to attend the meeting, citing a prior commitment.
With much of the residential growth for Hamilton County expected to come to the eastern pocket, candidates were asked whether they'd be more supportive of Ooltewah-Ringgold Road being widened to three or five lanes.
Mason said he believed a three-lane road would be ideal, adding that he thought five lanes would be more indicative of a commercial area. Alluding to the number of subdivisions expected to be developed along that corridor, Mason said a three-lane would also be the way to go because infrastructure support on the road was an immediate need.
"We don't want to sit and wait, and East Brainerd Road is a really good example of the amount of time it took," he said during the debate, referencing the Tennessee Department of Transportation's expansion project on East Brainerd Road, whose first phase of construction was expected to gear up this summer after starting in 2015. "So we want to make sure that a plan for the road is agreed upon," he added in regards to Ooltewah-Ringgold, "and we want to get it done quickly."
Thongnopnua, however, said he believed finding the right solution would require state and local officials to beef up their cooperation with one another and ensure residents had a seat at the negotiating table.
"I think the decision about whether or not you should have a three- or a five-lane road is up to you, and I think you should be engaged in that process," Thongnopnua told attendees. " It's going to be a really critical thing that we get this right."
Throughout the forum, Thongnopnua also emphasized his desire to see developers pay their "fair share" of the cost for implementing adequate road infrastructure as they continue to bring new developments to the community.
"It's unfair to the residents of the community to ask them to shoulder the burden of expanding development without having to pay for roads and sewer," he said. "Unfortunately, a lot of these roads that we have to continue to widen or expand haven't been paid for yet."
During the forum, Mason took a hard stance against forced annexation when asked if he would support a bill rescinding annexation by referendum.
"Citizens should have a right as far as what happens to their property," he said. " We want to make sure that citizens have a voice. Cities should have an incentive for a citizen to want to become a part of the city. They shouldn't just be able to go out and say, 'Now you're in the city, here's a city trash can.'"
Early voting for the Aug. 2 primary election, which pits Mason against Helton, began last week. The winner will face Thongnopnua in the Nov. 6 general election.
Email Myron Madden at mmadden@timesfreepress.com.