CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- Local government transparency and spending dominated a forum Monday featuring Republican candidates for Bradley County mayor.
Incumbent Mayor D. Gary Davis, County Commissioner Lisa Stanbery and Chris Weir are seeking the party nomination on May 4.
The winner will face Democrat Paul Krisle and independent Erin Fuller in the Aug. 5 county general election.
Responding to past questions about borrowing, Mr. Davis said the county's $80 million debt represents only 40 percent of what it could borrow against the value of its assets. He said Cleveland has $66 million in debt, which represents more than 60 percent of its debt capacity.
He noted that the County Commission must approve any county borrowing.
"It's my job to carry out the debt and borrow the bonds," he said.
Mr. Davis also said his office presents a balanced budget to commissioners each year.
"The commission usually adds to that budget and adopts it," he said.
Mrs. Stanbery reviewed her work "as part of a team of fellow county commissioners." When she was Education Committee chairman, she said, the panel negotiated a $15 million cost reduction for a Bradley Central High School project.
She said she worked to keep Whirlpool in Cleveland, and worked as chairman of the Tax Committee to get delinquent properties back on county tax rolls.
"When I sit on a committee, I don't do much sitting," she said. "I believe in honest, open government. No back-room deals, no negotiations behind closed doors."
Chris Weir, just back from serving in the U.S. Army in Iraq, acknowledged that he is the long-shot candidate, according to "politics as usual."
"Politics as usual says you have to have a pile of money to win," he said.
But Mr. Weir said voters are tired of politics as usual.
He called for more communication between the mayor's office and the public and a freer flow of information. He proposed a monthly "mayor's first Tuesday" to meet in his office with anyone who wants to talk with him.
Mr. Davis noted that hundreds of documents, including the county budget, are available online. And he said his office is open to the public every day, not just one day a month.
Mrs. Stanbery cited the recent expansion of Cleveland's urban growth boundary is an example of the need for more openness. Many people, she said, didn't know they might be brought into the boundary until they saw a notice posted at a neighborhood store.
Mr. Weir said the answer lies in better technology.
The forum was organized by Bradley County Republican Women.