By AMY ROSE

Staff Writer

The three candidates for mayor of Greeneville gave their opinions Tuesday night on traffic safety, economic development, education and fiscal responsibility.

They spoke during a "Town Meeting" Tuesday evening at the Capitol Theatre.

Nearly 100 citizens attended the two-and-a-half-hour event hosted by the Kiwanis Club of Greeneville.

The mayoral and other candidates are running in the city's June 3 municipal election.

The Town Meeting also included remarks from the four candidates for two seats on the Greeneville Board of Education. (Please see accompanying article.)

Mayoral candidates Darrell Bryan, the incumbent; Laraine King, a Greeneville alderman; and Eddie O'Brien each made one-minute opening and closing statements.

The candidates also had two minutes each to answer nine questions asked by Bobby Rader, news director for Radio of Greeneville; John M. Jones Jr., editor of The Greeneville Sun; and moderator Homer Marcum, a Kiwanian who presented questions submitted by members of the audience.

Each candidate also had one minute for rebuttal after each round of answers, although the candidates used much of their rebuttal time for reiterating or clarifying their previous answers.

Artie Wehenkel, past president of Kiwanis, said the purpose of the Town Meeting was to encourage and foster a better government through informed voters.

Mayor Bryan Comments

In the opening statements, Mayor Bryan said, "Being the mayor of Greeneville is an honor and a privilege. We've made a lot of accomplishments in the past two years, but there's still much work to be done."

He highlighted several accomplishments during his time as mayor: a new employee handbook, upgraded fire stations, reorganization of the Police Department, increased services by the Public Works Department, progress on the Greeneville Skate Park project and work to prepare a new 20-year Comprehensive Plan for the city.

Bryan also listed the completion of several projects: the first phase of the Historic Walkway, the Greeneville-Greene County Tennis Center, the walking track at the George Clem building and Dogwood Park at Tusculum View.

"With your help and vote for me in the upcoming election, we can continue to make Greeneville an even better place to live," Mayor Bryan said. "Working together, we can continue the progress."

King Speaks

Alderman King opened by stating that she is a Greeneville native, a longtime business owner and a public servant.

"I want everyone to know how committed I am to this town. I want to see Greeneville prosper and grow for all of us," which she said will take strong leadership, vision and sound planning.

"I want to see Greeneville be a place where our children and grandchildren will be happy to call home," she said.

"I feel I have the ability, the time, the energy and the experience to get the town moving forward in a secure direction that we will all be proud of."

O'Brien Comments

O'Brien opened by calling himself the "historical" mayoral candidate.

"We need to improve the developments," he said, speaking of current projects within the city.

He added that he is committed to several projects for Greeneville.

Following the opening statements, the candidates answered these questions:

1. What is the appropriate position for the town to take concerning red-light cameras?

Alderman King said, "I think it needs a little more study," noting that the cameras have both pros and cons.

She said she questions the fact that red-light cameras can cause more rear-end crashes as drivers try to stop quickly to avoid running red lights.

Mayor Bryan said he has appointed a safety committee to study certain areas where cameras are needed, but not enough information is available on the issue.

"I don't know if the cameras are a benefit or not," he said, noting that some cities who are using the cameras have reported problems.

O'Brien said traffic accidents are increasing in Greeneville. The cameras are needed, he said, to ensure that no one runs red lights or speeds through caution lights and causes fatalities.

2. As mayor, what role would you advocate for the Town of Greeneville concerning the "Rediscover Greeneville" project?

Mayor Bryan said, "I think the town has to be involved in any kind of issue with that major impact."

He said parking will be an issue, but "We've got to find ways to create commerce in our town."

O'Brien said if the "Rediscover Greeneville" downtown redevelopment project begins, "We need to control development." He added that the project should include measures to ensure traffic and sidewalk safety.

Alderman King said "Rediscover Greeneville" will be a "major issue" for the city's 20-year Comprehensive Plan.

She said she is not sure what the city government's role will be in the project, but "If it will create jobs, we are more than happy to help."

3. Do you think the current moratorium on extending sewer service outside the Greeneville city limits should be extended in light of the recent lack of economic development in the town?

O'Brien said providing sewer service should be fully funded by the federal government. He said Greeneville should seek more grants because the city is not getting the federal funding it deserves.

Alderman King said the city should work with all utilities as part of the new 20-year Comprehensive Plan to consider what services can be provided with future annexation. She said Greeneville also should work with all municipalities to attract business and industry.

Mayor Bryan said extending sewer service outside the city's Urban Growth Boundary is needed for growth but could cause problems. He said Greeneville is planning to work with Tusculum on sewer extensions.

4. During a recent school board retreat, the Greeneville Board of Education studied the construction of a new middle school and closing Highland Year-Round Elementary School. What is your view on the subject?

Alderman King said, "We need to do everything we can possibly do to educate the children of our town." She said the school system's facilities needs should be studied by the school system and the city.

Mayor Bryan said, "What we have to do is be good stewards of the money." He said accurate enrollment growth figures are needed, along with more information on the safety of the Highland building.

O'Brien said lottery scholarship funding should be obtained for the projects. He noted that other schools, including Hal Henard Elementary School and Greeneville Middle School need improvements, including sidewalks to Marshall Lane.

5. What is your viewpoint concerning the proposed runway realignment project at the Greeneville-Greene County Municipal Airport? Should the town give strong support to the project?

Mayor Bryan said the city government should give strong support to the project, noting that a strong airport is needed to recruit industry.

"I don't know how we could operate without the airport," he said, explaining that if the safety issues are not corrected, the airport will lose its grant funding.

O'Brien said the airport needs to be closed or rebuilt in a proper manner. He noted that he has worked at the St. Louis international airport, so he knows Greeneville's aviation needs.

O'Brien said the airport is lacking fencing, gates, runway space and lights, and there is a need for more hangars.

Alderman King said, "I think it's important to realize that Greeneville has been very supportive of the airport for many years," but the Airport Authority should be self-financing.

She said Airport Authority Chairman Don Henard recently requested matching funds for the project, but said the funding would not correct the safety issues.

Therefore, she said the safety issues must not be a major concern, or the funding would be earmarked for those safety issues.

(The runway realignment project is specifically designed to correct the airport's safety issues, Henard has said.)

Bryan said the line-of-sight problem at the airport is a "very serious" issue. "We have to make sure we have a safe, viable airport," he said.

6. Name three things that specifically you would do to foster economic development if you're elected mayor.

O'Brien said he is waiting on five restaurants to give him an OK to build. He said it might take a while to develop his planned 60-lane bowling alley and civic arena.

O'Brien said several manufacturing plants, distribution centers and department stores want to come to Greeneville, but he charged city officials are not working to recruit them.

Alderman King said the local workforce should be identified, using training programs at Walters State Community College and the Greeneville-Greene County Center for Technology. She said the city should be innovative and think "outside the box" to attract jobs.

"We need someone who can lead us in that direction and realize that this is the future," she said.

Mayor Bryan said the Greene County Partnership is working on a strategic plan for attracting business and industry. He said the workforce should be educated for specific skill sets, including technological advances.

He also stressed the importance of using the city's Land Use Plan to determine how to be prepared and how to best attract industry.

7. For the last few years, there has been no full-time staff planner for the town. How has that role being filled at this time, and do you think the town needs a full-time staff planner?

Mayor Bryan commended the work of intern planner Laura Johnson, who has been working with the state planner and the Building Department.

He said a full-time planner is needed, because planning is one of the most important things going on right now.

O'Brien said a full-time planner is needed to advise developers and to address issues related to sink holes, soil conservation and protecting our own resources.

Alderman King said, "I think planning is our most important aspect going on right now in the city."

She said the city having its own planner would be a benefit at this time, but funding the salary for the position would be a challenge.

8. Some citizens have expressed the view that the community needs a new larger public library. What is your opinion on the question?

Alderman King noted that she served on the Library Board for a number of years and was chairman when plans were made to expand to the T. Elmer Cox facility. She said the library continues to have space needs, which should be included in the city's planning process.

Mayor Bryan noted that the library is a city-county joint venture. He said the ideal solution would be development of plans for a new library in the Rediscover Greeneville project.

O'Brien said a new library should wait until 2010, and the city should address more pressing problems like traffic safety, sewer and water services and the airport.

The "Rediscover Greeneville" project will take time to complete, he said.

9. Assuming all of you can look back over the last two years, what if anything would you change that the city did?

Mayor Bryan said he wishes more funds could have been allocated to improve the city's infrastructure, and he would have planned more to provide such funding.

O'Brien said the city needs to get a "tight grip" on its finances and to create more jobs. Also, the city should more strongly promote its historical value.

Alderman King said, "I would pay much closer attention to the budget process that we go through each year. "Our finances are not in good shape," she said, noting that the city has been spending its reserve fund on recurring expenses.

She said in the past six years, the reserve fund has decreased from about $11.5 million to under $4 million.

"This puts us in jeopardy in many, many ways," she said.

Mayor Bryan used his rebuttal time to state that the reserve fund total is nearly $7.5 million at this time, which is in "pretty good shape."

He added that the budget process, which involves the recorder working with the department heads, should be more open to the public and should include more input from the aldermen.

Bryan added that the fund balance has been spent on recent rising health insurance costs.

Recorder Jim Warner said this morning that the fund balance at the beginning of the year was nearly $6.4 million.

The current budget plan calls for spending approximately $2.1 million of that fund balance, which would bring the total down to nearly $4.3 million.

Audio from the event was broadcast live on Comcast cable channel 18 and AM radio station 1450 WSMG.

The Kiwanis Club sponsored and coordinated the event in cooperation with The Greeneville Sun, greenevillesun.com, Radio Greeneville -- WGRV, WIKQ and WSMG, and greeneville.com.

In closing the Town Meeting, Wehenkel encouraged everyone to vote in the June 3 election.

For video coverage of the Town Meeting go to www.greenevillesun.com