Matthew Petty

Just take a look at the list below from the Coody campaign. Isn't this a stark contrast to Lioneld's list?

Accomplishments during the Coody Administration

• Reorganized and professionalized city staff

• All top administrators required to have training and high level of experience in their area of responsibility.

• Emphasized long range planning

This is an intense political season. Many people are having a tough time deciding who to vote for in the Mayoral runoff, and I hope this post helps you decide. If you have undecided friends, please forward them a link to this post, and to Dan's list, too.

The second runoff debate will take place at the UA's Continuing Ed building on the Fayetteville square (directions). What excites me so much about this debate is the rebuttal format. I think it will give both candidates an opportunity to delve deeper into the others' records and clarify the rhetoric we hear so often during the political season.

This will be the best opportunity to compare the candidates side-by-side. It starts at 5:30pm on Monday Nov 17. Be there and bring an undecided friend.

Last Wednesday (Nov 12), the League of Women Voters hosted a debate between Fayetteville's remaining mayoral candidates, Dan Coody and Lioneld Jordan. I have already endorsed Mayor Coody for reelection, and watching the League's debate may show you why. You can watch it online. Just visit the City's website. http://accessfayetteville.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=2

There is a second debate on Monday Nov 17, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce.

At the end of October, Alderman Kyle Cook reopened discussion on Fayetteville's property tax collections. He wanted to discuss raising the millage to avoid using the reserves. It was a worthy discussion, but something happened that was perplexing to me.

Good job, Alderman Allen!

The Yvonne Richardson Center fulfills a vital service to the neighborhoods near S College and S Willow, and they are struggling to continue to provide the same level of service. Nancy Allen has requested $40,000 from Fayetteville's 2009 budget to be used to hire another staffer for the Center. It's a request that is at least worthy of discussion, and I hope the Council finds a way to work it into the budget.

(Nancy Allen holds the Council position I am taking in January. She did not run for a second term.)

With the results of the recent election, Fayetteville's City Council is on track to reverse its trend of near-inactivity and reactionary governance. Finally, we have a Council that can bring the business needs of Fayetteville together with the social and environmental awareness we need to cultivate in the face of converging climate, economic, and housing crises. It's very important, because you can count the number of ordinances introduced by Council members in the last eight years on both hands. That's a sad state of affairs, and I am excited to see it change.

It's a runoff!

For me, the most important point in the mayoral runoff is progress. How much progress have we made because of Mayor Coody, and how much have we made because of Alderman Lioneld Jordan?

I attended most of the Council meeting last night, when most of the Southpass ordinances were voted in. The most talked about topic was the nature of the contract signed by the Council four years ago (actually, the Mayor signed it and the Council told him to do it).

Alderman Jordan's suggestion to sell the Tyson building to bolster the reserves is the wrong thing to do in a perilous economy. The Tyson building is a critical asset for Fayetteville's expanding emergency services, and we have a surplus in reserves. The salary increases Alderman Jordan is fighting for are deserved, but they should already be included in the budget submitted by the administration. Plus, the sale of the Tyson building would return far more than needed to raise salaries.

It would be foolish to sell the Tyson building now, as Alderman – and mayoral candidate - Lioneld Jordan is proposing to do to pay for salary increases and boost the reserves.

First, when I met with Fayetteville's Fire Chief Tony Johnson, he told me that the number one need of the department was a local training facility. He told me that we waste money maintaining an adequate number of on-duty officers when we send people out-of-town for training. I understand a training center is also a priority for our police department.