On Tuesday, October 23, 2018, the Harmony Grove Student Council hosted a political forum including the four candidates for the office of Mayor in Haskell.
From left to right as you see them on-screen, they are Roy Carman, Lori Blackburn, Janie Lyman (incumbent), and Mary Beth Kelloms.
Candidates begin with an opening statement, then there are 15 questions that were submitted by Haskell citizens. Finally, candidates will make their closing statements.
The questions are below:
1. With our rapidly growing community, what is your vision and plan to improve or develop our City Parks and Recreation Department to better serve the youth in the Haskell community? For Example: Adding more youth activities, facility upgrades and addition of a Parks Director to coordinate activities and oversee facilities usage.
2. What can be done to upgrade our water system? We have had far too many water main breaks lately. How would you work to fix this problem?
3. If elected, how would you, alongside the Police Department, help to better the traffic before and after school for those living around the school?
4. In the past, we have had issues enforcing code, whether it’s at the city level or pushback from a judge/court. Will you enforce code regardless of pushback? How do you plan to do so?
5. Many of you have businesses and personal friendships within the city and within the Police Department. Is this a conflict of interest? How do you plan to perform your duties without business and personal relationships influencing your actions?
6. As Mayor, how do you plan to bring business and growth to Haskell?
7. What would you like to see improve within our city? Proposals for the city’s future?
8. Carman and Lyman: As current Mayor and City Council members, what can you change or improve that you haven’t already had the opportunity to do, given your current positions? If you haven’t been able to accomplish these tasks previously, why would it change now?
9. Are you going to do anything about the roads? After the most recent road work, they are uneven and worse than they had been.
10. A citizen would like to know the possibility of another exit from Harp’s onto Highway 229. Would you be willing to move in that direction with the owners of Harp’s to help with traffic flow at the light?
11. What experience do you have with community service in our community and school? Please give examples.
12. If elected, what do you expect your relationship to be with the school district? –Care of roads connecting to school, communication with administration, etc.
13. Do you feel like you, as Mayor and City Council, will try to change boundary lines and look to annex any land considered to be Benton?
14. What is your four-year plan as Mayor of Haskell and how do you plan to fulfill your plan? If your plans are not legal or feasible, are they just an empty promise?
15. We are in big need of fixing our infrastructure with water and streets. In what ways would you take advantage of the grants that are out there for fixing our infrastructure so the city can continue to grow?