All eight candidates for Springfield City Council spoke to an overflow crowd at an event dubbed the People’s Candidate Forum organized by Missouri Jobs with Justice, Springfield Tenants Unite and PROMO this past Saturday, February 15.
Candidates gave introductory remarks then took turns responding to questions from each organization, with time for a few questions from the crowd. Conversation largely focused on progressive topics like discrimination protections for the LGBTQ+ community, housing reform and improving wages and transportation in the community. Candidates were largely supportive of the initiatives and programs as they were discussed broadly during the event, though most candidates stressed the need for specifics.
In the race for mayor, Jeff Schrag often described himself as open to solutions but concerned about the details. In discussing limits on direct financial contributions in city elections he was not opposed, but explained he believes it would just drive donors to less transparent means of giving, like super PACS.
He touted his business experience and experience on government boards. He described his time serving on a committee for the Mayor's Initiative on Equity and Equality, which he said never had a chance to do actionable work.
“We did some work, we put somethings together, we put principles or pillars together,” Schrag explained, “but without a mayor that wants to move those things forward, nothing happens to those things, so I can pledge to you as mayor I will not bring about any sham commissions on any subject whatsoever, because it was a bunch of work ... that didn’t take us anywhere.”
Mary Collette is also running for Mayor. She described herself as “everyone’s neighbor” and highlighted her past experience as an advocate for Commercial Street and her service on city council from 2001 to 2009 as well as her time working with Springfield’s Neighborhood Associations and the Neighborhood Advisory Council. She described a vision of the city that is neighborhood led. In discussing rental inspections and nuisance properties she explained how the city needs to be proactive in helping neighborhoods, private landowners and renters address situations before they become issues. She described how complaints about safe housing and a lack of affordable housing can often put tenants at risk.
"What happens is that we have people living in homes that they can barely afford and the inspectors can’t go in and look at them, and the people that are living in those homes don’t want inspectors in because they’ll never find another home," Collette said. "Whether they have running water, whether they have a hole in their roof or their floor is caving in, the inspectors can’t do anything about it. We have to put something in place that allows the inspectors to go in.”
Representing General Seat A, incumbent Heather Hardinger touted her ongoing involvement with much of the city’s work in the subjects addressed throughout the night, including serving on the city’s Community Involvement Committee which she said is hoping to run a pilot rental inspections program this summer.
"We’ve been working collaboratively with tenants' groups (and) with landlords, to pull this together,” she explained, “I’m grateful for that collaborative approach and excited to see the pilot kick-off.”
Eric Pauly is running against Hardinger for the General Seat A position. He described his years of experience working and living in Springfield as well as his time as president of the Phelps Grove Neighborhood. He presented a need for leadership on council that is bold and proactive. When asked about supporting an anti-discrimination ordinance for that city that would include sexual identity, he said council should have leadership that is committed to do the right thing and not afraid of pushback like referendum vote that overturned the SOGI ordinance in 2015.
“If it takes city government in order to go ahead be the leader on encouraging the rest of our citizens to be much more inclusive,” Pauly said, “I am fully supportive of it. We need to understand,” he elaborated, “we have a short amount of time here. We need to judge each other on what we have in our head and our hearts.”
Candidates for Zone 4 also shared their credentials and perspectives. Incumbent Matthew Simpson presented pragmatic solutions drawn from his experience on council. He also emphasized solutions focused on processes and systems, such as zoning.
Candidate for Zone 4 Bruce Adib-Yazdi shared about his work as an architect and affordable housing builder and as president of the Seminole-Holland Neighborhood. He presented a vision for strategic urban development and careful detailed oriented policies. He drew on his experience helping build in cities across the country and emphasized that many issues require support from the State government.
Incumbent councilmembers for Zone 1 Monica Horton and General Seat A Craig Hosmer also took questions, though they are running unopposed. They drew on their experience being on council and elaborated on where council decisions are at on many of the topics posed during the event. During a final question from the crowd on ideology and partisanship they both described how the nonpartisan council is a space for healthy debate. Hosmer described how he is often on the wrong end of 8-1 votes, but presenting his perspective and engaging in conversation still matters. Horton described the council as a sort of board of governors largely focused on the same goals for the city and invested in collaboration though at times with differing perspectives on accomplishing those goals.
Voters in Springfield will make their decision on April 8.