Elections 2013: Debra Harkrider

NAME: Debra Ann Harkrider<br /> <br /> OCCUPATION: Registered Nurse and Small Business Owner<br /> <br /> Candidate for Mayor of Gainesville<br /> <br /> 1) Why are you running for this office? <br /> <br /> I have always thought we needed an elected Mayor and supported the effort from the beginning. As Gainesville has grown, so has the need for a fulltime Mayor, to properly represent our city. I am running for the office because I think I can do the best job. I have nothing to gain personally from this position - so I can just do what is right for the betterment of all our citizens. I will represent the city in the most positive way - with respect for our wonderful history, while embracing the future.<br /> <br /> Also, I will not take a salary. I have always volunteered to better my community and it is part of our civic duty to be involved. Those taxpayer dollars can be better spent. For example, Gainesville has not been able to pay our hardworking firemen a cost-of-living raise in seven years.<br /> <br /> 2) Is this first time you have run for political office? (If "no," please explain.) <br /> <br /> No, I ran unsuccessfully in 2011 for Gainesville City Council - Ward 2. <br /> <br /> 3) What qualifications for the office do you bring to the campaign?<br /> <br /> As a Registered Nurse with 34 years experience and a small business owner, I bring a wealth of experience. <br /> <br /> I have supervised people, balanced many budgets, I am a good mediator, I have tackled many problems and been able to solve them in a quick and efficient way. I am a doer- I am not afraid to "get my hands dirty" to take care of an issue. <br /> <br /> As the volunteer manager of Gainesville's Main Street Program, I have knowledge (of) how our city government works. and I have attended many educational programs on city government. As a volunteer in organizations around the city - I know that we must help those less fortunate and that we are all equal and we all have value as a citizens of Gainesville. <br /> <br /> Also, I will represent Gainesville in the best possible way, because I am open, welcoming, positive, enthusiastic, intelligent, health conscious , hard working, fair, forward thinking - all the things that Gainesville wants to project as a city. <br /> <br /> 4) What do you see as the biggest concern/issue facing the city of Gainesville? And, please explain your answer.<br /> <br /> As with most cities, we are always concerned with economy, unemployment, good health care, good a school system and how to move into the future with the right kind of growth with enough infrastructure. These are the issues that we need to concentrate on for the next generation.<br /> <br /> 5) Are there any specific changes you would like to undertake if you are elected? And, please explain your answer.<br /> <br /> Yes, some of the specific changes would be: term limits on all elected positions, a more business friendly atmosphere by helping new business, removing obstacles and making the process easier and less expensive. I would advocate for a better relationship with Hall County, so there is more sharing, less duplication, so we would all prosper equally.<br /> <br /> 6) Do you favor the city's continued use of the "islands" annexation policy it has been using in recent years? And, please explain your answer.<br /> <br /> I am neither in favor or against. I believe that with annexation - each property must be looked at individually. I understand that it benefits the city, but it needs benefit the property owner, too. A case by case basis, would make it most fair and we must always remember that we serve the public, not the government.<br /> <br /> 7) Do you favor eliminating left turns on Green Street? And, please explain your answer.<br /> <br /> Yes, due to safety concerns and the ever increasing traffic on Green Street, left turns should be eliminated.<br /> <br /> 8) A number of other suggestions and questions have been raised during a series of meetings this year dealing with the transportation issues facing the city. Short-term and long-term, what are the answers in your opinion? <br /> <br /> I have attended many for the 2030 Vision meetings and citizens planning meetings and transportation is always an important issue. Short-term we need to improve our daily traffic pattern in the heart of the city, with the great influx of business people especially during the day. In order to attract more business to Gainesville and to handle future growth we need to work with the state to increase easy ways to access our city. Public transportation and non-automotive transportation lanes in and around the city must grow and be improved upon.<br /> <br /> 9) A suit involving the city and Hall County over sales tax revenues was recently settled. Overall, how would you assess the relationship between the city and the county?<br /> <br /> It has not been a good one for many years and because of that every citizen loses. We must to work together for the benefit of all and not be placed in adversarial positions. I believe that one council person should attend all county meetings and vise versa. <br /> <br /> 10) Do you favor changing the city's at-large voting system to a by-district system? And, please explain your answer.<br /> <br /> First I believe that this issue should be put up for a vote. We are still a relatively small city and right now, all the council people represent all the people, not just the people in their ward, and I like that. It seems to me that by-district voting just segregates us. It puts each ward at odds with each other. I think that at-large voting produces a system, that puts all citizens in all neighborhoods working together for the common good of all. But as we grow - our system may need to change.<br /> <br /> 11) What should the city be doing to ensure that its long-term water needs are met?<br /> <br /> First , since it was determined that Lake Lanier is our source for drinking water - we must do all we can to maintain the lake at its highest level possible at all times, clean and well functioning as possible. We need to be working on how to use reclaimed/recycled water in as many situations as possible. And of course, be looking towards our future needs with (the) development (of) new reservoirs - we need to be ready with all infrastructure, including water, to accommodate the growth that will come.