Five questions with LaFollette's mayor candidates

The mayor shall be elected directly by the electorate for a term of four years, in accordance with the existing, established pattern. Candidates for the office of mayor shall qualify and run expressly for that position.

Mayoral Duties:The mayor shall preside at meetings of the city council and shall have a vote only in case of a tie vote of other members of the council. He shall have power to veto all ordinances and resolutions duly adopted by the council, provided, however, he must exercise the veto within five days of final adoption by the council. He shall notify each councilman, if available, of his action, together with his reasons therefor within the five-day period. The council shall have 30 days or until the next regular council meeting, whichever comes first, to override such veto. It shall require an affirmative vote of at least three members of the council to override the mayor's veto. He shall be recognized as the ceremonial head of the city. He shall be the officer to accept process against the city, and shall perform other duties imposed by this charter and by ordinances not inconsistent with this charter.  The mayor shall serve ex-officio on all commissions , boards, and committees.

Wayne Kitts

The LaFollette Press: What is your economic development plan for LaFollette?

Wayne Kitts: To start with I feel we need to put out an all out effort. We have our resources with the restaurants, banking community, current business owners; along with the chamber of commerce. We need to also include other municipalities. We have a lot of empty buildings and we need people working together to create jobs for our communities. We have to work with other municipalities in the county to attract industrial jobs because that benefits LaFollette and everybody. We need to hire a full-time job recruiter. The city of LaFollette can’t afford to pay a full-time job recruiter but with other municipalities and the county chipping in we could have one. Unless we work together this is not going to happen. We also need to keep the city in sound financial shape. With wasteful spending the city’s (fund balance) could go down the drain in a hurry. We need to provide current services to the citizens and keep the tax rates as low as possible. Another part of the plan, the city is a $10 million a year business and we need to run it like a business. We need to take the good old buddy politics out of the city. Businesses can’t be run with good old buddy politics. A city needs to be run like a business. Council members don’t need to worry about losing votes.

LP: What do you see as the biggest challenge faced by LaFollette leaders?

WK: To get the city council to accept applications or advertise for a full-time city administrator. I am not badmouthing Cade (Sexton, the interim administrator). We have had a part-time city administrator for three years. We need someone who would devote the hours, work with the mayor and the council, according to how the city charter was set up and established by the citizens who voted they wanted to operate under that particular charter. By operating under the charter, we could save 100s of 1000s of dollars in frivolous lawsuits.

LP: What is the one item or project you would like to complete as mayor?

WK: I would like for us to put together a committee that would organize a nice fall festival in the city. I would also like to see a place where we could let our farmers come and sell their produce. It would be just for farmers. That would help and attract people to our downtown area. We need to develop the downtown area.

LP: What does the city need that it currently doesn’t have?

WK: A full-time city administrator. A strong administrator could help the council understand their positions better and not be involved in the daily operations. Goes back to the charter, we need to understand our positions.

LP: Why are you the best candidate?

WK: I have been an experienced leader in the Campbell County School System for 33 years. I taught school for a year; for 25 years I was a basketball coach, a principal and for the last seven years I was the assistant director of schools. I have always worked closely with the public. I have had plenty of experience with budgets and finance because of those positions. I have served on the LaFollette council for four years and I am very much aware of how the city operates. What our city is facing as far as problems in the near future, I may not have all the answers but I will promise the people I will be honest, dedicated and fulfill all of the aspects of the duties of the mayor according to the city charter. I am basically a conservative person. I feel we need to be as conservative as possible with the money the taxpayers give us. It is not about me it is about the city and its citizens receiving the best services that we can afford them.

Mike Stanfield

The LaFollette Press: What is your economic development plan for LaFollette?

Mike Stanfield: It is hard everywhere right now. My biggest concern is trying to get a VA clinic; a local business owner has the space. There is a good chance we are going to get that clinic. Family Dollar is putting in a new building in LaFollette; LaFollette Eye Clinic is getting a new building; Burger King is getting a new building and McDonald’s is still looking at building downtown. We just have to try to get by like the rest of the cities.

LP: What do you see as the biggest challenge faced by LaFollette leaders?

MS: All of us sitting down with our heads on straight and trying to work out our problems. If we all sit down and work together there is so much we can do. This is not about me or the council members. It is about the people we are elected to represent.

LP: What is the one item or project you would like to complete as mayor?

MS: I would like to complete the Beech Street Bridge project. We have stimulus money to make it wider. It was in bad need of replacement when I was a kid. We have applied for a grant to revitalize downtown. My biggest projects would be the Beech Street Bridge and revitalizing downtown.

LP: What does the city need that it currently doesn’t have?

MS: I can’t think of anything. Maybe some more money, everybody needs more money. We have sold some property lately and that helped us. We bought some new equipment lately and we have a new library.

LP: Why are you the best candidate?

MS: I was born and raised in LaFollette. I have served the public for40 some years. I love my country, my state, my county and my city. I have always helped people and I am ready to listen.