Candidates gear up for election
Two candidates are competing to fill a City Council vacancy left by Brian Ash in the student-filled Sixth Ward, which includes the East Campus area.
Published March 14, 2006
Barbara Hoppe
attorney for the state public defender
Qualifications for the City Council seat:
Hoppe said her more than 20 years of volunteer work for various campaigns and commissions for the city make her a perfect fit for the City Council.
"I have put a lot of time into volunteering for our community proactively and have demonstrated leadership in bringing diverse groups together toward a goal," she said. "Two big differences between me and the other candidate, especially in bringing about changes, is that I've actually worked toward protecting the environment and smart growth. I see myself as the action person, and actions speak louder than words. As a person of leadership and action, it's a natural step to join the City Council."
Main goals for students on East Campus:
Hoppe said that for East Campus students, there is too much distance between crossing areas across College Avenue from East Campus to university buildings
"I think we need an intersection at College and Wilson," she said. "People in cars don't want to hit a pedestrian, and I think people would feel better if there was another intersection where people could cross."
Future of city development:
Hoppe said she thinks City Manager Bill Watkins's plan for visioning the development of the city based on citizens' opinions is a good idea.
"We have a new city manager, and he wants to have a visioning process to have citizens express how they think the city should grow in a positive way, and students should be part of that," Hoppe said. "I would want students to know about that so they could have input into it. Students sometimes look toward the future more than some other people, and I think they'd have valuable opinions for that process."
Valerie Barnes
real estate agent
Qualifications for the City Council seat:
Barnes said her professional background could help her fill a hole in the council because her job gives her a unique perspective on the city.
"I'm the fifth generation of my family to live in Columbia," she said. "I'm a Realtor, and I come from a development family. My expertise in that area would be an asset to the council. I've been a part of several neighborhood associations and their boards of directors and on PTAs for my children. In my career as a Realtor, I'm in the car a great deal of the time, which gives me a better view of the city."
Main goals for students on East Campus:
Barnes said she would take representing the students in East Campus seriously, and she would help them have better relationships with their neighbors.
"I will represent them in the same way that I represent other citizens," she said. "I know that some of the neighbors there have some issues with the renters, and I'd like to see if we can make that work smoother."
Future of city development
Barnes also said that citizen input is an important part of determining how the city should grow.
"The city manager has proposed a visioning plan that I fully support, and I think that makes more sense to be visionary instead of reactionary," she said. "I think we need to know what our demographics are and what kind of businesses we want to have. His plan is kind of unique and good because it starts with public opinion and goes up to the top level. I think we have a good level of input from our community. It gives us a hometown feel that I'd like to keep."