Neighbors demand answers from First Ward candidates

By Jewels Phraner
April 1, 2008

First Ward City Council candidate John Clark speaks to citizens gathered for the candidate forum at St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church on Monday night.

As the First Ward election looms closer, voters are demanding more answers, and they weren’t shy about it Monday night at a forum sponsored by the Frederick Douglass Coalition.

The debate got heated soon after opening statements were made, as audience members questioned the candidates on specific issues ranging from Section 8 housing to eminent domain.

Only former mayoral candidate John Clark and First Ward City Councilwoman Almeta Crayton were present at the forum moderated by FDC Vice President Bill Thompson.

The other two First Ward candidates, Karen Baxter and Paul Sturtz, were unable to attend the forum.

Sturtz said he wasn’t invited to the forum, only finding out about the event by discovering a flier for it.

“It puts me in a terribly awkward position,” Sturtz said. “It makes me look like a bad person for not showing up, but I was never invited.”

Despite half the candidates’ absence, attendees seemed to have no problem questioning Clark and Crayton about not only their platforms and political agendas but about their personalities as well.

“I’m concerned that you think your way is better even though the people have said that’s not what they want,” 30-year Columbia resident Sheila Thompson said to Clark.

But First Ward neighbors weren’t the only ones throwing verbal gauntlets, as Clark expressed his disappointment in Crayton.

“Frankly, with the skill set Almeta has, she’s done all she can during the last nine years,” Clark said referring to Cratyon’s term as city councilwoman. “She’s done all she can.”

Crayton’s statements continually focused on uniting the First Ward to make change.

“What do you want to do?” she said to her constituents. “Do you want to wait for somebody to give you crumbs, or do you want to stand up for yourselves? I’m willing to stand up with you.”

Clark, on the other hand, focused on his experience in the North Central Neighborhood Association, which caught him flak from some members of the audience.

“I’m so sick of hearing you say ‘I, I, I,’” Columbia resident Wynna Faye Elbert said. “When is it going to be ‘We’? Almeta’s been a ‘we’ because she’s trying to pull everyone together.”

Thompson said she knew she was going to vote for Crayton before attending the forum and that the experience was “enlightening” and solidified her vote.

Elbert was the last audience member to voice her thoughts on the election.

“Mr. Clark, you’re very condescending,” she said. “If you get elected, please change the condescending way you talk to people.”

In their closing statements, the candidates both emphasized their themes for a final time.

Clark said it’s his service record that will make him a good council representative.

“I stand by my experience,” he said.

Crayton said she has done and will continue to do everything she can for her First Ward neighborhood.

“The city has absolutely no compassion for no people or anything,” she said. “You might not think I’m doing anything when it comes to voting on silly policies, but I’m doing things for my people every day. I’m the one getting the phone calls late at night, I’m the one out on the streets trying to help people, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

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Neighbors demand answers from First Ward candidates

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