At-large candidates

Growth, quality of life

Mary Collette: Strengthening and empowering neighborhoods ... the building block of a community, the part that defines the personality and how we live. We need to develop up and become more intense (in the heart of the city) and limit our growth out. Urban sprawl is a threat to everything that defines this community.

Springfield is known for its creeks, the Ozarks, the trees and the natural areas that surround us. In 10 minutes you can be in a natural setting a creek or river or natural arch or fields or nice hiking trails. We must be careful to preserve the very thing that defines who we are the Queen City of the Ozarks.

John Murphy: The key to balancing growth and quality of life is planning. Good planning and doing what protects and improves the community will benefit all of Springfield rather than allowing growth for the sake of growth.

While Springfield grows, it's important to encourage development while preserving our neighborhoods. When new development is being planned, all potential impacts should be considered, including buffers between neighborhoods and business, traffic flow, city services and cost. The city should also consider partnering with developers to share certain costs.

Crime

Collette: I would like to see us begin with some statistics and profiles of who's committing crime and where they are coming from ... before you start throwing money at it. Are a lot of parolees coming here from St. Louis or Texas from the prison, and if so, why?

You can't address a problem if you can't define the problem. (Also) use what we've got better.

I'd like to see more police out of their cars in the neighborhoods that are problem areas, walking the beat. Officers on bicycles are very effective. Maybe we could go to the precinct system in our four council zones, or what if we could tie our precincts into our fire stations that are already located in areas where the community is readily accessible?

Murphy: (We) need to become more proactive in crime education and prevention, encouraging the development of policies and priorities to lower crime. I will work to increase the city's participation in crime prevention organizations and programs, and to increase the public's access to crime-prevention information.

I support plans to establish a police station in south Springfield (to) improve response times, reduce down time for officers between the station and their patrol area and provide more access for the public. I disagree with comments made by my opponent that Springfield "imports poverty" and that most of the crimes in our city are committed by people passing through. It is our responsibility to build a safe community for those who live and visit here.

We need to identify and target specific crime problems with specific strategies. We have to tackle the problems of drugs, gangs, domestic violence and others in the manner most effective to each.

Business attraction

Collette: We need better paying jobs. We should entice more technology industries that have higher wages to enjoy our improved quality of life. What the city is doing in Jordan Valley Park is very important to me. This whole center city area is ... the front porch of Springfield. It's the area that when the chamber of commerce invites businesses to look at the community, they want to look at the heart of our city.

I don't think we have enough of (greenways, walking paths, sidewalks), things that entice people to spend more time outside. We are a pedestrian-unfriendly community. When you improve the quality of life in the community it actually promotes businesses moving here.

Murphy: The city of Springfield should work hand-in-hand with the chamber of commerce and other business organizations to attract and retain businesses that strengthen the local economy and provide new opportunities and good paying jobs for our citizens.

Small businesses account for the greatest number of jobs in Springfield. High emphasis should be placed on encouraging small businesses to operate and expand here.

Urban redevelopment

Collette: Everything comes full circle back to the neighborhoods. When you empower them, they can do a lot. I am really excited about all of the things that are happening, very proud of what's going on. We are creating a destination (in center city). I'm excited about the prospect of baseball in center city anything that brings a large number of people to explore and enjoy the origins of this city.

Downtown is becoming an entertainment destination ... with the Gillioz, Landers, Vandivort, fine dining ... pubs and eateries and a boutique destination. Commercial Street is more of an arts destination. A lot of artists are moving into lofts it's almost a bedroom community for downtown.

Murphy: We need to actively promote existing programs that encourage redevelopment in urban Springfield, such as our grants and loans offered. Government, businesses and community organizations need to unite to work for the common good rather than engaging in turf battles.

Transportation

Collette: The intersection changes are making a big difference, but we don't have enough through streets. A lot of them just dead-end. The city has grown so quickly that some areas get left behind. We need more streets that turn off of Battlefield it gets locked up quite a bit.

At the Glenstone and James River area, by that interchange, it was very wise (of Council) put a moratorium on it until they decided what to do. You have to slow down and step away, rethink something and try to come up with a plan as best you can (that) is workable and perhaps flexible enough to undergo changes. Also, why not have smaller buses? I'd like to see us use more fuel-efficient, personal rapid transit, like a small monorail system.

Murphy: Traffic planning needs to not only keep up with growth but get a step ahead. Every planning and zoning issue considered should include a look at the impact on road construction, traffic flow and congestion.