Reggie Copeland: I support location.  Will not interfere with cruise terminal or convention center. 

 

Albert Cheatham: The proposed route by Mayor Jones appears to be appropriate at this point.  It does not appear to intrude or destroy any MHDC property and the route does emerge to be set to relieve some of the congestion.  The concern would be over the next 10+ years as the population continues to grow.  The city must look beyond the connection and project a more readily accessible roadway for an increased population.  Which, as we know, may include making the causeway wider, and adding lanes for traffic flow back and forth across the bay.  As the population grows and shifts this will become critical and if the port facilities grow the products that are entering and leaving Mobile will need better access to mass transit systems, including the best access to the interstate system.

 

Connie Hudson: My personal route preference to alleviate I-10 tunnel congestion has long been the Northern Route over the Cochran-Africatown USA Bridge because it appears to pose the least adverse affect on waterfront operations, the historic districts and the downtown landscape.  If ALDOT has removed the Northern Route from further consideration, then the other route alternatives have to be considered.  City Engineering issued a report to Mayor Jones following a study of proposed alignments (A, B, B-Shifted, and C) and recommended Route B-shifted because "it provides the least impact on the City."  That may certainly be the case, but before such a long-term commitment is finalized, I would like to see the results of the B-shifted environmental impact study to better understand what effects it may have on automobile exhaust pollution, noise levels and lighting in the downtown area and historic neighborhoods.  I do believe that there are serious consequences to an indefinite delay of a final decision.  Those consequences include traffic congestion and gridlock which will adversely affect port operations, pose serious public safety concerns and negatively impact the viability of our regional economy.   

 

 

 

Yasmin Coker: Yes, I favor giving review board protection for the Campground National Register Historic District and the Midtown National Register Historic District.  In the interest of preservation, I welcome any effort to retain the southern charm of our "Azalea City."

 

William Carroll: I am in favor of review for both areas, simply so that the original characteristics of the communities are preserved.

 

Lakeshia Dotson: Yes, both the Campground and Midtown should have Architecture Review Board protection.  These areas are both National Register districts.  They have historic importance to the City of Mobile and the community in which they are located.  If these buildings are modified in such a way that they lose their historic character, then that importance evaporates.  ARB oversight ensures that the historic integrity of the building and the neighborhood remain.  This increases property values just like covenants in a subdivision, but are usually simpler.  In addition, a professional staff and a board of citizens are present to help property owners with questions.  Finally, to treat these areas differently then other historic districts are to say that they are second class neighborhoods and don't deserve the protections offered to the historic districts with ARB protection.  I don't think they are second class neighborhoods.  Few of the historic districts were any better than the Campground when they were created.  It took a lot of time and effort to get them back and I think we should invest that same time and effort in the Campground.  People may not remember, but the Midtown historic district benefited greatly from the Old Dauphin Way Historic District.  Much revitalization work occurred in Midtown after ODW was established with a review board and provided security for the new midtown residents.  

 

Jeffery Ray Jones: Yes.  Restore Community Rehabilitation and/or preservation of historic homes.  Assure that our seniors are able this will be the only way to maintain this prestigious status.  What is important that certain construction investments be made in the area to stop the deterioration and began a preservation program.  Several deadlines have passed and we have not made application for the various funding opportunities available.  There has to be certain funding in place that would help those who cannot afford to do the necessary work.  But for the protection of those historic homes a program needs to assure that property rights are not violated in the process on those who cannot afford to meet the historical standard.  The District 2 Community Housing Development Organization does not provide rehabilitation in its present operation.  Therefore we must assure that the city entitlement funds designed to help low income people are actually being passed on to those who own historic homes that qualify on the national register of historic homes.

 

Ronald Wallace: Yes, because the Campground Area has a very deep historical history dating back to 1865 dealing with the Confederate Troops and free slaves.  Also in the Midtown Historical District we have Murphy High School Campus which was established in 1876.

 

Reggie Copeland: Need information

 

 District 6

Albert Cheatham: My initial response would be to agree that there should be review board protection and the ability of the Mobile Historic Development Commission as a responsible party to identify and protect buildings and areas in our community that are of significant value.  I agree that historical buildings and landmarks should be preserved if possible and if it serves the best interests of the community.

 

Connie Hudson: Since I do not represent the Council district that encompasses these areas, I have not met with residents in these neighborhoods to gage public sentiment on granting ARB protection.  Public input along with the specific ARB protection qualifications for these areas are components that would deserve further study and consideration from my office.

 

 

Yasmin Coker: Civility is the hallmark of any great society.  Therefore, pride, a sense of community and the proper law enforcement must be a given.

 

 District 2

William Carroll: We are currently up to 560 police officers in our city.  As our Police Department continues to grow in numbers, I would like to see additional officers added to beat patrols in neighborhoods on top of the COMSTAT program.  This system allows officers to have personal relationships with the community where they are working, the people and the businesses, providing them with a better understanding when something is wrong or doesn't belong.

 

Lakeshia Dotson: I believe that crime should be attacked in a proactive manner.  We need to be more aggressive in our law enforcement that would bring about a true reduction in crime.

 

Jeffery Ray Jones: I plan on addressing crime in District 2 with aggressive policy actions that involve support law enforcement techniques or actions that would push for the law enforcement to employ greater presence in the community.  Senior citizens will receive personalized attention with police patrols and visits.  In order to reduce crime in our district, a call hotline is one recommendation that can be considered.  Efforts to unite the police with the community in positive ways such as increased patrols, officers retention, including pay and work hours and overtime will have to be reviewed. 

 

Also partnerships between citizens and agencies in the district will be encouraged; Ones that involve Mobile Municipal Court System, law enforcement, nonprofits, social service agencies, schools, government entities, and the private sector.

 

Streamline Municipal Court Operation

 

Focus will be placed on education, truancy, adult and youth crimes (Drugs & Guns violence) and lack of positive social, academic, athletic, and pre-employment programs and work with insight treatment programs for disrupted families coordinated with Drug intervention programs.

 

I want to spend the next 4 years being a public servant, with the success of building a bond between local government and the people of District 2.  The future of District 2 in conjunction with the city of Mobile is in your hands.  Given a chance, I plan to prove that together we can and will make a difference - a change for the better. 

 

Ronald Wallace: Citizens need to take a stand with the police and take back our communities.

District 6

Albert Cheatham: Crime prevention in any neighborhood can be addressed in three ways.  First, the citizens in each neighborhood can be proactive in their approach and the ideas behind neighbors watching out for neighbors which can become a prevalent process in each community.  This is the support of projects like crime watchers or a neighborhood watch system that afford the community a sense of having eyes and ears out regardless if the police are present or not.  This does include those in the community being responsible for their actions as well as those they associate with, for instance parents monitoring what their children are up to.  This would include accepting responsibility for ones own actions.

 

Next would be to address some of the shortfalls in police force and/or their presence.  This could include, but is not limited to, increasing the police force or adding a part time auxiliary force that can fill in some of the gaps left by full time police shortfalls.

 

Finally, the police and communities can engage in a collaborative effort between them which could include police involvement in neighborhood watch programs and educating citizens on what to watch for that could indicate possible illegal activities.  Allowing those in each neighborhood to ride along during some of the patrols so, the citizens have an understanding of the activities in their community and how law enforcement approaches these activities, was well as the police providing education specific to various area crimes.  Some areas are low in violent crime or drug use while others are high in these activities.  Engaging citizen support, where appropriate in terms of crime reports, improved follow-up and follow through in the legal system would build trust with citizens in the community and that, in turn, would bolster support for law enforcement.   

 

Connie Hudson: In my opinion, the highest priority in City-funded services is public safety.  The Council, as the legislative body, does not have the legal authority to direct public safety operations or supervise public safety employees.  Operations, staffing, and program implementation within the MPD are wholly the responsibility of the Mayor's office.  The Council can, however, address public safety spending through the annual budgetary process.  I have always supported and will continue to support efforts to shift non-essential budgetary funding to public safety to address crime.  Also, I have requested that regular 2nd and 4th precinct crime updates be sent via electronic mail to District 6 citizens desiring to receive them.