Editor's Note: Incumbent David Cadle, business owner Landrum "Lanny" Edwards, City Councilman Tom Gordon and business owner Jeremiah Hubbard are running for Crestview mayor.
Each candidate answered two top questions on readers' minds, and offered personal information, as part of our continuing campaign coverage.
How should Crestview address a perceived increase in crime?
Cadle: We have established many proven prevention strategies: Citizen’s Public Safety Academy, K9 teams, increased patrols, drug enforcement task force, closer cooperation within the judicial system and police community. Increased officer training and compensation resulted in a 13 percent reduction in crime in 2013 and 6 percent in the first half of 2014.
Edwards: I feel we need better training for police officers, more participation by the public in reporting activities of a suspicious nature, and take steps to regain the trust of the public in the city police.
Gordon: Crestview crime is 50 percent higher than the national average, and reported in Huffington Post as currently ranked eighth in “9 Cities Where Crime Is Soaring.” The city’s budget must be scrubbed to better pay, train and hire more police officers. Thousands of dollars spent on mayor’s travel expenses must be eliminated.
Hubbard: As population increases, so does crime. We must address the understaffed, underpaid police department, and the lack of planning the city has shown to prepare for the population increase. Finally, we must address the underlying poverty in our area. As poverty decreases, so does crime.
What are the city's most pressing issues?
Cadle: For economic development to continue, our young adults need training for higher-level jobs. Adequate funding is required for replacement of Crestview’s deteriorating infrastructure. The city must study all options for traffic control and place new emphasis on connector roads that will help reduce traffic on Highway 85.
Edwards: Traffic problems — We must find a way to improve traffic patterns within the city. It would also be helpful to train a quick-response team to quickly regain traffic flow following accidents.
Gordon: Three most pressing issues for Crestview are crime, traffic and leadership. Crime can be addressed by better pay, better training and mayoral leadership. Traffic can be improved by implementing programs that provide startup monies for projects without raising taxes. Leadership change can be made by voters on March 10.
Jobs and merchants: Better cooperation with companies desiring to begin new businesses in Crestview. This would provide jobs and shopping facilities for our citizens and also help lower the crime rate.
Hubbard: We must increase career opportunities for our residents. Creating a pro-business atmosphere and bringing in industry and manufacturing will strengthen and stabilize our economy. Our infrastructure must be updated to support the increasing population, and we can accomplish this by developing additional four-lane roads to our existing infrastructure.
DAVID CADLE
Personal: Wife, Shirley (45 years); children, Philip, Jeremy and Ben (Carrie); and grandchildren, Triston and Matthew.
Palm Chapel Primitive Baptist Church, deacon; North Okaloosa Medical Center, board of trustees; Crestview Exchange Club, past president; West Florida Regional Planning Council, past chairman; Military Affairs Committee, member; Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce Military Appreciation & Recognition Celebration, board member; and Take Stock in Children, mentor, Okaloosa School Board.
Occupation: retired teacher, mayor of Crestview.
Experience: Mayor of Crestview, eight years; Crestview High School teacher, 28 years; West Virginia High School teacher, 10 years; University of West Florida, master’s degree; and Marshall University, bachelor’s degree.
LANDRUM 'LANNY' EDWARDS
Personal: Voncile, wife; children, Melanie and Lanny Jr.; and five grandchildren. City Code Enforcement Board president; member, Citizens Advisory Council to the county Transportation Planning Organization board.
Occupation: Retired civil service; business owner.
Experience: Owner, Edwards Machine Shop; "held highly responsible 26-year position as Egress Maintenance worker on various aircraft for the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force." Former president, Crestview Lions Club. Active City Council participant.
THOMAS GORDON:
Personal: Wife, Barbara; six children; and four grandchildren.
Member, Woodlawn Baptist Church (since 1972); member, Crestview Area Chamber of Commerce; member, Main Street Crestview Association; and member, Building Industry Association.
Occupation: businessman and owner, Gordon Air Conditioning and Gordon Martial Arts.
Experience: Current Crestview City Council member; member, Community Redevelopment Agency; member, Okaloosa RESTORE Act Committee; past member, Crestview Board of Adjustments, past member Y.M.C.A., board of directors; and lifelong Crestview resident.
JEREMIAH HUBBARD
Personal: Married for over 14 years to Charity; 2 children, Lily and Destin. "Actively involved at our church in Crestview, The Summit."
Occupation: CEO/consultant of Ideal Marketing Innovations LLC.
Experience: "From ministry to business, I have been involved in leadership for 15 years and have been tasked with managing people and helping businesses succeed. To learn more, visit: www.crestviewforward.com."
EARLY VOTING: Early voting for municipal elections is 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Feb. 23-27 and March 2-6 at the OkaloosaSupervisor of Elections Office, 302 Wilson St. N, Ste. 102, Crestview.
ELECTION DAY: March 10; vote at your precinct's polling place. Call 689-5600 or see www.govote-okaloosa.com for more information.
Click here for our complete (and growing) Election Guide>>
Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article included incorrect information. Jeremiah Hubbard, though in ministry in 2011 and before then, is no longer an evangelist. We regret the error.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Brian Hughes, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Q&A: Crestview mayoral candidates on city's most pressing issues