By deadline at 5:00 pm, Friday, February 5, nine Columbians had filed to run for mayor of the city. The following Tuesday afternoon before the end of the workday, all nine had received an invitation to answer nine questions.

1. Sparkle Clark, 2. Gary Myers, 3. Joseph Azar, 4. Kirkman Finlay III, 5. Steve Morrison, 6. Steve Benjamin, 7. Aaron Johnson A few excepts from the invitation:

Your names and contact information came to me from the Columbia City Clerk, Erika. D. Salley, who updated the information at 5:09 pm, Friday, February 5...

Below is a series of questions suitable for the current competition for the job.

Everyone gets the same questions, and everyone has until midnight, Sunday, February 14, to get me your answers, which will be published in The Columbia Star the following Friday, February 19...

The numbered answers cannot have morethan 50 words each, even as they may be subdivided, but they can be as short as you like. If a question remains unanswered, we’ll call it unanswered. Everything written will go down as record.

The answers came back from everyone except Nammu Muhammad of 2523 Read Street, who was called Monday morning and again on Tuesday morning, each time with a request to return the call and to deliver his answers. Muhammad never responded.

Candidates Gary Myers and Irwin Wilson ran about a day late, but Myers was moving into a new house, and Wilson listed the wrong e-mail address when he filed to run for mayor. Johnson submitted on schedule, but his answers were too long. He resubmitted after the deadline but before publication.

Other than Finlay, the pictures are from a debate held in the Eau Claire Print Building a couple weeks ago, where Finlay was photographed with his eyes shut. We replaced that with a file photo from a recent city council meeting. Wilson did not participate in the debate, and neither did he submit a picture of himself, nor did he accept The Columbia Star’s invitation to drop by for a photo op. Muhammed never responded.

The answers are printed in full below, never changing punctuation, spelling, grammar, structure and the like. What you see is what you get for candidates. Besides what the candidate says, how the candidate says it or writes it tells a lot about the candidate. It is the hope of The Columbia Star that this Q&A reveals our candidates in their best light but possibly also in their worst. The operation of the city and the image of the city are at stake.

The nine questions are listed here, each followed by answers from the candidates in alphabetical order, alternating forward and reverse order. They are Joseph Azar, Steve Benjamin, Sparkle Clark, Kirkman Finlay III, Aaron Johnson, Steve Morrison, Gary Myers and Irwin Wilson. Reverse order begins with Wilson’s answer to question #2. Again, Nammu Muhammad never responded.

(1) Why are you running for mayor?

Azar: I care. I know what our city can be if we come together and cooperate. Council has been majority corporate attorney ruled for almost 30 years, serving us failingly. We need more Joe Average Citizens serving who know how to work with business, people, and are like most citizens.

Benjamin: I’m running for mayor to bring A New Day to Columbia where the city has earned our trust, where downtown thrives with culture and commerce, where we can make public safety a priority and create safer neighborhoods. I’m running because I have a vision of Columbia’s true potential.

Clark: Because I have stood on the outside for too long while watching our city become a ghost town filled with corruption and special–interest project funding. I want Columbia to be that of my childhood... ripe for the growing, but needing nurturing of our natural resources. It is like growing a garden... you tend to it and it will give back and sustain and nurture its people. There are solutions that have fallen on deaf ears. I will listen and implement.

Finlay: I love Columbia, and I am tired of her financial problems and gross mismanagement overshadowing her vast, and for the most part, untapped potential.

Johnson: I have never ran for or held an office in my entire life. I believe this city needs leadership that will welcome and encourage participation across the community. I have to make quick, innovative decisions every single day. Creativity and open discourse will be the currency of my administration.

Morrison: To give the people a choice of visionary leadership over divisiveness; big picture interests over pedestrian politics; solid management over risky alternatives; and unity over racial discord. I will push for sustainable economic progress, job creation, neighborhood preservation, safe streets, promotion of the arts and our creative culture, partnerships with colleges and universities, and a strong reform of the way city resources have been managed.

Myers: My brother, a Columbia Police Officer for more than 20 years, called me in Haiti. He said, “Columbia is having major challenges, you need to come home.” He continued, “You have tremendous expertise and proven experience in most of the areas that are holding the city back, you need to come home now!” I came home studied the situation, surmised that 3 major challenges were Leadership, Security and Planning, all of which I have great experience and in my opinion stop at the Mayor’s office. After looking at the potential field, I decided to run.

Wilson: I am submitting my interest for Mayor, For Purpose, Procedures, and Promise. I believe its my lifes assignment to play an intricate role in the success of my community.

(2) The 4–2 vote last Thursday, February 4, in favor of a $193.9 million TIF plan to build streets, utility lines, and parks in North Columbia and the Innovista would not have passed among the seven mayoral candidates present at a forum in the Eau Claire Print Building the previous Tuesday night. a: Say how you would have voted, or did vote, on the two-district TIF plan and why. b: Does that portend how you will vote on the decision to actually borrow the money allowed by the TIF plan should you become mayor? c: Can the TIF plan be “undone,” as District 4 candidate Kevin Fisher says?

Wilson: My vote(s) are usually provoked by several key factors. Intent, Affects, and Profitability. I personnaly have to study each issue case by case. I need to know the underlying motives. Will my vote create or cause a positive or negative, current or future issue. a: I would have voted for the upgrades, pending a positive forecast for future repayment options. I’m generally in favor of upgrades to the citiys infrastructure, it bolsters equity (EQ). and my cousins from out of town will stop teasing me about how tacky some of the areas in our city looks.

Myers: a: I would have voted against it. I believe that before we add any new taxes to anyone, we should explore other approaches asking the question “are we sure taxes will get us to where we want to be.” In my world, we call that “planning and wargaming.” b: See above. There may be other “less taxing” ways to raise money or to accomplish what we are trying to do. I believe that the City should do a “Bottoms Up Review” to decide who we are and what we will be, then and only then begin to lay out a “Way Ahead”. c: Honestly don’t know. But if I am elected, I will put together a Team, define what is required to make Columbia “The City of Excellence”, lay out a “Way Ahead”, state priorities, reorganize resources cover priorities and rapidly move toward excellence. At this moment I don’t know where TIF fits into that process.

Morrison: While I strongly support the development in North Columbia and in the Innovista region, I oppose the creation of TIFs at this point without the participation of the county and the school district. The go-it-alone approach over-extends the city in a time of great fiscal challenge and that is never a good idea. I would not vote to go it along and borrow the money.

Johnson: My problems with the TIF aren’t with the infrastructure investments. I take issue with the investment of millions of tax payers’ dollars in private developments. The backbone of our economy is the small business. We must develop lean, efficient support services for small businesses so they can grow and prosper.

Finlay: a: I voted “NO”. b: I will continue to vote “NO” to these TIF plans. c: I think he is correct. It can be undone.

Clark: a: I vote NO. b: YES. c: I am all ears! With the second reading on February 17, and with community support, this could force reconsideration of the plan.

Benjamin: a: It is unwise to undertake any TIF without first building broad public support. Not having both Richland County and the School District on board evidences the challenge here. The city shouldn’t make any new commitments before living up to its existing obligations by fully funding our police and fire departments.

Azar: a: No, it puts us too far in debt, especially now while council attempts to raise property taxes and water fees. b: Yes, assuming the same current problems. c: Yes, unless the bonds are issued and attached specifically.

(3) On Wednesday, February 17, at 7:30 pm, there is an open–microphone forum planned for the 701 Center for Contemporary Art in Olympia. The 701 CCA is encouraging anyone who is interested to voice opinions on the headline theme, “What I Want the City of Columbia To Do For the Arts Is...” As mayor in such a situation, what would you say?

Azar: As mayor, my first responsibility is to listen to those involved, then to make decisions based on what I and council believe is best for Columbia, which includes how the arts help business and community. As a performing musician, I have knowledge of what can and should be.

Benjamin: The arts invigorate a city and we must responsibly use hospitality and accommodations taxes to support and sustain the creativity of all Columbians. We must also address aggressive panhandling so our families can feel safe coming downtown to enjoy the wealth of artistic and cultural talent already thriving in Columbia.

Clark: I would emphasize how the arts is great for our economy and the proven arts programs should continue to receive funding from the City. Band-aids and transferring funds is not an option. I want a long-term budget that encompasses all potential economic situations to include support for the arts. I want one hand to know when and why the other hand is signing the check.

Finlay: I want the Arts to thrive, but I also want them to realize that public funding is, and will continue to be a double edged sword. It can decrease, this year’s projections are for a decrease of 7%, and it can be moved to other projects, the CMRTA for example.

Johnson: Artists must be given education, resources and support so that they can become more self-sufficient. It would save the city money to provide creative resources to expand collaboration and partnerships with both arts and non-arts sectors. Artists must be connected with other organizations to expand their community service capacity.

Morrison: Gail and I have chaired the boards of the Columbia Museum of Art, Columbia City Ballet, and the South Carolina Philharmonic Search Committee for a new music director, as well as the Historic Columbia Foundation which helps sustain our built environment. These institutions and others are the engines of the cultural life of our city and deserve the city’s clear, consistent support. Arts and cultural enterprises are our most innovative, most inclusive, and most inspiring endeavors. They lift our collective spirit, foster greatness, and drive economic development.

Myers: Reverse the question. The “Question” is really, “What can and should the Arts do for Columbia?” Then what can Columbia do to help the Arts get there under the “City of Excellence”? In a nutshell, a City of Excellence has to have a robust Arts Program and Community. The challenge is “How To”. It has to be a priority for so many different reasons in a highly functioning city.

Wilson: I would that the City of Columbia, navigational heads, experience the trenches by which the arts ascends from. Thus will make the city officials more sensitive to the equitable value the arts brings to the table.

(4) On a per capita basis, the bus system in Columbia is about the worst in the U.S. This was proven by a national survey of bus systems in the summer of 1991. Nineteen years later, Columbia has about the same number of buses on the street at 8 am on a workday as it did in the summer of 1991. On weekends it’s a lower count due to service cuts in the last few years. a: What will you, as mayor, do to improve worker mobility? b: How will you propose we pay for it? c: Is it possible that after these years of grossly inadequate public transit, we’re just plain used to it, and it doesn’t matter much?

Wilson: Yes, public transportation is a quality enhancement feature our city officials should take a more serious approach at revitalizing and not waiting on the units to roll on the rims before making changes.

Myers: All of your questions lead us to the point of what brought me back to Columbia. No planning, no vision, selfserving decisions. The bus system is reflective of what is wrong with Columbia. To answer the bus situation we have to go through the “process” of redefining a city. Role, functions, missions, needed capabilities and the hardest piece resources. Oh, using specialized taxes is only going to delay, not defeat failure. I will not give you a “hip-pocket” solution. We have to look at it in terms of what we want our city to be and make decisions in the vein. What we do know, is the bus system is an embarrassment and needs to be fixed quickly. I will do that. In today global conscience environment, we can and will do better than what we currently offer to our citizens.

Morrison: A great city must have a great transit system. With 27% of Columbia’s population living below the Federal poverty line, we must efficiently move people to jobs. Why not fund the system regionally and cooperatively like other great cities supporting transit, bike paths, and greenways together? Transit matters.

Johnson: We are already spending the money to have these buses drive around the city every day. The problem is that the system is unnavigable. I’ve personally tried to use the system several times and it’s a nightmare. Columbia is a major city. We need a working public transit system.

Finlay: a: Focus on smaller, cleaner buses that run at higher than 35% capacity and move to control costs from the bus provider. b: Follow the County on a half cent sales tax, which will require H-Tax be lowered by a a half cent. c: I will not accept this system as it is today.

Clark: a: I would insist on the Transportation Subcommittee recommendations of 2008 to integrate alternative forms of transportation including bike paths, park and ride accommodations, and more fuel-efficient busses. b: By cutting down on the size of busses and moving to more fuel-efficient busses, we would save money. Money can be made on travel packages with the added benefit of introducing traditional “non riders” of the value. c: It is possible that “non riders” have become apathetic to the issue, but in a struggling economy, high gas prices, a growing movement to reduce our “carbon footprint,” there is an overwhelming opportunity--utilizing CPAC, Keep the Midlands Beautiful, and Sustainable Midlands just to name a few- -to change hearts and minds.

Benjamin: Cities around the country are preparing for the next generation of public transportation with light rail, biodiesel, even investing in electric car infrastructure. We can’t settle for just “keep the busses running.” Between regional cooperation and utilizing federal grants, the resources exist to move forward. We only lack leadership.

Azar: a: That is beyond a 50 word answer. b: Use 1/2 cent of the hospitality tax for the bus system. Ask the school system to use in-city busses for students, as other cities do, adding to bus revenue and saving school costs. c: Obviously.

(5) a: What do you do for fun? b: What should be expanded in the Columbia fun arena? c: Is it OK with you if people enjoy themselves during the work week? d: What in high culture, popular culture, and even low culture can be introduced or enhanced in Columbia?

Azar: a: Music, athletics, festivals, reading, charitable work, among others. b: Summer programs I have advocated. c: Why not? d: First, publicize the wonderful we have now.

Benjamin: I spend whatever free time I have with my family enjoying our city. But I hope that, one day, DeAndrea and I can take our two girls to the national hub for art, history, and culture we have built as a city on the banks of the three rivers.

Clark: a: Photograph wildlife and listen to birds. Watch the sunrise and look skyward for migrating birds. Same at sunset; watching for flocks of bird migration. b: Free workshops in outdoor photography and birdwatching. Nature tours by Rudy Manke in our parks. Sidewalk chalk art event for children of all ages to create a massive mural that will release their creativity. I mean a huge concrete mural and not just on a sidewalk somewhere. c: Of course! d: I’d love to see more mud wrasling at the Township, myself!---More gallery-style art exhibits featured during other events.

Finlay: a: Hunt, read, spend time with the family. b: I think the city needs to continue to focus on children’s events. c: As a restaurant owner I am thrilled for people to enjoy themselves all week long. d: All can be enhanced by better private support and participation.

Johnson: I am addicted to hobbies. I’ve dabbled in 19th century wet plate photography, medieval armor reproduction, writing, acting, horseback riding and countless other projects. Bolstering the arts will always make a community more “fun.” Of course we have a lot of natural resources that are vital for entertainment in Columbia.

Morrison: Fun is music, dance, theatre, art, Gamecock sports, and good books, good food and good friends. Expand Nickelodeon to 362 nights of entertainment on Main. More nights like 701 CCA’s Tiptons show at Diane’s on Devine. We need better access to our rivers and waterways for more outdoor fun.

Myers: Most of my activities are defined by helping folks, mostly children that are not as well off as I was as a child. My wife and I also spend time supporting cultural events in the city and the state as well. In a “City of Excellence” there should be many things to do and they should be promoted. We lived in Miami for 13 years. There we had a ton to do. I am not saying Columbia should be Miami, but I am saying we can define who we are and plan to make the most of it, while having a ton of fun doing it.

Wilson: a: BBQ-with friends. b: The Arts. Amusement & Entertainment which creates money flow. c: Fun has no clock. However demographics has its demands. its a time and a place for all things. d: I would encourage cross cultural occurrences for a positive enlightenment for all to appreciate cultural diversities.

(6) The police budget was cut by $6 million recently, the fire budget, $3 million. a: How soon can this be restored? b: On a national basis, how does Columbia stack up on policemen per capita? c: Fire fighters per capita?

Wilson: Irregardless to past budget cuts or, current budget needs. Police and firefighters needs funding. Public safety is an obligation, not a choice. Who can put value on life. next to economics, public safety, is madnatory. No safety no attractions.

Myers: We must redefine who we are as a city. When you do that you state up front what you priorities are and fund them. To me a “City of Excellence” has to have a first rate Police and Fire Department. That means we should be among the best in South Carolina in Career Development, Training, Professionalism, etc. In planning a “City of Excellence” you have to state your priorities and make tough decisions on what you can and can’t do.

Morrison: I support restoring the police and fire budgets to full strength as soon as possible. Current data (Sourcebook of Criminal Justice statistics online, 2007) shows comparable cities had 2.57 personnel per 1000 population and 1.86 uniformed sworn personnel per 1000 population. For the same year, the Star reported that Columbia’s goal was to raise “officer to citizen ratio from 25/10,000 (2.5/1000) to 35/10,000 (3.5/1000). Today, Columbia reports “over 400 dedicated sworn officers and civilians.” - approximately 3.15/1000.

Johnson: a: Every candidate knows the finances of this city have been grossly mismanaged. Public safety must be our absolute first priority. How can we ask our officers and fire fighters to compromise with insufficient pay and resources when they are putting their lives on the line? We can’t. We don’t retain personnel, and then spend to train new people knowing we can’t keep them. We pay to use county training facilities because the city won’t invest in our fire training facility. Remedies require some investment, but the hidden costs of neglect are the source of this crisis.

Finlay: a: Their budgets will grow this year by about $1,000,000 each, but overtime, which accounted for over $5,000,000 of the $9,000,000, will be strictly controlled. b: As overtime shrinks and officers are hired the City will save money and have a better per capita. c: Completion of a long term City/County fire contract will allow the force to grow as well and use less overtime.

Clark: a: Immediately, then the books WILL BE stabilized and top-level management in the city WILL be called to answer. City management is completely responsible for the budget shortfall having squandered away our reserves as well as the $9 million that would have been used to pay for adequate police and fire. c: I’ve read this: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/inde x?qid+20090610101216AA8bMUR and this: http://www.forbes.com/2009/04/23/mos t-dangerous-cities-lifestyle-real-estatedangerous american-cities.html

Benjamin: I am the only candidate to call for the immediate restoration of the $9 million fire and police department cuts and re-opening fire engines 8 and 9. I continue to repeat that call because we can’t wait to put public safety first. Anything less puts us all at risk.

Azar: a: Until a good audit is released, it is difficult to tell, but these two should NEVER be cut. Human life is dependent on these and EMS. b: Below. c: Below.

(7) The consolidation of the fire service in both city and county has been working well, apparently, so why not consolidate city police and the county sheriff ’s operation?

Azar: A reasonable common sense and good concept, especially considering the sheriff’s department can provide forensic results in 1-2 weeks versus months from SLED.

Benjamin: Council supported the public safety consolidation plan but no one stepped forward to lead the effort and it failed. As mayor, I will be that leader and take on comprehensive consolidation. We have so much potential and fear has kept us from living up to if for too long.

Clark: Because Leon Lott is responsible to the voters and Tandy Carter is responsible to Mike King who is responsible to the City Manager who is responsible to City Council. I would meet with both Carter and Lott to start the process and to see if this is feasible. The human factor will not be left out as is in other consolidation programs.

Finlay: I think additional consolidation makes sense and that functional consolidation of fire and EMS will occur in the very near future. Consolidation of police/sheriff could lead to 1000 person force versus a 400/600 person force today. This would allow for increased specialization and additional regional cooperation.

Johnson: This sounds good to me in theory but I would not advocate a massive overhaul without a careful study of the benefits and complications performed efficiently by local experts and not expensive out-of-state “consultants”. I think we should focus on fixing the system we have while we await full analysis.

Morrison: I generally favor consolidation of services to consolidation of governmental bodies. Merging the city law enforcement effort with the county should be on the table. Sheriff Lott runs the best county law enforcement in the state and is highly respected throughout our community and that alone means the idea would merit serious consideration.

Myers: That question requires much more research than I have available to me at this moment. In saying that I am for doing what is needed to make Columbia a “City of Excellence”.

Wilson: I commend the city and county firefighter agencies for such a great display of professionalism. Sometimes whats good for the goose, is not always good for the gander. I believe city and county police agencies can as well, provide the same reference as did the firefighters. Lets encourage unification, but apprenticeship is a platform of origin>

(8) People locate with their choice of home address and with their school preferences for their children. a: Where does Columbia need to improve its schools to achieve destination quality? b: What role can the mayor play.

Wilson: I believe the process to improve or advance destination quality is underway. I see the incubating. As mayor rather than micro-manage or dictate to our current compitent developers, I will emphasize community trend setting and carve out completed destination entitiys using them as trophies and templates.

Myers: In this case the Mayor plays the most important role, because he/she is the face of leadership. I have an educational support plan concept that I would introduce to my team. We would support all District One Schools in the city, with a stated goal of getting them above passing in less than two years. We believe that is achievable. That would be the “Educational Support Plan to the City of Excellence”. The Arts would play a major role in this effort. You can’t have an effective city, with an ineffective school system.

Morrison: Every school in the city should be a community center of excellence. I have long championed greater community involvement in our public schools. A Mayor who is committed to public education and has the interest and demonstrated leadership and experience in these issues can forge the kind of schoolneighborhood business-state partnerships that can make a difference between school success and failure.

Johnson: I work with schools and educators all say the same thing: schools can operate on shoestring budgets, but teachers need community support. I would like to see a non-voting position on city council representing schools and an office leveraging existing resources to help schools and nonprofits increase effectiveness. We need to find cheap, creative solutions.

Finlay: I think struggling schools are quite often a sign of a community that is struggling. The best way to help these communities is to focus on efficient and effective basic services: public safety, public works including trash pick up, and public transportation.

Clark: a: NORTH COLUMBIA, of course, where four of the District’s six failing schools reside. b: The Mayor must encourage development efforts in North Columbia - not through promises and borrowing against unknowns - but through incentives to business and industry to locate and bring their families to this area of the city. (I’m not sure what the Mayor can do since education is not in the job description. However, cooperating with Richland County may offer some answers. I’ll have to look into this.)

Benjamin: A main reason for declining school achievement is that too many of our children enter school unready to learn. The mayor must lead by supporting early childhood education programs like the Eau Claire Promise Zone addressing challenges like parental involvement, poverty and poor healthcare that keep our children from succeeding.

Azar: a: School board candidates have that responsibility; address them. b: The mayor has no authority over schools, and school board members should be allowed to operate without city interference. City and schools should cooperate in common areas for common good. Independently, I started a currently child literacy program mid 1990’s.

(9) Should the main homeless shelter for the city locate at the corner of Elmwood and Main? b: Should the Richland County Public Library be forced to continue as the day room for the Salvation Army and the Oliver Gospel Mission? c: Should the new homeless shelter have something to do with controlling the homeless problem downtown? d: Do you live downtown?

Azar: a: No. b: No. c: It can try, but cannot legally control movement of homeless persons. d: The cusp of Five points/Shandon. I grew up downtown and own property there.

Benjamin: The non-profit Midlands Housing Alliance emerged as a possibility because the city failed to lead on addressing the challenge of homelessness. Unless the city, the MHA and all interested parties can resolve how to keeping neighboring communities safe then we’ll never build a real consensus on how to move forward.

Clark: a: Moot question. It has moved. b: Of course not. But the library is a “public place” and should not deny legitimate use by homeless residents who are literate, do enjoy reading, and maintain contact with family and friends through Internet services provides at the Library. c: The homeless shelter should do as its name implies, provide emergency shelter for the indigent and homeless population. The city’s major problem is chronic mental illness which is manifested, often, in homelessness. I would support a solution as we have heard about in Greenville which provides a one-stop shop for homeless individuals in a location away from the city’s commercial center. d: I live in near Forest Acres in an older neighborhood that is becoming mostly rental property now.

Finlay: a: No, it should have been located down by the Water plant. b: No. c: Yes. The city is going to have to step in as well. I think the yellow shirts from the bid should be added to the northern end on Main. d: No. I live off Garner’s Ferry Road.

Johnson: a: It’s gotta go somewhere. We as a community need to rise above “Not in my Backyard.” Resource centers can be effective in curbing acute homelessness, when people need help to get back on their feet. The problem of chronic homelessness, marked by mental illness and addiction, is tougher. It requires combined efforts, not just one program. b: My girlfriend is a downtown librarian. I think the library works hard to keep the homeless from being disruptive. I don’t think there are policies that can solve the problem without discrimination. If you don’t like seeing the homeless at the library, then let’s solve the greater issue of homelessness. c: Yes, the homeless problem needs to be tackled historically to foster downtown growth. Homeless people are highly mobile, and many of them are fiercely independent and resistant to outside intervention. We need to draw all of our resources together into a consortium with measurable goals to help the homeless and the city. d: I live in Melrose Heights, just off Gervais, but sometimes I feel like I live in my office in Five Points. I’ve spent many a night there after an allnight video editing binge. I love this city.

Morrison: a: Yes. b: No. c: Yes. d: Yes, I live and work downtown. The City must support the new Midlands Housing Alliance Comprehensive Homeless Service Center by providing operational support and security for the surrounding neighborhoods and businesses, and must foster increased cooperation with the Winter Shelter, Cooperative Ministries, Oliver Gospel Mission and other service providers.

Myers: Please don’t think I am avoiding this question. The homeless situation is another “black eye on the city”. With a “City of Excellence”, you sit down and define what the goals are and the challenges in getting there. You don’t look at any challenge in isolation, but in its impact on your stated goal. We believe we can design a solution for the “Homeless” is less than 180 days, with tasks, phases and timelines. It has to done as part of the “City of Excellence”. Again, enough with the “hip-pocket” solutions. We need an approach, a process to ending this situation. I live in the Eau Claire District, behind Alcorn Middle School.

Wilson: a: No. The homeless and jobless, should be accommodated with new, more mainstream facilities, condusive for their paths resets, its a process. Our downtown is for business transitions and transactions. b: The Richland County Library should not be forced to do anything out of its norm. Status-quo shouldn’t permit or deny access to a public facility. The PUBLIC library is for literacy enhancement and advancement. Any other activities that are unwarranted should be addressed and decided in favor of the facility. c: Yes I believe the new homeless shelter should be as active in the homelessness MISFORTUNE. That’s thier area of expertise. Lets support them. d: No I do not live downtown.