Photo: Discover Ferndale
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to the previous forum question…
Ferndale mayoral and city council candidates, including those running unopposed, answered questions posed during a public forum Tuesday, October 13th, at the Pioneer Pavilion Community Center hosted by the Ferndale Chamber of Commerce.
Each candidate was offered 2 minutes to respond to questions asked. Ferndale High School social studies teachers, Scott Browne and Jennifer Kubic, served as moderators. Many students could be seen in the crowd of nearly 70 attendees.
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Click for more informationThe following is a depiction of the questions and answers but in some cases responses have been paraphrased. This is not to alter the intended meaning or emphasis but due to limitations in hearing and recording verbatim.
Question: Should the city take a more active role in promoting retail growth?
Cathy Watson – Locals need more places to buy things. Business needs more support. To that end, I volunteer with the chamber and the Ferndale Public Market. This year the market encouraged small businesses to treat it like an incubator and test market acceptance of their offerings.
Glenn Stewart – I have worked for big retail and have been in rooms where people were told to go out and destroy small communities. It’s not about the sales taxes but who they [big retailers] affect. Turnover in Ferndale’s downtown core is nearly 100%. We need to get off business’ backs.
Click for more informationTeresa Taylor – Big box stores attract other big box stores. I’m a small business owner and others in downtown Ferndale are concerned. We need to build on the historical aspects of the downtown core. There are many buildings that stood back when Ferndale was known as ‘Jam.’
Jon Mutchler – For decades, every city council has wanted to come up with a plan to attract business. But you can’t make a baby come any sooner than they want. We can plan for and be ready but we can’t make it happen if its not ready. We can only set the table, create attractions and be ready.
Rebecca Xczar – The city has done a good job of attracting businesses and preparing with design standards. We are in a good place and ready for businesses to come.
Paul Ingram – We are open for business. And We have heard for years that its too expensive to develop downtown. But even after cutting development fees to zero for two years, businesses are not interested.
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Click for more informationKeith Olson – The downtown needs revitalizing but to say we haven’t tried is inaccurate. And big box stores aren’t going to ruin us since we don’t have stores that sell what they’re selling. We have been encouraging businesses to come and this new retailer proves that.
Greg Hanson – I remember going shopping with my mom in Ferndale for shoes, clothes, etc. The growth of retail coming to Ferndale is beginning and it will build upon itself, keeping our tax dollars at home.
Click here to read the candidates’ answers to the next forum question…