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Show MyWeberMedia.com | July 23, 2019 | 5 in the city, he would start sending out regular bulletins to inform the community. Next, Hunter asked the candidates about their understanding of race relations in the community and how they would address them if elected. Both Tabish and Thompson responded that they were not aware of major race relation problems in Ogden. However, they said that if problems do arise, they would need to be addressed immediately. Castillo disagreed, saying she has connected with affected groups who want connection. “At those meetings, I have heard fear,” she said. She added that there is a lack of foot patrols in the areas that need them the most. Caldwell also reported seeing these issues, though he has been proactive in working to promote diversity by including an Officer of Diversity in his office and helping to create the Diversity Commission. The candidates then were asked how they could support a “sustainable safety net” for the most vulnerable in the community. While the candidates seemed to be in agreement that volunteer organizations play a large part in helping the most vulnerable groups, Castillo argued they need help. “Supporting the most vulnerable is something we are failing miserably at,” she said. “We, as a city, are not interacting with our non-profits that are doing the good, heavy work that they are.” She suggested applying for grants to help the community and taking advantage of the free state and federal resources. Caldwell rebutted Castillo’s comments, saying that the city has already received money from grants and does more to take care of the community than many other cities along the Wasatch Front. Hunter then asked the candidates what percent of the city’s budget they would use for economic development. Although none of the candidates were willing to specify a fixed percentage, they did have more to say. Thompson said he would like to see more Ogden citizens employed rather than commuters. Caldwell would rather focus on the return on investment rather than a fixed percentage. “There are a ton of problems and ounces of resources,” Caldwell said, explaining that it is hard to know how much to allocate to economic development. He said he appreciates that Ogden has kept its history with the development of places like Historic 25th Street and wants to continue that effort because it has helped develop Ogden’s economy. Castillo said that Ogden shouldn’t be treated as a development. Rather, she suggested looking to working with Ogden’s local businesses instead of big businesses from outside the city. Tabish took an opposite stance to Castillo, saying that he would bring new businesses to Ogden to improve the tax base. Although no formal Q&A was held, attendees were able to meet with the candidates after the debate. Comment on this story at signpost.mywebermedia.com |