Marmet's mayoral candidates talked to the town council and the public about their visions for the city Friday.
Candidates Bobby Wells, David Fontalbert and Jennings Snodgrass Jr. spoke and fielded questions during a special town council meeting Friday.
The council is choosing a new mayor because the former mayor, Bill Pauley, was removed from office in February.
Wells, a former candidate for mayor and the person who filed the ethics complaint that led to Pauley's removal from office, was the first candidate to be interviewed.
After calling into question the legality of the proceedings because council members Mike McGhee and Debbie Skeen were seen talking to Fontalbert before and after he turned in his application for mayor, Wells listed off a number of improvements he would like to see in the town.
Wells said he wants to establish more programs for kids and adults in town. He said creating recreational activities will help bring more businesses to town.
"You need to spend money to make money," Wells said.
He also suggested forming an economic development team to help recruit businesses, so the town can earn more in business and occupation taxes.
He suggested the town offer businesses no business and occupation tax for a few years to help get them to come to town.
Wells also suggested refinancing as a way to raise money to pay for some of his ideas, but when challenged in a question by a resident, he backed off.
"Maybe I'm wrong," Wells said. "I'm not sure. I have to discuss it with the council. If that's not where they want to go, then we won't go."
Wells also discussed cleaning up the town and said he wanted to increase the police presence to help crack down on the drug problem.
Wells was the only candidate who was not applauded by the public after he spoke.
Fontalbert started by referencing a recent legal decision that affirmed Marmet's government does not have a strong mayor position.
"My vision for this town is to implement the council's decisions," Fontalbert said.
He also talked about his experience working with the West Virginia Economic Development Authority to talk about how he would try to recruit businesses to town.
He said lowering business and occupation taxes does not really help bring businesses to town. The things that draw them are good schools and a vibrant community.
Fontalbert said he knew not a lot could be done in just one year, but he hoped to start things in the right direction as mayor.
"It's an opportunity to lay a foundation for the next four years," Fontalbert said.
Snodgrass talked about his experience on the town's sanitation board and his personal investments in the community. One of his biggest priorities was to clean up the town.
"I want this town to be cleaned up and look presentable to people," Snodgrass said.
Snodgrass said he is a person who is intent on doing, rather than talking. Part of his solution for cleaning up the area is to use city workers to clean up properties that have fallen into disrepair and then bill them for it.
"I do not like to talk about things," Snodgrass said. "I like to get them done."
He also said he wants to focus on economic development, citing his experience in real estate. He said he would come down hard on businesses by hiring a debt collector and would shut down businesses who do not pay their taxes.
The town council will choose one of the candidates to be mayor in a roll call vote on May 12.
Reach Daniel Desrochers at
dan.desrochers@wvgazettemail.com,
304-348-4886 or follow
@drdesrochers on Twitter.