Times News QA

I am the candidate that is focused on the Future. I want Kingsport to be prepared to become the Model City of the future. This means thinking ahead on how AI, Space, Self Driving Cars, Drones and Work from home, etc will reshape our world. I think my forward-looking perspective will bring a valuable perspective to the BMA better positioning Kingsport for the future. A vote for me is a vote for the future.

Kingsport has the unique opportunity to solve address the root issues of homelessness which are often substance abuse and mental health-related. I think the city has to rely on its unique opportunity with Ballad and their COPA to take the first step at addressing the root causes tied to addiction and mental health. Reviewing the Ballad TOC (https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/documents/copa/TOC-Ballad-Health-1.31.18.pdf) and their HCI (https://www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/health/documents/Healthy_Communities_Institute_4.7.17.pdf) documents, It’s prevalent that substance abuse and mental health are regional problems that are to receive funding from the efficiencies of the merger. We need to work with Ballad and our Non-Profit and faith-based entities to build a solution before attempting to seek local tax funding.

I think Kingsport should embrace the regional initiative for economic development. The cities should not be attempting to shuffle businesses back and forth between them. This brings no Net new opportunities and variety to the region. To do this the regional plan will have to be VERY transparent to all the citizens in the region. I think Kingsport’s recent round of incentives with Eastman and Domtar have shown the region that we are serious about economic development and are supportive of the future circular economy. I think in the short term Kingsport needs to promote our downtown and small businesses. Small businesses can move at a rapid pace (much faster than large institutions) and find their niche to fill the demand that our citizens are looking for as we exit the pandemic.

It’s a great problem to have that 20k people enter our town daily and we just need to figure out how to get them to spend more time and money here. Our retailers hopefully can respond by creating an atmosphere where these potential patrons would like to spend their time and money.

With the work from home option that has exploded recently, we need to be preparing our city for modernization so we will have all the benefits and convenience of a large city without being crammed together, etc. This will make us an attractive place to live and socialize while the people moving here will retain their employment elsewhere but spend their income in our region.

It’s important that while those patrons are in Kingsport they are consuming products and services from our businesses and, eating in our restaurants, etc. Doing this will increase business demand and growth.

I’d like to see cement hill turned into a large but well-done mountain bike park paired with the main street project. This could drive in adventure tourism, promote healthy activities and help spur the need for more downtown service-oriented businesses, etc. Several cities have made something similar happen and had great results. What sets Kingsport apart from them is the close proximity that Cement Hill has to the downtown area. This could be a relatively low-cost magnet project that promotes a healthy lifestyle as well.