Following are the responses of candidates for Hagerstown City Council to three questions posed by The Herald-Mail. The candidates were asked to limit their responses to 75 words. Those responses that exceeded that limit were edited, and some punctuation was added. Otherwise, the responses are as the candidates submitted them.
City Council candidate Chris Kelly, a Republican, did not return the questionnaire.
Kristin B. Aleshire, 36
1217 Virginia Ave.
Democrat
1. Do you think a new publicly financed sports stadium should be built in or near downtown Hagerstown? Why or why not?
This question seems premature without technical information to determine financial viability. That requires transparency, which hasn’t occurred. First, let’s provide citizens an opportunity to weigh the full proposal now approaching $25 million. Some call it overanalyzing, others “naysaying,” I call it being responsible with public funds. Until then its speculative “political will,” a point best addressed by public vote, which I have always advocated. Poor decisions are often made out of haste and under threat.
2. What would you like to do to bring new businesses to the downtown area and to retain existing businesses?
First, large public projects have never proven a silver bullet to reverse historic decline in downtowns. Instead, smaller collaborative initiatives executed on a broader scale have experienced much greater success. Second, a thriving city is much more than its downtown. We should therefore resolve to invest similar levels of effort toward improving the quality of life for all citizens so that our many neighborhoods and various businesses citywide receive equal attention from finite city resources.
3. What is the biggest problem or challenge facing Hagerstown and what would you do to address it?
Aging. Whether it’s infrastructure and services, work force or economy, transportation, population, downtown or housing, the common theme is aging, and we must develop a comprehensive vision that the public is positively vested in to make our city a sustainable and thriving community. First step is developing public trust through transparency. That means sitting down together developing prioritized strategies to proactively engage goal-oriented solutions and then executing those goals without partiality toward brokering presumed outcomes.
William Breichner, 80 (incumbent)
1117 Oak Hill Ave.
Democrat
1. Do you think a new publicly financed sports stadium should be built in or near downtown Hagerstown? Why or why not?
Building a new stadium in downtown will depend on the financial support received from the state and county governments, and the private sector. Also to be considered will be the results of the Ripken study. Many other factors will have to be considered, such as user agreements, parking, street improvements and the impact on surrounding properties. Until all of this information is in hand, it is not possible to make a reasonable decision on this issue.
2. What would you like to do to bring new businesses to the downtown area and to retain existing businesses?
We need an in-depth review of the current objectives and the methods that were intended to achieve them. My vision for downtown is to design a center for professional and government offices, educational institutions, the arts community and related services. This will require restructuring of our current regulations, as well as taking an inventory of existing structures to achieve the desired revitalization. Specialty business types such as Carson’s and Carol & Co. fit well in this concept.
3. What is the biggest problem or challenge facing Hagerstown and what would you do to address it?
City Council candidate Chris Kelly, a Republican, did not return the questionnaire.
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Aleshire believes people should be actively involved in community
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Breichner: Most important issue facing city is attracting businesses to struggling downtown
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1217 Virginia Ave.
Democrat
1. Do you think a new publicly financed sports stadium should be built in or near downtown Hagerstown? Why or why not?
This question seems premature without technical information to determine financial viability. That requires transparency, which hasn’t occurred. First, let’s provide citizens an opportunity to weigh the full proposal now approaching $25 million. Some call it overanalyzing, others “naysaying,” I call it being responsible with public funds. Until then its speculative “political will,” a point best addressed by public vote, which I have always advocated. Poor decisions are often made out of haste and under threat.
2. What would you like to do to bring new businesses to the downtown area and to retain existing businesses?
First, large public projects have never proven a silver bullet to reverse historic decline in downtowns. Instead, smaller collaborative initiatives executed on a broader scale have experienced much greater success. Second, a thriving city is much more than its downtown. We should therefore resolve to invest similar levels of effort toward improving the quality of life for all citizens so that our many neighborhoods and various businesses citywide receive equal attention from finite city resources.
3. What is the biggest problem or challenge facing Hagerstown and what would you do to address it?
Aging. Whether it’s infrastructure and services, work force or economy, transportation, population, downtown or housing, the common theme is aging, and we must develop a comprehensive vision that the public is positively vested in to make our city a sustainable and thriving community. First step is developing public trust through transparency. That means sitting down together developing prioritized strategies to proactively engage goal-oriented solutions and then executing those goals without partiality toward brokering presumed outcomes.
William Breichner, 80 (incumbent)
1117 Oak Hill Ave.
Democrat
1. Do you think a new publicly financed sports stadium should be built in or near downtown Hagerstown? Why or why not?
Building a new stadium in downtown will depend on the financial support received from the state and county governments, and the private sector. Also to be considered will be the results of the Ripken study. Many other factors will have to be considered, such as user agreements, parking, street improvements and the impact on surrounding properties. Until all of this information is in hand, it is not possible to make a reasonable decision on this issue.
2. What would you like to do to bring new businesses to the downtown area and to retain existing businesses?
We need an in-depth review of the current objectives and the methods that were intended to achieve them. My vision for downtown is to design a center for professional and government offices, educational institutions, the arts community and related services. This will require restructuring of our current regulations, as well as taking an inventory of existing structures to achieve the desired revitalization. Specialty business types such as Carson’s and Carol & Co. fit well in this concept.
3. What is the biggest problem or challenge facing Hagerstown and what would you do to address it?
