Spring Break
Council candidates discuss businesses, housing issues at forum
Joe Astrouski / City Editor
Issue date: 3/25/09 Section: News
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Candidates Jim East, Jim Dunn, Mike Goble, Matthew Hutti, Tim Newell and Ryan Siegel all spoke kindly about one another, often agreeing with their opponents.
"There are some great guys up here," said Dunn, the lone incumbent in the race.
The candidates discussed their views on bringing new businesses to the city.
"People who would put in new businesses would have to live here," Newell said. "They're going to want to have a community with good schools ... that looks neat."
Newell said many people he knows who have moved to Charleston for business dislike the city at first, but quickly grow to like it.
Dunn agreed. "We have a low-crime, honest, friendly community," Dunn said. "We have a nice library; we've (improved) a number of streets."
Hutti, a substitute teacher who grew up in Charleston, also praised the community.
"This is a small community ... with a lot to offer," he said.
East, who owns the Lincoln Book Shop at 619 Monroe Ave., answered questions about the state of the city's square and called for greater cooperation among different groups there.
"I would advocate getting a group together to include businesspeople, landlords and county workers," East said, adding that such a group could discuss various problems in uptown Charleston.
East was also asked his opinion on the growing amount of off-campus student housing.
"Building new housing being equal with restoring old housing, I don't think city government has any business telling new developers not to come in and spend money," East said.
Goble, a building service worker at Eastern, said the city has allowed too many large student apartment complexes in recent years, particularly on Fourth Street.
"You have these behemoth apartment buildings ... in a few years, these are going to be an eyesore," Goble said. "I believe we need ... zoning enforcement."
Siegel, who works as energy sustainability coordinator at Eastern, was asked how the city should improve relations with Eastern students.
"Students don't feel as if they're a permanent part of this community," Siegel said. "Part of that is going to involve working with groups like Student Senate."
The forum was sponsored by the Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce, the Coles County League of Women Voters and the EIU Student Senate.
Joe Astrouski can be reached at 581-7942 or at jmastrouski@eiu.edu.
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