Council candidates debate city finances
By Kevin Kelley
Westlake
Published Oct. 5, 2005

(Editor’s note: Last week, West Life reported on the exchanges between the candidates for the office of mayor of Westlake and law director of Westlake during the League of Women Voters’ Candidate Forum held the afternoon of Sept. 20 at Westlake City Hall. This week’s article reports on the exchanges between the city council candidates. The LWV forum was broadcast on WHBS-TV, Westlake High School’s cable TV channel. The forum can also be viewed as a web cast on the Internet by going to www.cityofwestlake.org.)

Incumbent candidates pledged to stay the course while challengers called for lower taxes, a more open government and televised council meetings during the council race period of the League of Women Voters candidates forum Sept. 20.

COUNCIL PRESIDENT RACE

Council President Michael Killeen and his challenger, Carol Corpus, speak at the League of Women Voters candidaite forum Spet. 20. (Photos by Larry Bennet)

The liveliest of all exchanges, including those between the mayoral and law director candidates, was between Council President Michael Killeen and challenger Carol Corpus. Both candidates gave quick answers to LWV moderator Anne Engel’s question and then went into their prepared attacks against the other side.

Killeen responded to the first question about the difference between the council president and other members by noting the president supervises the clerk’s office, makes committee appointments and presides at meetings. Encouraging public input at council meetings was an important role of the president, he noted.

“Unfortunately, such public input has often been monopolized by a small group to push their own agendas,” Killeen said, referring to opposition candidates’ frequent use of the public comment time during council meetings. Killeen justified council’s decision to web cast its meetings on the Internet so citizens can watch only the portions of a meeting they are interested in.

An important role of the council president is to lead the body in reaching a consensus on issues, Killeen said, adding that council has been largely successful in doing that under his tenure.

“Unfortunately this doesn’t seem to be the situation at the school board, where one member’s political agenda and confrontational style is rapidly creating a crisis situation,” Killeen said, apparently referring to school board member and mayoral candidate Joe O’Malley.

Corpus said she would televise council meetings on cable TV. “Why should a Westlake resident have to buy a newspaper to find out what’s going on in this city?” she asked.

She also criticized the way Killeen runs council meetings, saying he’s heavy-handed in not letting residents asks questions directly of councilmen. (Killeen asks that all public comments be directed to the chair, although council members may respond if they wish.)

Corpus said flooding and an increase in east-west traffic are important issues council needs to address in 2006. She also wants the city to help senior residents with snow removal.

Killeen said the city’s challenge is to complete its successful transformation from a semi-rural community to a successful city, which includes completing Crocker Park, continue upgrading the roads and sewers, and upgrading facilities such as the rec center.

“The key to our success has been officials who have put Westlake, not their own interests first,” Killeen said, “using consistent long-range planning and financial discipline rather than operating in a crisis mode. That’s one reason why our tax rates are so favorable.

“I reject critics who argue we should spend our revenues as fast as we receive them like other cities apparently do.”

Corpus criticized the current administration for building a new city hall after such a request was rejected twice by residents, saying the building has become “a monument to those who occupy it.”

“That type of arrogance is what is wrong with current city leaders,” she said. “When they have too much of your money, they spend it with reckless abandon.”

Corpus accused Killeen and Mayor Dennis Clough, both accountants by profession, of running the city like a savings and loan, “squirreling away our tax dollars to protect our bond rating,” she said, referring to the Westlake’s triple-A rating with credit agencies.

Corpus then got in the best line of the entire debate. “Mayor Clough and President Killeen have fallen so in love with this bond rating, I think their wives might be getting a little jealous,” she said.

Killeen noted Westlake residents have seen a 22 percent reduction in the property tax rate over the last 20 years. He called the 33 percent property tax cut proposed by opposition candidates as “political pandering to buy your vote.”

“The accompanying promise that nothing will change is highly suspect,” Killeen said. “There is no such thing as a free lunch. Some people want to buy your vote using your money, which is likely to cost you far more eventually.”

WARD 1 RACE

Challenger Brendan Delay said his first priority would be to reduce the consumption of energy in all city departments. Westlake has greatly expanded the square footage of city buildings without making them nearly as energy efficient as it could have, he said.

Incumbent Ed Hack said he wants to stay the course and continue following the city’s formula for success. School funding problems must be solved at the state level, he added. The city should maintain a balance between property and income taxes and continue to save today for the capital improvements of tomorrow, he said.

WARD 2 RACE

Incumbent James Connole said his goal was to continue the city’s success and keep Westlake services second to none. “Our neighbors are very envious in other communities,” he said.

Challenger Vern Long said in the future, citizens should be able to vote on major city expenditures, such as the construction of new city facilities.

“The main thing I’m looking for is to bring some democracy back to our city council,” Long said, adding that referendums on public projects would be a check on extravagance. He also said he would hold ward meetings and work for lower taxes and snow removal for seniors.

Connole said he will continue to make sure residents’ taxes are the lowest on the Westshore but criticized the proposed 33 percent property tax cut.

WARD 3 RACE

The most cordial of all the exchanges was that between candidates Keith Estes and Dennis Sullivan for the Ward 3 open seat being vacated by the retiring Bill Sexton. During a question about their qualifications, Estes said “I believe both of us are qualified candidates.”

Estes, who is alligned with the incumbent Republicans, stressed the need to maintain and improve the infrastructure in the older Ward 3, saying street repair and tree replacements were projects the city needed to tend to. Sullivan agreed with the need for maintaining the infrastructure. But an even greater priority, he said, was to televise council meetings in order to improve community involvement in the city.

WARD 4 RACE

Challenger Mary Levtzow repeated Corpus’ call for more democratic, open council meetings. People should feel free to approach council and ask questions, she said.

“I have heard citizens being afraid,” she said. “I have met people that are definitely scared because of the procedures that are right now in place in our city government.”

Incumbent Michael O’Donnell said his priority is to continue to improve the city’s infrastructure.

“I consider public service a vocation,” he said. The current administration and council work well together as a team and are successful, he said. “I want to continue to be part of a successful team.”

WARD 5 RACE

Incumbent Ken Brady listed the numerous awards and accolades Westlake has received in recent years, adding that city residents enjoy the lowest tax rate on the west side. “We have a great city,” Brady said, touting its triple-A credit rating and top-notch facilities.

He accused his opponent, Joe Kilbane, of putting out misleading campaign literature.

Kilbane, a vocal and frequent critic of the city’s maintenance of reserve funds which he argues are too large, said council meetings should be televised and the law and finance departments should be require to give regular reports at council meetings.

“I think it’s not right to prepay your taxes,” he said, referring to the city’s reserve funds. He added that while the tax rate in Westlake may be low, the taxes are still high because the property values are high.

WARD 6 RACE

“Continue Our Success” is the theme of incumbent Nan Baker’s campaign, and that’s what she said she would do in another term.

“Westlake is a great place to live and has low taxes,” she said. “That’s a combination that I plan on continuing.”

Challenger Ed Kwasny said he would make a priority of snow and ice removal from the property of seniors and the disabled. He also promised to be approachable and accountable to everyone in Ward 6. “I will look forward to actually having them become my boss,” Kwasny said.