Potters, Sievers
bid for Seat 2
Chris Potters:
"My
first priority is to preserve our sense of community and our small town
feel…Certainly managing our town’s growth is the challenge for the
future. While many of these problems are difficult, they’re not
insurmountable."
Rod Sievers:
"Ladies
and gentlemen, it’s time for a change. By voting for Rod Sievers for
City Council, you’re going to get honesty, integrity, knowledge,
preparedness of the issues and a willingness to listen to my
constituency."
By GREG
STAHL
Express Staff Writer
Ketchum
City Council Seat 2 challenger Rod Sievers quickly turned to an offensive
role Oct. 17 at the Idaho Mountain Express annual political forum at
Ketchum City Hall.
Sievers is
challenging eight-year incumbent Councilwoman Chris Potters.
Ketchum
City Council Seat 2 candidates Chris Potters, left, and Rod Sievers
explain their political platforms. Express photo by Willy Cook
"I
find it ludicrous that the present council has sat on its hands for the
past four years and not allowed certain things to transpire, such as a
franchise agreement with our power company and a franchise agreement with
our cable company," Sievers said.
"I
find it appalling that my opponent chose not to support the chamber
funding at our last budget hearing, even after the events of September 11.
You can say what you want, but our town is based on tourism."
Sievers,
57, owns the Sun Valley Cabinet Center in Ketchum, and has served on the
Ketchum Planning and Zoning Commission for three years.
Potters,
49, has amassed a long record of service with the city. She served on the
Ketchum Planning and Zoning Commission for 12 years and was elected to the
Ketchum City Council twice.
Potters
answered Sievers charge on the franchise agreements, saying that officials
have been attempting to get the best deal for the city.
"We
are working on it," she said. "It’s just taking longer than
any of us would have thought."
"My
first priority is to preserve our sense of community and our small-town
feel," she said in her introduction. "Certainly managing our
town’s growth is the challenge for the future. While many of these
problems are difficult, they’re not insurmountable."
The two
candidates both advocated expanding the valley’s public transportation
system and implementing more proactive solutions, such as parking meters,
to the city’s traffic and parking issues. Sievers also advocated
"burying cars" in underground lots, ride sharing, residential
permits and mass transit as potential, collective solutions.
On
potential preservation of the Wells Fargo lot, across from Atkinsons’
Market, as a park, Sievers said eventual development is the appropriate
use. Potters, on the other hand, said it is an "absolute, ideal
location" for the city to obtain some open space where residents can
gather together.
"If we
can come up with the money to do it, we will do it," she said.
Sievers,
like candidates for other seats, has said he would attempt changing the
way the city conducts its council elections, should he be elected. Last
winter, the city council voted 3 to 1 to change from an at-large election
system to a per-seat system.
Potters,
who voted for the new process, continued to back her decision.
"I
feel like I took the burden of that decision, and I feel good about
it," she said. Voters will have the chance this fall to pass judgment
on that topic if they wish, she continued.