Editor’s Note: This is the fourth of seven installments featuring mayoral candidates for the city of Suffolk. In each of the next three Sunday editions, the News-Herald will feature answers from a questionnaire sent to all the mayoral candidates. Each story will also be available online by clicking the Election ’08 logo at www.suffolknewsherald.com.

This week, candidate Rev. Dwight Nixon is featured. Nixon began Suffolk’s Kiddie’s Kingdom daycare center, and currently is a member on the board of directors for Suffolk’s Economic Development Authority.

1. What would you do about – and what is the Mayor’s and City Council’s responsibility regarding—the revolving-door change lately in Suffolk’s administrative leaders? Are there any further substantive changes you believe should take place at amongst those leadership positions?

Suffolk has had an inordinate amount of change in leadership in its departments. This has to have caused a lot of confusion, instability, fear, and uncertainty amongst those employees who are left behind… There should be a meeting of the entire leadership team to discuss administrative support and retention of our most valuable resource – our employees. It’s interesting to note that we have also been losing money on settlements and other pay-outs as a result of these changes, (and)…that in many instances these leaders with excellent credentials have gone to (other) cities to accept even greater responsibility and pay….

2. What would you have done differently regarding the city’s assessments? What changes would you make in the future regarding assessments?

As Mayor, as soon as I had learned that there were problems with the City’s Real Estate assessments, I would have called an emergency meeting with the City Council and the Real Estate Assessor. I would have insisted that any further collections of the assessments be suspended. I would have ensured that those affected were notified that all errors would be corrected and re-adjustments would be made automatically. To avoid this problem in the future, I would press to establish a mandatory bi-annual review and evaluation of the City’s real estate tax assessment process and fees.

3. How can the mayor serve to unify the two sides of Suffolk (North and South), helping each to see the qualities and needs of the other?

Unfortunately, in an attempt to promote growth in northern Suffolk, we have almost ignored the rest of the City…We could start by encouraging businesses to develop on vacant or condemned land in the southern and middle of the City. We need recreation facilities. Why not place one close to the Nansemond Parkway / Portsmouth Blvd. intersection? …Why not some place along E. Washington Street where many homes / businesses have been abandoned and zoning laws don’t allow like re-construction?…We should have joint meetings with community and business leaders from across the City to…encourage total growth of our great city.

4. What should be the city’s policy regarding solid waste disposal post-SPSA in 2018? What should Suffolk do now to ensure that this plan will come to fruition?

The City’s policy regarding solid waste disposal post-SPSA in 2018 should be a policy that concentrates on protecting human health and the environment from potential health hazards, conserves energy and natural resources, reduces the amount of water generated; and ensures that water is managed in an environmentally-sound manner. We should begin now to conduct a feasibility study that benchmarks like-sized cities and considers costs associated with contracted services, a city-owned operation, or other options.

5. What course of action would YOU take to solve Hampton Roads’ traffic problems and pay for the necessary improvements?

One of the first things we do improperly in the planning surrounding our infrastructure is ignore the need to build the roads before we build the neighborhood / subdivision…I would pursue initiatives to reduce the traffic on our roads that include improving roads where needed, light rail where feasible, improving the use of public transportation making the bus system more efficient and responsive to the needs of our citizens. These improvements would be paid for with public and private funds. The public funding would be sought from State and Federal Legislatures. I would seek private funding through partnerships with businesses.

6. What would you do about revitalizing downtown Suffolk? What steps would be taken to ensure that downtown continues to prosper in the future?

…I believe that we need to get the message out that there are thousands of people within ten miles of Downtown Suffolk who would patronize the right movie theater and the right department stores rather than drive twenty miles or more to patronize similar businesses. To ensure that downtown continues to prosper in the future, I would 1) promote a business-friendly environment that is inviting to businesses, 2) invest City resources in improving infrastructure to accommodate future growth and 3) promote a family-oriented climate that gives families reasons to go downtown.

7. Do you think our current city government is operating openly and transparently? If not what would you change or do differently?

The public has a right to know how our City is functioning on a daily basis. There are too many topics unnecessarily discussed in closed session. This makes for the perception of wrong-doing. In larger cities, very little is discussed in this manner. I would seek to reduce the number of closed work sessions and make City Council meeting available on the City’s website. I would make sure that information is readily available to all who desire governmental information and ensure full compliance with FOIA.

8. What role do you see the mayor playing in economic development? How would YOU work to continue to capitalize on Suffolk’s growth?

I believe that the Mayor should keep his / her hand on the pulse of the City’s economic development. The Mayor is a champion for economic development whose job is tooting our economic successes, our strengths and our many opportunities for expansion. I would work to continue to capitalize on Suffolk’s growth by emphasizing our location, proximity to ports and availability of land and other resources. I would promote a business climate and a transportation network that invites businesses to locate here and creates strong business and community partnerships.

9. What can the city do to help ensure Suffolk has quality education? What role would you play in ensuring education is exceptional in our city?

To ensure quality education in Suffolk, the City must invest the necessary resources that ensure our schools have the personnel, facilities, supplies and equipment to meet the needs of our children. As Mayor, first of all, I would work to ensure the retention of our top professions. I would promote strong business and school partnerships to ensure we graduate students who are ready to compete in a global economy.

10. What would you do as mayor to keep Suffolk a safe city? What could be done to improve public safety in Suffolk and how would you approach it?

As Mayor, I would make public safety a high priority by ensuring that staffing is sufficient to protect our communities and neighborhoods. Public safety in Suffolk could be improved by targeting more resources to troubled areas. My approach would be to begin by listening to the concerns of our citizens, engaging them in more community awareness programs, and engaging our public safety personnel in a more interactive relationship within the communities they serve.