Issues - 2007 Campaign
Ian Frink -
Questions & Answers on Pivotal Issues
QC Times Survey:
What are the most significant challenges facing neighborhoods? How would you address them?
The most significant challenges in our central city neighborhoods include: crime, environmental issues, rental property issues, and lack of investment. We need to preserve and protect these assets and address all of these issues concurrently with a multi-tiered approach.
If we are able to tackle these issues the central city could tie in nicely to an improved downtown and an improved Brady Street corridor. The process will have to be implemented at 110%; any token or small-step measures will provide only temporary fixes. We have some of the most historic neighborhoods in the state and need to use these areas, which already have infrastructure in place, as assets.
I have supported and will continue to support a number of related initiatives. I supported and helped launch our 100 Homes Program, which encourages re-investment in existing neighborhoods and our Green City Program, which encourages environmentally friendly solutions that better our quality of life throughout the city.
I also supported the increase of NETS officers to offer pro-active policing, along with the increase to 164 sworn DPD officers, an all-time high. I have also supported and participated on the Community Partnership committee, which offers assistance to residential and commercial neighborhoods for re-development projects. I will also continue to support the re-building of neighborhood enhancements efforts and will continue to support landlord and tenant accountability. I also supported and helped encourage the development of our new neighborhood liaison position, which will offer direct lines of communication to our neighborhood associations.
What’s most important, providing basic services or adding amenities for residents and visitors? What approach would you take?
We need to have a city that people want to live, work, and play in.
That said, first and foremost we are an older city with aging infrastructure and need to continue addressing everything from streets, to sewers, to new projects to service our needs. As a member of the Public Works committee, I have supported numerous capital improvement projects. I also traveled to Washington, DC, to lobby for federal assistance for our West Diversion Tunnel project, which ranked first on our list of needs for federal dollars. The tunnel could open NW Davenport to a great deal of new developments and could ease the burden on our existing sewer system.
Amenities are important as well and I have been supportive of new park projects, including Sunderbruch Park, Prairie Heights Park, and Centennial Park. I also have supported and helped introduce our new bike path connection between Duck Creek and the Riverfront in the Main St. area. I would like to see us re-claim areas of LeClaire Park that are currently being utilized as surface parking, but not at the expense of the taxpayer’s best interests.
We are fortunate to have great amenities like the renovated Adler Theatre, the River Music Experience, and the Figge Art Museum. We need to encourage use of these facilities by all members of our community and we need to continue to promote these assets to help increase revenues for our hotel/motel tax, which brings significant dollars annually to the city.
What are the city’s most important infrastructure needs?
The top priority, clearly, is the West Diversion Tunnel. This tunnel could open NW Davenport to new development and will ease the burden on our existing sewer system.
We also need to pay close attention to our existing major corridors including: Brady/Harrison, Locust, West River and Rockingham. All three of these corridors are in the process of being reviewed. We need to take recommendations from these studies and implement them as soon as fiscally possible.
The city also needs to follow through on long-range plans, including the connection of 65th/67th from Brady to Utica Ridge Road. This will assist in new development in NE Davenport and will assist in re-development of the Northern Brady St. area.
I believe we should review our street system downtown. We need to have a pedestrian friendly corridor in our downtown along River Drive. We could better connect our downtown to the riverfront and may be able to find outside sources to assist us in the procurement of funding. Also, a long-range goal may be to convert 3rd and 4th Streets to two-way traffic, this will allow for better opportunities for development of small commercial initiatives.
How would you approach economic development?
We need to continue working with our partners at the Quad City Development Group, Bi-State Regional Commission, the QC Convention and Visitors Bureau, New Ventures Center, the Greater Davenport Re-development Corporation, and DavenportOne. Together, we can continue to position Davenport as a top-tier Midwest community.
If we work together our city will be more attractive to potential investors. Davenport has a number of assets: affordable housing, a solid public school system, an improved amenity base, and the nation’s most significant river. We need to continue marketing ourselves with these key components in mind.
If we accomplish our goals, Davenport will be more attractive, the population base will increase, and our tax base will follow suit.
I have served as a member of the Community Development committee and as vice-chair of the Greater Davenport Re-development Corporation. We have attracted and retained a number of businesses during my first term. This includes four new tenants to the Eastern Iowa Industrial Park and two major new business developments in our city: the AT&T Call Center and the eServ project. Of course, it is important for us to focus on organic growth with the small business that has served our community. Ninety-percent of the businesses in our city are small businesses and we need to protect them with top tier service and low tax structures.
We shouldn’t be afraid to use incentives and other economic development tools in our toolbox. We are in a competitive market with a number of other cities and need to be aggressive in bringing good paying jobs to our city.
Does the city have enough police officers? Are they deployed properly? What is the council’s role in promoting public safety?
Public safety is the top priority for our city. We need to continue adding police officers in all areas. We not only need to bring forward a solid front on re-active policing, but also pro-active policing. Our patrols need additional staffing and we need more NETS officers working our neighborhoods. We are fortunate to have dedicated officers and staff that give solid efforts on a daily basis. I am proud of the fact that our department was the first nationally accredited PD in the state.
We have an all-time high of 164 officers at the DPD and 207 total employees, including civilians. We have a new police station that will help us bring more effective and efficient service and we great programs like our volunteer initiative: VIPS. Despite these accomplishments, we still have work to do.
Eradicating crime in a given area requires a long and sustained 110% effort. Temporary fixes are merely band-aids. In order to provide the long-term solutions we need to be expand our force, but do it in a way that is fiscally responsible. We also need to continue our push towards consolidated dispatch to free up dollars that could be directed towards funding PD expansion initiatives.
How would you handle situations in which you disagree with another council member or members? Or does it matter?
I have worked hard to bring a professional approach to my job as alderman and have worked to establish professional relationships with my colleagues. Our council needs to portray a professional image 24/7, we are representing our city and it is important that the impression cast is favorable.
We need to have a solid team in place that communicates well and not just identifies problems, but also solves problems. We all don’t need to agree on all items, however it is important to compromise and find solutions that are in the best interest of our community – this is how a city moves forward.
It is my hope that the next council has strong lines of communication established within its’ internal framework, but also with city staff and our constituents.
Should the Isle of Capri take over the RiverCenter South? If not, what should the city encourage the Isle to do?
The Isle of Capri and the city should work towards a Plan B, outside of the walls of our River Center. We should not rush to any quick decisions and should be patient to find the right solution that benefits the city, our community, and the casino. The landscape is changing in the gaming industry in Iowa (and the Quad Cities for that matter) and it might not be a bad idea to wait things out a bit to see how everything plays out.
I believe an interstate location could work or, perhaps, a new development in our downtown area. I have proposed the area just East of the Blackhawk Hotel towards Pershing or perhaps another location. Whatever the final recommendation is it is crucial that all parties, including the citizens, support it.
The RDA and casino have helped fund a number of not-for-profit initiatives in the city and the revenue levels need to stay at a consistent level. Most projections indicate the riverfront location will not yield the best returns in the future, so it will be important to move forward with the Plan B at some point in time.
What is your vision for Davenport?
Davenport should strive for a solid balance between standard services, cultural amenities, and fiscal responsibility. We are coming to a crossroads where we must be pro-active in re-development and new development for our city; this will allow us to broaden our tax base and will lesson the burden on individuals with fixed incomes. Programs need to be implemented and thoughtful planning needs to take place in order to realize this goal. If Davenport becomes more efficient in it’s’ operations, maintains low taxes and fees, and listens to its’ citizens viewpoints we will build the next layer upon our foundation.
We are fortunate to have assets like the nation’s most significant river, the state’s most historic neighborhoods, a revitalized downtown, great schools, affordable housing, and relatively low tax and fee structures. What we do with those assets is the key. We need to continue marketing ourselves as a great place to live, work, and play. We could become the next top-tier Midwest community. This will lead to additional investments and expansion. We also need to focus on our long-term plans for our infrastructure: including the West Diversion Tunnel and catering to the needs to what we already have in place.
We are beginning to turn a corner as evidence by the new jobs that are coming to the city, a growth of 2000 residents in the past three years, and by winning the nation’s most livable small city award. If we all work together and convey a professional image across the board everything will fall into place. Right now, we are on the brink of becoming our own worst enemy. There is no doubt we are at a crossroads. I would like to help steer us in the right direction and bring these goals to fruition.