Candidates meet voters at Olney Museum
City Council candidates who participated in a voter forum at the Olney Enterprise last week listed the City’s water issues as a top priority in the coming years, as well as housing, supporting local businesses and transparency.
City Council candidates Mona Bernhardt, Carol Vorel and Steve Nurre, and mayoral candidate AD Patel participated in the forum at the Olney Heritage Museum. The event was simulcast on Facebook Live and is available on the Olney Enterprise Facebook page.
Ms. Bernhardt, daughter of former Olney Mayor Herb Bernhardt, said “I grew up here in Olney, learned a lot of good things here about healthy communities and how people cooperate and take care of problems, including water,” Ms. Bernhardt said. “When I was here … we built a pipeline … to solve our water problem. It’s an exciting time to be here because you have an opportunity to solve a different kind of water problem but it’s something we have done before.”
Because the City does not have enough funds to pay for a new water treatment plant with the $13.5 million in revenue bonds it issued two years ago, It might be time to “piecemeal” a new facility, she said.
She also would prioritize improving the City’s ISO (Insurance Services Office) rating for fire safety to save homeowners and businesses money on insurance and make it easier to attract business such as hotels to Olney.
She also listed improving Olney Lake to attract visitors and clearing up the allegations of sexual harassment brought in January by former City Administrator Arpegea Pagsuberon against former Mayor Pro Tem Tom Parker and Councilmember Tommy Kimbro as a priority.
Candidate Steven Nurre, a retired military veteran, business owner and manager for the Lowes and Tractor Supply chains, said his priorities are “clean water, clean streets and safe street: and listening to the citizens of Olney.
“We need to be approachable and accountable for our ideas and teachable,” he said, whether the subject is attracting more businesses to town or building housing within the City limits. .
“I didn’t grow up here but I am a small-town boy,” Mr. Nurre said. “I am looking out for all the citizens no matter who they are.”
Ms. Vorel, who moved to Olney with her husband from Grand Rapids, also listed the water treatment plant project as her “number one” priority. Ms. Vorel has been attending City Council meetings regularly for a number of years.
“I became interested in what was happening at City Council … there were some issues that really needed to be addressed,” she said.”The water is number one and I understand they had a contractor they were considering and that bid came in $1.5 million over budget. Now we are back to the drawing board and we will have to be creative. I am anxious to hear more about the background about what we can do from the knowledgeable city council members and come up with a creative solution.”
She also said that the water surcharge of $35 is benefitting the City and “a burden we have all taken on.” Ms. Vorel supported the City’s ongoing efforts to clean abandoned lots and said she believes that affordable housing is an issue for Olney.
Mr. Patel, a lawyer by training and the owner of the Pipeliner Inn, said his run for Mayor against incumbent Rue Rogers centers on two issues: making sure that citizens’ voices are heard, and cutting the water surcharge for businesses.
“I want to see one of you guys who has to pay $1,500 a month extra on a water bill for the last two plus years. If it costs one business that much, think of all the people who are getting buried with it,” he said.
Mr. Patel has been an Olney resident for 30-plus years and raised two children here.
“I hope all the council members have some kind of discipline and listen to the people,” he said. “I never got that from anyone and that is the main concern I have. Three minutes on Monday is not enough time for anyone.”