Pullman City Council candidates in a public forum Wednesday night spoke in favor of increased citizen involvement, more proactive procedural transparency and easy to understand business guidelines.
The Pullman Young Professionals invited candidates in contested races to the discussion at the Holiday Inn Express on Bishop Boulevard. The forum focused on economic development, community vision and infrastructure priorities.
Ward 1 incumbent council member Ann Parks, Ward 1 challenger Chris Johnson, at-large incumbent council member Eileen Macoll and at-large challenger Francis Benjamin all participated. They are seated left to right in the photo above.
Pullman Young Professionals announced they would post video of the forum online. We will share that when it becomes available (Update: Here’s the link). The entire discussion, including four audience-submitted questions, can be heard below. You can read additional coverage of the event from the Moscow-Pullman Daily News here and the Daily Evergreen here.
The candidate forum lasted about an hour and 13 minutes, including the hospital presentation and audience questions.
Britnee Christen with Pullman Young Professionals acted as moderator. The discussion started with a brief presentation and Q&A on the proposed Pullman Regional Hospital bond levy before starting into questions with the candidates. Times marked in bold indicate the time stamp [minute:second] when the question is read.
[1:20] Jeannie Eylar, Chief Clinical Officer for Pullman Regional Hospital, discusses priorities for the hospital’s proposed Prop. 1 bond levy on the November ballot. Eylar, and others with Citizens for Pullman Regional Hospital Prop. 1, also took a few audience questions.
“We really have focused on two things that we need,” Eylar said. “The first is really to implement a new electronic medical record that would be a community-wide medical record. … The other piece is really to just build new space. We are bursting at the seams.”
[7:30] Christen explains the rules for the forum discussion.
[9:45] Introductions and opening statements from all candidates beginning with Parks. (Three minutes for each candidate)
[21:30] First question: What experience do you bring to the table to make you a successful council member?
[27:17] Second question: What is the role of city government in economic development?
[32:30] Third question: What are your top priorities for the city infrastructure and how do you plan to address them?
[37:40] Fourth question: What will you do as a council member to advance Pullman’s sense of community and its welcoming atmosphere?
[42:20] Fifth question: What steps will you take to make Pullman a better place to live, work and do business?
[48:20] First audience question: “I’ve noticed several comments on social media that are upset that the City Hall remodel portion of the recent bond was $3 million over budget. What can the city do to learn from this? How can this mistake affect our bond rating and why does this matter?”
[54:18] Second audience question: “What opportunities do you see available to engage younger people and make them want to stay in Pullman?”
[59:00] Third audience question: “How can council best push to not be complacent or maintain status quo?”
[1:03:30] Fourth audience question: “Give us your elevator pitch for people considering making the move to Pullman.”
[1:07:20] Closing statements (Three minutes for each candidate)
Correction: Post previously misidentified the ward in the race between Parks and Johnson. It is Ward 1.