Centralia Mayoral candidates Bryan Kuder and Herb Williams talk following Thursday night’s candidate forum at Kaskaskia College. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
The two candidates for Mayor along with the five seeking the two open city council positions participated in a candidates forum sponsored by the Greater Centralia Chamber of Commerce at Kaskaskia College last night.
The Mayor’s race features appointed Mayor Herb Williams and the person he was appointed to replace after the city council ruled Bryan Kuder was not a city resident. Kuder is still fighting that decision in court and emphasized in his opening remarks he WAS a Centralia resident. He also said he wanted to bring back pride to be from Centralia and wanting to get others to follow his lead in volunteering.
Williams also returned to the city following retirement. He said he was not political and eventually agreed to take the mayor’s position because he loves the city and wants to make the city a better place to live. Williams emphasized his goal was “to do the right thing”.
Both candidates were asked about the sudden retirement of City Manager Lowell Crow just ten months after he took the job in Centralia.
Williams said he couldn’t talk about specifics because it was a personnel issue.
“It boils down to one thing, you can do it now or you can do it a year and a half from now and see our city farther and farther in a backward state. I’m saying we do the right thing now. If you made a mistake or whatever happened you correct that mistake and move on. It has to be a team. If you have one person not working with that team to move the city forward, then that team should be broken and rebuilt.”
Kuder defended his decision to draw attention to the city council discussing the possible dismissal of the city manager on social media.
“I was blamed for being a liar, or it was a political move on my part…it was neither. We wanted to know what was going on as a citizen of Centralia we want to know what’s going on with our upper management. If he wanted to retire, that’s great if it was on his own accord but if he was forced out then the city of Centralia has to pay for that. Approximately $100,000 to be exact with his severance and the $25,000 that it took to even find him.”
Kuder says he wants integrity and no hidden agenda in a new city manager. He adds the person should have no financial interest outside the job. Williams feels the new city manager has to be someone who can lead in a positive manner and be honest with everyone.
Both candidates say they favor passage of the half-cent sales tax on the April ballot that would pay for the two new fire trucks purchased by the city as well as pay for a third new truck and make other public safety improvements in the future. Both say the sales tax is a better option than raising property taxes.
Watch for a story on the five candidates running for Centralia City Council on Saturday.
