League
of Women Voters of Blount County 2006 Candidate Survey
Name David
G. Ballard, Jr. Phone 977-8326
Candidate for Blount
Please write your answers in
the space provided or use a separate sheet, and return your survey in the
enclosed stamped envelope. It is very important that you write legibly. Please
consider e-mailing your completed survey by requesting an electronic survey
at rderycke@bellsouth.net
The League of Women Voters
will acknowledge receipt of your completed survey.
I. Qualifications and
experience:
A.
Please list your
diplomas and degrees, along with the areas of study.
·
·
·
B.A. University of
Tennessee,
B.
What relevant
experience do you have, including previous public offices held?
·
Four years active
service in the U.S. Army; 1986-1990
·
Budgeting: Served
as Director of Patient Care Finance at UT Medical Center, responsible for
developing and overseeing yearly operating budgets for multiple patient care
departments.
·
Capital
Planning: Served on hospital planning
committee that oversaw the funding and allocation of multi-year capital
expenditures for hospital equipment and infrastructure.
·
Information
Technology: Currently work with
financial applications that require good knowledge and understanding in several
relevant areas to include: accounting, payroll, and human resource
administration.
C.
Please list local
service and civic groups in which you have participated, including when and for
how long.
·
Coached 5-6 year
old soccer through Parks and Recreation, 2002
·
Assistant coach
through Upwards Basketball, 2004
·
Coached or
assisted in the youth baseball leagues at Maryville Little League for the last
5 years.
D.
Please indicate
any business activities that could constitute a conflict of interest in the
event you are elected.
·
None
E.
Name three leadership skills that you
practice.
1. Problem solving
2. Listening
3. Empathy
F. What unique qualities, besides the above
leadership skills, do you have to contribute to this office?
·
Approachable
·
Sense of humor
·
Creative
·
Inquisitive
·
Decisive
II. Questions about your
understanding of the office you are seeking:
A.
What do you see as
the three most important functions of this office?
1.
Represent the
views, needs, and desires of fellow constituents
2.
Responsible
management of county tax dollars
3.
Insure growth and
development are promoted in unison with the needs of required infrastructure,
to include, roads, schools, public utilities, and environment.
B.
What would you
identify as the three most important issues facing
1.
Educational
funding for both operational and infrastructure needs
2.
Continued
improvement of county infrastructure (roads, public utilities, and human
resources).
3.
Promoting managed
growth and development while addressing the needs and concerns above.
C.
What can you do in
this office to impact these three most important issues?
Applying
leadership skills to promote sound governmental policies and decision making
while maintaining the unique qualities that will allow me to best carry out the
important functions I seek to represent.
III. Positions on specific
issues of importance in
A.
Means for insuring the fair and respectful treatment of all
Work to promote local programs seeking to instill
positive community values with regards to ever increasing diversity of the
growing community that we live in. Maybe
call it “Civic Values”.
B.
Promotion of
greater diversity in our hired and appointed government officials and employees
Will need to review county hiring policies and
practices, they should be applicable.
C.
Reconciling the
potentially competing interests of growth/development and adequate
infrastructure in our county, including the application of the Hunter Growth
Strategy
We
the people of
D.
The environmental
impact of development and/or non-attainment status with the EPA
The
environmental impact should be addressed on the same level as funding,
material, and other necessary resources when evaluating development, industry,
or infrastructure
E.
Identifying and
resolving conflicts of interest of public officials
Issues will arise on occasion that create conflicts
for anyone. I would hold myself
responsible for recognizing the conflict and determine immediate
resolution. I would expect other elected
officials to do the same.
F.
The consolidation
of:
1.
city and county schools
2.
city and county government
3.
or a feasibility study on consolidation
1.
Currently against
2.
Interesting
possibilities
3.
Willing to
consider
G.
Health care
Need more specific
request.
IV. Questions for CANDIDATES FOR
A.
How can you
communicate effectively with your constituents?
Website,
public forums, newsletters, attend meetings when requested
B.
Which
recommendations of the Hunter Growth Strategy do you support, and why?
As
presented, the Hunter Growth Strategy is a good blueprint and tool for the
county as well as the municipal areas to work from in developing a plan for
smart growth. I agree with the concepts
of designated land reserves, the clustered community developments,
incorporating sewer rather than septic into community developments. I feel that initial funding should be to
improve existing roadways, intersections, and connectors. There is more to be gained there initially
than adding additional roads and highways
C.
How do you propose
to fund infrastructure growth and improvements?
1.
A wheel tax
2.
An adequate
facilities tax
3.
Other____________________________________________
Prefer
to address the funding of infrastructure with some variation of an adequate
facilities tax
D.
How can the county
address the needs of the senior population?
There are diverse groups of seniors in this county
each possessing similar needs, but also very different needs. I feel the community, local businesses, and
area health care facilities are currently on a progressive path in providing
for the common needs of local seniors. I
am open to the promotion of focus groups and public forums for the purpose of
open discussion of needs and recommendations for our senior citizens.
E.
What is your
position on hiring a county law director vs. the current practice of retaining
an attorney for the Mayor?
I
would need to evaluate the current cost of legal services being provided the
county vs. the cost associated with employing full-time counsel
F.
Concisely describe
your vision for
III.
A. Work to promote local
programs seeking to instill positive community values with regards to ever
increasing diversity of the growing community that we live in. Maybe call it “Civic Values”.
B. Will need to review county
hiring policies and practices, they should be applicable.
C. We the people of
D. The environmental impact
should be addressed on the same level as funding, material, and other necessary
resources when evaluating development, industry, or infrastructure.
E. Issues will arise on occasion
that create conflicts for anyone. I would
hold myself responsible for recognizing the conflict and determine immediate
resolution. I would expect other elected
officials to do the same.
F. The consolidation of:
1.
City and county schools:
currently against
2.
City and county government:
interesting possibilities
3.
Feasibility study on consolidation:
willing to consider
G. Health care – need more
specific request.
IV.
A. Website, public forums,
newsletters, attend meetings when requested.
B. As presented, the Hunter
Growth Strategy is a good blueprint and tool for the county as well as the
municipal areas to work from in developing a plan for smart growth. I agree with the concepts of designated land
reserves, the clustered community developments, incorporating sewer rather than
septic into community developments. I
feel that initial funding should be to improve existing roadways,
intersections, and connectors. There is
more to be gained there initially than adding additional roads and highways.
C. Prefer to address the funding
of infrastructure with some variation of an adequate facilities tax.
D. There are diverse groups of
seniors in this county each possessing similar needs, but also very different
needs. I feel the community, local
businesses, and area health care facilities are currently on a progressive path
in providing for the common needs of local seniors. I am open to the promotion of focus groups
and public forums for the purpose of open discussion of needs and
recommendations for our senior citizens.
E. I would need to evaluate the
current cost of legal services being provided the county vs. the cost
associated with employing full-time counsel.
F.