League of Women Voters of Blount County 2006 Candidate Survey

 

Name: Mike Morton                                                 Phone:  984-6424

 

Candidate for               Blount County Mayor

 

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:

  1. Please list your diplomas and degrees, along with the areas of study.

 

B.A. Maryville College, 1976, Health and Physical Education

 

  1. What relevant experience do you have, including previous public offices held?

 

Current Blount County Assessor of Property, county-wide constitutional elected office

Former educator and coach, Blount County Schools

Former Blount County industrial management leader

 

 

  1. Please list local service and civic groups in which you have participated, including when and for how long.

 

Maryville Kiwanis

 

  1. Please indicate any business activities that could constitute a conflict of interest in the event you are elected.

 

None

 

  1. Name three leadership skills that you practice.

1.  Communicator

    1. Facilitator
    2. Listener

 

F.   What unique qualities, besides the above leadership skills, do you have to contribute to this office? 

 

Training in two areas: 

(1)   Hands-on experience for 5.5 years, county office holder—working daily with other county and city leaders, departments, employees, and citizens.

(2)   Over 200 hours of specialized county government leadership training through the UT Center for Government Training resulting in the Certified Public Administrator designation.

           

 

 

II. Questions about your understanding of the office you are seeking:

  1. What do you see as the three most important functions of this office?

1. Communicator—Facilitator with the Mayor’s office and the Blount County Commission

2. Involvement in County Budget Issues as a member of the Financial Mgmt. Committee

3. Appointment of leadership boards and committees and hands-on management with each.

 

  1. What would you identify as the three most important issues facing Blount County in the future?

                1.  Education, population and budget

2.     Highway safety, traffic volume

3.     Property planning and use

 

  1. What can you do in this office to impact these three most important issues?

 

-As a member of the Financial Management Committee being involved in the budget-funding   process.

-Communicator and facilitator with the school board, highway departments (local, state, and federal).

-Being active with planning commission activity and appointments.

 

 

 

III. Positions on specific issues of importance in Blount County:   Use a separate sheet to respond.

A.                 Means for insuring the fair and respectful treatment of all Blount County citizens, regardless of race, gender, religion or ethnic background, given recent concerns about racism and bigotry in our county

 

Continue to inject diversity training sessions into all county areas and expand on what has been done.

 

B.                 Promotion of greater diversity in our hired and appointed government officials and employees

 

Mandatory diversity training sessions

 

C.                 Reconciling the potentially competing interests of growth/development and adequate infrastructure in our county, including the application of the Hunter Growth Strategy

 

Begin direct involvement with all local planning departments and involved groups to facilitate implementation of growth strategy.

 

D.                 The environmental impact of development and/or non-attainment status with the EPA

 

Developments should be strictly monitored for EPA compliance through planning and sampling of structure.

 

E.                  Identifying and resolving conflicts of interest of public officials

 

Yearly business involvement and ownership questionnaire

 

F.                  The consolidation of:

1. city and county schools

2. city and county government

4.     or a feasibility study on consolidation

 

Position that the Blount County voters should be informed of researched implications, impacts, advantages, disadvantages in order to make responsible choices when these issues are a referendum to the ballot.  Voters should determine.

 

G.                 Health care.

 

A concern to all at some point.   Continued emphasis with education, options for funding and qualifiers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

IV.  Questions for CANDIDATES FOR COUNTY MAYOR:   Use a separate sheet to answer these questions.

  1. How would you facilitate communication and collaboration between county departments?

 

Regularly scheduled meetings for communication with information injected from all departments.

 

  1. How would you ensure the accountability of the various county departments?

 

Mandatory accountability reports from departments under mayoral control.  Communication (frequently) with other departments to stress importance.

 

  1. Which recommendations of the Hunter Growth Strategy do you support, and why?

 

All 5 Guiding Policies, with emphasis on Policies 2 and 4 which are most pressing in priorities.

 

  1. How will you represent the county interests at regional forums such as the Knoxville Regional Transportation Planning Organization?  How will you communicate these activities to your constituents?

 

Attend all meetings and sessions and inject Blount County’s researched positions and requirements.  Newspaper alerts, press conferences, county website, and e-mail communication.

 

  1. What do you propose to fund infrastructure growth and improvements?

1. A wheel tax

2. An adequate facilities tax

3. Other:   A fiscal conservative approach.  Any new tax should be on the voters’ ballot.

 

  1. Do you favor hiring a county law director vs. the current practice of retaining an attorney for the mayor?

 

Only if  it is deemed absolutely economically advantageous—with adequate representation.

 

  1. How can the county address the needs of the senior population?

 

Identify needs with prioritizing.  Communication with seniors.  Appoint an action committee.  Formulate a plan and implement.

 

  1. Concisely describe your vision for Blount County’s future.

 

To be adequately balanced, by using our personnel talent pool, to preserve our natural character and beauty and to control growth blended with the ability to provide adequate infrastructure.