The three candidates for ACC mayor largely avoided disagreement during a livestreamed debate last night.
DTproductions, a video production company, produced the event, with the company’s president Andrew Levy moderating the forum alongside Lisee Pullara from the Red and Black and Blake Aued of Flagpole Magazine.
The three candidates, ACC Commissioner Kelly Girtz, businessman Richie Knight, and former ACC Commissioner Harry Sims, each weighed in on a wide variety of topics, with emphasis on public safety and the local economy. Knight was also asked about recent allegations of paycheck disputes at his business, HW Creative. Knight said that “everything is being taken care of.” Girtz and Sims, given an opportunity to respond largely avoided the issue and did not directly criticize Knight. Sims noted that during last decade’s economic crisis, times were tough, and the local government was on the verge of having to furlough workers.
The candidates disagreed over the extent to which the Athens-Clarke County government should cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in regards to the detention of undocumented immigrants. Girtz argued that the detention constitutes unreasonable search and seizure and therefore violates the Fourth Amendment. Sims said that undocumented workers have been a part of the Athens community for a long time. “If [the undocumented workers are] not creating problems for this community, I don’t have a problem with them being there,” Sims said. Knight said that the ICE debate is a national issue, and that he would ask Sheriff Ira Edwards to proceed with caution.
The candidates also split on what sort of relationship that the University of Georgia should have with the county government. Knight reiterated his plan to have the university contribute directly to an affordable housing fund. He did not provide details as to how those negotiations might proceed, however. Sims thought that the county and university already have a good relationship, and said that discussions about making the university pay the county should “move forward cautiously”. Girtz said that he would rather seek collaboration opportunities with the university, such as finding ways to increase the amount of students volunteering in the local community.
Discussing the issue of poverty in Clarke County, Sims said that continued infrastructure improvements would help to address the problem. Knight said that the county should use funding improvements in more creative ways. Girtz supported Tax Allocation Districts, commonly referred to as TADs, which would incentivize business creation in targeted areas. In particular, Girtz said that he would want TADs in neighborhoods with higher populations of racial minorities, noting that the average white family in Athens has 15 times more cumulative wealth than the average black family.
In response to a question submitted via social media, the candidates agreed on the importance of cultivating the music industry in Athens. Girtz pointed to his support from many artists and musicians from throughout Clarke County, and said that creating infrastructure that encourages walkable neighborhoods and arts housing would be a good step. Sims mentioned that he had been a sponsor of Athens’ local hip hop awards, saying that arts are a “vital part of this community” and that “we should be listening more” to the needs of the creative community. Knight emphasized that he sees music as a business foremost, and that it should be treated as a primary economic driver for the community as a whole.
The candidates will face off in numerous forums leading up to the May 22 election, including one presented by WUGA on April 24 at the Athens-Clarke County library