The League of Women Voters debate forums began Monday afternoon with candidates running for Hopkinsville City Council, as they discussed plans, policy and more.
Starting the forum were Republican Ward One incumbent Natasha Francis and democratic challenger Vance Smith, who fielded multiple questions from the League concerning challenges facing Hopkinsville. Smith says his top two priorities if elected include reducing crime in the city and addressing housing concerns.
Francis says she intends to focus on sidewalks and streets if she wins re-election, and work on maintaining the growth that is happening in the city.
Francis says there’s not much she would change about the current priorities on city council for her ward, but she would like to see a greater focus on creating affordable housing. Smith says he’s not sure there are current priorities, so he wants to develop his own partnerships that would help him address the issues of his ward with the community’s guidance.
In Ward Six, incumbent Republican Travis Martin squared off against Democrat Nichelle Hillis, with Hillis saying her vision of the future for Hopkinsville includes bringing folks back together as a community and increasing public safety.
Martin says he wants to see Hopkinsville exponentially grow, and he thinks it can happen with good policies about housing, job creation and economic development.
Martin says he would like to see the construction of more sidewalks in the ward six area, with Hillis agreeing and adding that she would like to see more done to reducing speeding in those areas, especially where students are walking to school.
Republican candidate in Ward Three, Don Marsh, and Democrat candidate in Ward Seven, William Coleman, also gave remarks at the forums, but their opponents did not attend. Watch the debates, including in Wards Three and Seven below.
Ward One:
https://www.facebook.com/lwvhopkinsville/videos/658743308888925
Ward Six:
https://www.facebook.com/lwvhopkinsville/videos/592868965871013
Ward Three:
https://www.facebook.com/lwvhopkinsville/videos/830232814657563
Ward Seven:
https://www.facebook.com/lwvhopkinsville/videos/661769175323017