WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – We’re continuing our series of interviews with Watertown City Council candidates ahead of next Tuesday’s primary election.
We’re asking three questions to each of the dozen candidates running for council seats.
On Wednesday, we sat down with Doug Osborne and Michael Wratchford.
1. What do you think of the job the current council is doing?
“I think there has been a few good things. I like the fact that we are fixing our water and sewer lines, but I think the lack of decorum and some of the wasteful spending has subtracted from the issues that are most important to the residents,” said Osborne.
“I think one of the biggest issues we face overall is gonna be economic stability, or being conservative in our economics. In those two main things, I believe it is quite a weakness overall. That being said, the job of any elected official is to represent,” said Wratchford.
2. What would you do differently on council?
“I would bring sound financial judgment. As I said, we spent $8 million on recreation projects alone. I would steer council back in the right direction in focusing on infrastructure projects,” said Osborne.
“Seeing council meetings, you can see the priorities aren’t this is one, this is ten, this is the milestones to get to the end state. It really much seems like it’s not there. But you have to do that while you’re representing the people, not your own agenda,” said Wratchford.
3. What do you think the city’s top priority should be?
“If we keep spending all this money, we may not have a city anymore. I think that’s incredibly important. Every decision that we make in terms of planning on these projects, we have to be mindful of the long-term fiscal health of the city and the taxpayer,” said Osborne.
“Your priority has to be representation. That’s what’s important, almost more than anything else. Below that for me is going to be economic reform. Obviously, we have some fiscal problems, we have some spending issues. That has to change,” said Wratchford.
Osborne says he would have voted against the Flynn pool reconstruction because of the price tag. On the purchase of the Thompson Park Golf Course, he says it would be a “hard no.”
Wratchford says he would have voted against the Flynn pool project. He says the city needs to have long-term maintenance plans outlined for projects like that. Wratchford says he is “totally against” the golf course purchase.
On Tuesday, we asked the same questions of candidates Leonard Spaziani and Timothy ‘TJ’ Babcock.
On Thursday, we’ll hear from Ben Shoen and Cliff Lashway.
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