Reading, Matthews disagree on chief search, sewer rates

A city commission candidate in District 1 said earlier this week he is completely against looking to the outside for Dothan’s next chief of police.

During a Tuesday night taped political forum produced by Scenic Productions, to air on Knology and Time Warner cable stations, James Reading said someone from inside the Dothan Police Department should get the job.

“Dothan has been used as a stepping stone in several areas – police chief and city manager,” Reading said in response to a question by moderator John Daniel of WOOF Radio.

“I will go on the record. I will never, ever vote to confirm a new police chief from the outside. We have got qualified people here that we know about and I will never vote for a candidate from outside the city of Dothan. We’ve got qualified people here. Let’s use them.”

Police Chief John Powell recently announced he is leaving his post of more than four years to take a job as head of the Florida Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco. On Wednesday, City Manager Mike West named Capt. Larry Draughon interim chief for the next 120 days, giving West time to locate and recommend a new chief.

Incumbent District 1 Commissioner Larry Matthews said he supports a broader search for a new chief, with strong consideration given to in-house candidates.

“It should be the best person,” he said. “We, of course, want the current staff that’s there to be part of the applicants. We don’t want to shut any of them out. We want everybody to have an opportunity to apply.

“When you talk about a department head, you want to make sure you get the best qualified person – somebody who will bring improvement and ideas and so forth to the department,” Matthews said.

One of the internal candidates for the job, Capt. Steve Parrish, contributed $100 to Reading’s campaign, according to a campaign contribution report filed July 6. Parrish also gave money to District 5 candidate David Cornelius.

The two candidates disagreed on a proposed sewage rate fee increase. Reading criticized the mayor for saying two public hearings will be an opportunity for people to vent while Matthews said a 75-cent per year per 1,000 gallons of water increase does not place a burden on residents.

“The mayor went about this the wrong way,” Reading said. “Anytime you’re going to spend about $46 million of taxpayers’ money, they should have a say so. The mayor says ‘We are going to have a tax increase.’

“Why even have the meetings if it has already been set in stone. The problem I have is the way you go about getting citizens involved. Sewage rate increases should be phased in over a longer period of time.”

Matthews said grants and stimulus funds are expected to pay for part of the wastewater treatment plant project, which is bringing about the need for additional fees. He said spreading the fees out over 10 years, as one commissioner wants to do, only gets the city further in debt.

“The city will have to borrow probably $30 million in bond money. The rate increase over five years is about 75 cents a year per 1,000 gallons of water. I don’t think that is a significant amount.”

Both men said past commissions hurt the city by not raising rates so that the services could at least pay for themselves. Matthews is completing his fourth year as a commissioner. He defeated Reading to gain the post four years ago. Reading also served one term.

Matthews said one of the greatest problems in the district is education. “We need to continue to be open and work with the school system to be sure every child has the opportunity to get a fair education.”

In discussing ways to cut the budget, Reading said department heads like the city attorney and finance director do not need to be furnished automobiles.

The forum, which also featured the two candidates in a runoff for school board chairman, was broadcast live on Knology. The forum will air again at 9:30 p.m. Friday on Time Warner’s channel 9 and at 10:30 p.m. on Knology’s channel 6. It will also air on both channels at 5 p.m. Saturday; 3 p.m. Sunday; and 7 p.m. Monday.

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District 1 runoff is Aug. 25. Polls open from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m.

District 1 polling places: Walton Park Recreation Center and East Side Fire Stationhttp://media.dothaneagle.com/dothaneagle/images/uploads/reading_matthews.jpg