Editor’s Note: A Daphne Bulletin reporter asked former mayor Harry Brown and incumbent Fred Small—the two candidates in Tuesday’s runoff election—their views on the city’s state, how it can improve under their leadership and why residents should vote for them.

The Bulletin attempted to verify, and clarify, all the candidates’ statements, in parentheses.

Candidates’ responses appear in alphabetical order, for fairness.

What are some of the biggest issues facing the city of Daphne?

Harry Brown: I think, due to the current economy, our financial situation can get very touchy. There’s already a drop in revenues.

I understand there’s a possible drop of about $700,000. This would be very hard to overcome. We would have to tighten our belts and prioritize whatever projects we’re going to do.

Due to a lack of maintenance and care … a lot of the roads are crumbling and we’ve had problems with some of the drainage. I’m advocating taking $2 million from the reserve fund (to fix such perceived problems).

Fred Small: I think finishing our plan to correct a lot of our drainage and watershed issues is very important.

As well, I’ve kept our budget balanced while building up surplus. (There is a $10 million surplus in the Daphne budget, according to city finance director Kim Briley.) At the same time, we went and got our bond rating increased to its highest rate ever.

The maintenance of this physical planning is very crucial over the next four years.

Do you think your opposing candidate could handle these issues?

Brown: I don’t think he’s handled them too well for the past four years. To handle the issues that are facing the city of Daphne for the next four years, it will take someone who devotes his full time to the job as the law requires and not spend 50 percent of his time in his convenience store and 50 percent of his time in City Hall. It is a full-time position.

Small: I would say that honesty and integrity and the outlook for all citizens and the physical planning is so crucial for the next four years.

What are your strengths?

Brown: One of my strengths is experience. I’ve had three terms in office (from 1992–2004) plus a term as a (city) council member. I’ve been in leadership roles in the Army and Marine Corps. I have the leadership capabilities and education to fulfill the obligations of the office.

Small: I think my strengths are based on honesty and integrity. As long as I’ve been mayor, I’ve used those values to my favor with the citizens of Daphne. It will reflect in the leadership decisions made over the next four years.

What are your opponent’s weaknesses?

Brown: I think his weaknesses are apparent by the operation of the city the past four years. Let’s leave it at that.

Small: I’d like to say that Harry Brown did some good things for this city in his early administration. Towards the end of his administration, he had a very rocky road but had plenty of opportunities to straighten it out. I do believe that Harry represents politics of the past. At the end (of his terms), our government was kept closed instead of open to the people and I just don’t think that will work anymore.

What actions of the previous administration do you oppose?

Brown: I think the priorities are wrong. The City Hall building is a nice building but I don’t think it’s functional. Nine million dollars has been spent so far and it’s still incomplete. (Briley said $7 million initially was borrowed from the budget; the rest has been paid with interest earnings from the city fund. The total is closer to $8 million, she said.) That money could have been used to repair some of the crumbling infrastructure, provide some recreational facilities and some other things. I just don’t think the priorities were where they should have been for the past four years.

Small: I opposed the public-private partnership that was done between AIG-Baker and the city of Daphne. I did not oppose the partnership as a whole but (rather) the pressure that was put on that administration and then the council at the interest rate it was negotiated at. Also, the non-negotiable bonds can never be called for refinancing or paid off early. That, in this day and time … is unheard of. This administration inherited all of the road infrastructure that we have.

The last roads that Harry’s administration really did anything (about) was the bond issue in 1992. We’re still paying on that bond issue at this time. (Small seems to be referring to two different issues: a bond for a road resurfacing project issued in 1989—during whichBrown was a city council member—has been paid off, according to the city’s finance department; a bond for construction on the Jubilee Square Shopping Center parking lot, around 2001, had a 9.75 percent interest rate and a 20-year issue that can be extended to 25 years but can never be paid off early, Briley said.)

How would you have gone about handling these perceived mis-steps?

Brown: I would have set different priorities. I would have vetoed the City Hall building. I don’t think that was a good move. However, that’s over with. Now, we’ve got to figure out how to pay for it.

Small: You never want to do a bond issue that doesn’t have some early maturity date that you can’t refinance or either pay off. You want to work to get the best interest rate possible and to make sure of that, especially in a public-private partnership.

If elected, what would be the focus of your administration?

Brown: Financial stability. I would try to form a business-leaders coalition to help stabilize revenues. I’d try to set some priorities as far as infrastructure. There’s roads in Lake Forest that are in terrible shape and there’s some in TimberCreek. I’d continue to help assist the schools in ways the budget would allow. If you use taxpayers’ money to assist taxpayers’ kids, then you’re doing the right thing.

Small: To continue to build a very good consensus with the council, which is very important. We need to look at this thing as a team of eight (seven council members plus the mayor). Because if we’re not playing as a team of eight, then the citizens are losing. To make sure that we’re effective and efficient in our operations of our city government; to continue to be a strong planner; I think that planning is very important to guarantee that all of our citizens and all of our property throughout the city is served well.

Why should voters elect you mayor?

Brown: Because I’m the best qualified for the job. I’ve already spent time as the full time mayor. I was in the office when I was supposed to be in the office. I had an open-door policy and I represented all of the people of the city of Daphne.

Small: That’s hard to answer when you’re not a vane person. I think that my re-election will allow an opportunity to complete the long-range plans that we’ve started. We need to continue the repair of our drainage and watershed issues. The collective council needs to come to a good consensus on our road paving projects … also expanding recreation. We still need to expand fire and police.

Those are the things that city government should be offering.

Why shouldn’t voters re-elect your opponent?

Brown: He has not been a full-time mayor, as intended by law. (The office of the mayor—which next term earns $75,000 annualy—is a “full-time” position, according to a city ordinance, but the city council cannot stipulate its hours, according to City Clerk David Cohen.) There’s some question as to bond issues to assist private-public partnerships and the (campaign) support from some of those people that were associated with some of those companies.

Small: I can continue to make progress without having new or higher taxes. I really think that re-electing Harry Brown will turn back the clock.

Outside of mayor, what other jobs do or would you have?

Brown: I wouldn’t have any. I’m retired from BellSouth. I retired from the Alabama National Guard. I am a commercial real-estate broker at this time. But the last two terms I was in office, I had no other job other than the mayor’s position.

Small: I own a small business (Fastime convenience store on U.S. Highway 98).

Closing thoughts?

Brown: I would hope that the citizens of Daphne will look at both candidates and make the determination that the best qualified person, the person that has led the city best in the past 16 years, be re-elected. Please go to the polls on Oct. 7 and vote.

Small: I would like to call on all of our citizens on Oct. 7 to go vote. This is so very important. I think the citizens, at this time, know the candidates and they definitely know the issues. I put the city’s future in their hands.

Voting locations

Besides a voter registration card, residents can choose to bring one of the following to the polls to use for identification: Social Security card, utility bill, government ID, work ID, or a valid driver’s license.

Absentee considerations

People who have special medical emergency needs have until Oct. 6 to apply for an absentee ballot. Contact City Clerk David Cohen at 621-9000 for questions regarding requirements.

The final tally

A special City Council meeting is set for 11 a.m. on Oct. 8 to canvass the vote.