Aldermania

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“It’s tough to build as it is, and our construction industry is somewhat besieged now.” He says he wants to see Hilltop Road widened and Toronto Road resurfaced. For any major roadwork to happen, though, the city will need either grants or patience. “Until we get our budget in order, it’s going to be tough to make any promises on anything.”

Edwards says the council has already raised all reasonable fees and taxes but adds that he would support increased parking fines. “Now it’s time to slow down spending,” he says, pointing to staff layoffs as a solution going forward. Edwards has attempted laying off employees as mayor, where hiring and firing responsibility ultimately lies.

Though Edwards’ powers as alderman would differ from his current powers as mayor, Crews criticizes Edwards’ mayoral decisions. “He claims to be a fiscal conservative, and I thought being a fiscal conservative meant you did more with less,” Crews says, referring to Edwards’ hiring of alderman Steven Dove as executive assistant. Crews also criticizes

Edwards’ attempt to lay off nine city employees, positions for which aldermen, to Edwards’ chagrin, restored funding. “It seems like you always want to cut people at the bottom rung of the ladder and that doesn’t make sense,” Crews says. “These front-line people are really the backbone of these departments.”

Edwards continues to defend his actions:

Personnel costs in some cases are the only thing left to cut, he says, and Dove as deputy mayor has become increasingly necessary with the resignations of the mayor’s executive assistant and budget director. He says his timeconsuming duties as mayor might hurt his candidacy, but adds: “This isn’t about what’s good for Frank Edwards. This is about what’s good for the community.”

Edwards, a Republican, says his experience – first as a rookie firefighter, then as a fire chief, alderman and now as interim mayor – has provided him with in-depth knowledge of and a valuable perspective on the budget and how government works. Edwards says he’s committed to reaching out to his ward but adds: “Am I absolutely perfect? No. There have been phone calls that I’ve missed. Do I call people back? Yes. Do I return e-mails? Yes. Sometimes do people like the answers you give them? No. But most of the time you explain what you can and can’t do for people and you go from there.”

Crews, a Democrat, says it’s time for a change. “We need someone fresh. I am younger so I have a little more energy than some. I would be completely devoted to being Ward 1 alderman.”

– Rachel Wells