The Collierville Independent recently asked the two candidates running for Mayor to fill out brief questionnaires for publication in the newspaper.
Tom Allen
Age: 76
Current Occupation: Alderman, retired
Education: BS degree in Agriculture with a minor in Chemistry and Biology
Family: Wife – Getella, two children and five grandchildren
Organizations/Groups/Activities: Graduate of Leadership Collierville, the Citizen Police Academy and the CERT program; charter member of the YMCA, charter member and vice president of the Lions Club; served as vice mayor, on the Parks and Recreation Board, Planning Commission, Design and Review Board, Arts Council, Library Board and the Comprehensive Land Use Plan.
1.) List three significant issues in this election.
A. Safety
B. Schools
C. Water and sewage rates
2.) Specifically, how do you plan to deal with each of these issues, if elected?
A. Keep the salaries of our safety personnel competitive.
B. Make sure the sales taxes that passed goes only to schools.
C. Make sure we are efficient and operational.
3.) What do you think is the biggest concern facing the city at this time?
Schools
4.) What specifically makes you best qualified for the position you are seeking?
My history in management for over 25 years, a small business man, an alderman for six years and the different boards I’ve been on.
5.) What is Collierville’s greatest asset, and how can the city maximize it?
People, schools and safety records
Stan Joyner
Age: 62
Occupation: Agent with State Farm Insurance
Education: BS degree in Education (1972) from The University of Memphis
Organizations/Groups/
Activities: Member of Collierville United Methodist Church, Rotary Club Collierville (past president), Collierville Chamber of Commerce (board member), Pension Committee, Heritage Commission, past member of the Planning Commission, Arts Council and many more
1.) List three significant issues in this election.
A. Formation of Collierville Municipal Schools
B. Managing fluctuating town revenues and maintaining services for citizens
C. Continuing to position Collierville as one of the most desirable community’s in the Mid-South
2.) Specifically, how do you plan to deal with each of these issues, if elected?
A. I am currently spending more of my time on this issue than any other by far. I have attended the court hearings to gain first hand information to pass on to citizens.
I am also meeting with the other Municipal Mayors and making plans for how we might assist each other in this effort. I will keep it my number one priority and have educated myself on all the facts of the legal, financial, and child related issues.
Collierville needs a Mayor who has developed a good working relationship with the other municipal and county parties in this vital matter.
B. With the slowing economy, our town revenue actually decreased in the past few years while expenses increased in most areas that were unavoidable like fuel cost, health care cost, etc.
With my leadership, we began to eliminate positions and decreased spending for other than essential needs with a great effort to become more efficient in all areas of government.
We made improvements in several departments that have saved taxpayer dollars and helped us manage these difficult times.
Under my leadership, we tested services we provide to citizens to see if it would be more cost effective to have these provided by outsourcing the service to private business. In some cases, we were able to accomplish this savings.
C. Continuing to position Collierville as one of the most desirable communities in the Mid-South to live and work in the recovering economy is another very important issues. With the completion of 385 and Interstate 269 around the town, additional recognition of the qualities of our great town.
Long term, Collierville’s success will greatly depend on our ability to attract and retain the best and brightest talent from around the country. To do so, we must continue to focus on the core strengths that provide a quality of life environment that families and businesses are attracted to.
We have to continue to invest in our infrastructure and facilities to support the lifestyle and needs of a diverse workforce.
We must also continue to support our police and fire services with the resources and training needed to keep Collierville a safe community.
3.) What do you think is the biggest concern facing the city at this time?
As we are seeing slight recovery and growth in our local economy and we seem to be moving in the right direction, it would have to be local schools. Nothing will preserve our town and our property values better than the opportunity to develop our own Municipal School District.
4.) What specifically makes you best qualified for the position you are seeking?
I have demonstrated over the past four years as Mayor, eight years as Alderman and the 20-plus years of service to the town that I can identify and accomplish goals. As Mayor the past four years, I have created the Mayors Action Center, balanced difficult budgets and led the charge for local schools.
I am committed to serving the citizens of Collierville based on the values of honesty, integrity, transparency and accountability. My record since becoming Mayor in 2008 represents a financially prudent approach to government, accessibility to citizens, decision making based on strategic planning and relationship building within and beyond Collierville.
5.) What is Collierville’s greatest asset, and how can the city maximize it?
I have to define Collierville’s greatest asset in two words — our reputation and our people. Collierville has a reputation of being a desirable community for families to live and businesses to succeed.
I am incredibly proud to be the Mayor of a community like Collierville where residents take such pride in the way we do things. Excellence is expected here.
That reputation is reinforced by the town’s stellar financial position, as well as the overall appearance of the community. Our reputation has made Collierville a place where thousands of talented people from all over the world choose to live.
Collierville is home to professionals from a wide variety of backgrounds and occupations. This outstanding pool of talent is a great catalyst for our future.
For more election news, visit our web site at
collierville-news.com.
