A Monday night candidate forum in Lakeland was derailed after a mayoral candidate declined to appear.
Organized by the Lakeland Community Advisory Board, the debate on Oct. 19 at Lakeland Preparatory Middle School was intended to be a debate between current first term mayor Josh Roman and current commissioner and mayoral candidate Connie McCarter.
McCarter explained her decision to withdraw in a YouTube video Monday hours before the debate, saying she questions the "neutrality" of the CAB, which moderated the debate.
"Mayor Josh Roman and I have been debating issues on the board of commissioners for the past four years," McCarter said.
"Our differences in government philosophy
are well known and well documented. I am also concerned about the true neutrality of the CAB sponsoring and moderating the debate. The same community advisory board that recently recommended increasing the mayor's annual salary to $35,000."
McCarter also used the video to clarify what she said were claims from Roman that she wanted to "get rid" of the city's school system, instead stating that she opposed the bond referendum needed to fund the schools, and the debt it would bring.
"The city didn't want to raise the sewer fees before major upgrades and repairs were necessary," McCarter says in the video. "That led to even more borrowing. This lack of leadership led to a state mandated 5-year annual increase to our sewer fees. Sewer fees are set to increase 30% per year to pay the debt... our debt service comes to 17% of Lakeland's recurring tax and sewer fee revenue. That figure spikes in fiscal year 28 to 53% of Lakeland's recurring tax and sewer fee revenue. How much opportunity is Lakeland sacrificing to service our debt?"
Meanwhile, Roman solely answered resident questions unopposed at the debate, topics which included addressing the debt, and reminding the audience that Lakeland has the lowest property tax rate in Shelby County.
"The majority of our property tax is going to pay off our school that we're in right now. Our neighbors didn't necessarily have that because they got schools at 7 cents on the dollar when they merged. So we're doing a lot with a little, and I appreciate everybody who can pull together and invest together," Roman said.
To a question about how the debt is being reduced, Roman responded simply, "make the payments."
"I can report to you that we're keeping up our end of the bargain," he said. "And so each of those loans will pay off at a certain point in time. We've got about $57 million left on [paying off the school debt]."
Roman also recalled his proudest moment as mayor, when he secured the construction of an Aldi on the Lakeland side of Stage Road, when is was previously going to be built inside Memphis city limits.
The future of the Ashmont project on Canada Road was also up for discussion, with Roman remarking that though he did not want to see the area's trees cut in the first place, they are still planning to make the most of the cleared property.
"I voted it down three times between 2015 and 2020 because I didn't want to clear cut that area of land. I enjoyed seeing it, and I felt like we should put our focus and support on the Lake District," he said. "Dirt's moving. They have a signed contract. I believe we should have an announcement any day now possibly on what's coming to Ashmont as far as the acreage is concerned. But they're both some of the best property in Shelby County."
One commission candidate absent
Commission candidates Jeremy Burnett, University of Tennessee Extension Lone Oaks Farm Director, and Lindsey Reap, healthcare professional attended the debate, introducing themselves and their platform.
The third commission candidate vying for one of the two open seats, Heather Ann Long, Lakedra’s Chance Wildlife Rescue & Education founder, was absent.
Burnett spoke about his experience serving on the Lakeland board of education since 2019, including changed policies around a consistent grading scale, school disciplinary policy, and the approval of a "shared athletic field facility."
"Since 2019 I've been a part of a group that has helped fund [and complete] our high school construction, and complete a K12 educational system that was one of the promises made when we started our school system," he said.
Reap primarily spoke in support of the CAB, of which she is a member, defending it from McCarter's questions about the board's neutrality and integrity.
"The only thing I want you to leave with here tonight is that I am a mom, I love this city, I love everything we do here, and the community advisory board has my heart and has for the last two years," Reap said. "I want everyone to understand this board wants what is best for our city ... this is what makes Lakeland home."
Jacob Wilt is a reporter for The Commercial Appeal covering Dining, Retail and Real Estate in the Memphis area. You can reach him at jacob.wilt@commercialappeal.com.
This article originally appeared on Memphis Commercial Appeal: Lakeland mayoral race becomes contentious as McCarter explains declined debate
