Bridget McCandless

Criminal Justice / Public Safety Investment in vetted technology and the new streets crimes unit has been highly successful, allowing us to partner with other cities and the federal government to carry out multijurisdictional sting operations and prosecute higher level offenses. We have better coordination with the Jackson County Prosecutor's Office, which has been more aggressive in prosecuting property crimes. Healthcare We need to strengthen partnerships with mental health services, substance abuse services, courts, and housing services so that we can address people already living on the roadside and prevent more from ending up there. Environment / Energy We must take a critical look at every option for the future of IPL including becoming a more robust generator of energy and investing more on the efficiency side for energy users. In partnership with a highly skilled board, the city council, and IPL expertise, we can formulate a 10-year plan to supply affordable, reliable energy that takes into account environmental needs and our energy future. Infrastructure / Transportation Investment in Advanced Metering Infrastructure will support better customer service, staffing efficiency, and household energy management. Infrastructure / Transportation It must be the highest priority of the council and staff to provide high quality city functions, coupled with excellent customer service. We have prioritized setting aside funds for future repairs and replacement, but that takes discipline to sustain. Infrastructure / Transportation We must find an answer to police infrastructure needs, which will require many community conversations. Economy The City needs to very carefully deploy the variety of tools at its disposal - TIF, CID, Chapter 100 bonds and other economic tools - to complement development. This requires high quality legal review of potential projects to protect the interests of the residents. The City CANNOT guarantee debt on any project. Housing We need to find ways for neighborhoods to not become entirely owned by big corporations for rental. We need to encourage responsible developers to rehab homes for homeownership and new housing construction. Infrastructure / Transportation We need a public dashboard to help showcase progress in repaving streets, replacing water mains, and maintaining stormwater lines.