Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz joined mayoral candidates Fred Moorman and Mara Zúñiga in a debate hosted by The Red & Black on Monday evening. The candidates discussed Linnentown reparations, homelessness and affordable housing.
The debate was moderated by Dania Kalaji from The Red & Black, Blake Aued from Flagpole and D.J. Simmons from the Athens Banner-Herald.
Bennie Coleman III dropped out of the mayoral race earlier on Monday.
Pearl Hall and Mykeisha Ross, two other candidates, were not present at the debate. Both were offered the chance to provide a statement to be read before the debate.
“I would like to thank everyone who have been supportive. Sorry I could not be there. I will continue doing my work in establishing a betterment for our city. We need to be the change we wish to see,” Ross said in her statement. “Start holding government accountable for the things they say/promise #votelikeaboss #votemykeishaross.”
Athens-Clarke County Mayor Kelly Girtz joined mayoral candidates Fred Moorman and Mara Zúñiga in a debate hosted by The Red & Black on Monday May 2nd.
UGA and Athens relations
Kalaji’s questions for the candidates focused on issues surrounding the relationship between the University of Georgia and Athens.
The first of these questions asked about how each candidate would address reparations for Linnentown, following a report issued by the Linnentown project estimating the amount owed to be $5 million. The amount would be divided between the university and the Athens-Clarke County government, for payments of about $2.5 million each.
Zúñiga said the residents of Linnentown should be given a voice in the debate.
“Linnentown, as many other issues pertaining to the Black community, has been politicized, when in fact it is the voice of those that have been directly affected that should be heard,” Zúñiga said.
Moorman disagreed that the reparations were needed, saying that the issue is “uncovering a past that doesn’t need to be uncovered.”
The candidates also debated how Athens can better serve UGA students seeking mental health services within the community.
“It’s such an important question right now for college-aged students, for older adults or younger teens as well,” Girtz said. “So I’m proud of the work the commission and I have done to advance the needs for behavioral health services.”
Public Services
D.J Simmons asked about each candidate's opinion on the government-sanctioned homeless encampment. The encampment, known as First Step, is located on Barber Street and opened in March.
“The name of the camp on Barber Street is First Step, it's important to recognize that title. It is just the first step of many needed to combat some of the earlier, that very strategic case management, development of affordable housing, rapid rehousing and permanent supportive housing,” Girtz said.
Zúñiga and Moorman both disagreed that the homeless encampment was an effective solution.
Housing
Blake Aued questioned the candidates on TSPLOST and housing availability.
TSPLOST will be on the ballot on May 24 along with the mayoral race. Fare-free transit brought differing opinions from the candidates.
Moorman said that he does not support fare-free transit. Girtz praised the initiative while Zúñiga said she would wait for more data to decide her support.
“I always see buses and they have covered up the glass window with black, actually, so you can’t see there’s only three people on that bus that can seat 40,” Moorman said.
Aued also asked the candidates how they would provide affordable housing to the Athens community. Moorman said he did not believe there was an affordable housing problem, but rather an issue of too many houses.
Both Girtz and Zúñiga agreed there was an issue and that higher wages can be used to combat this.
“I definitely think that wages is one of the most important things,” Zúñiga said. “People are not making living wages here.”
