Mayoral hopefuls talk about Jackson issues

On April 7, Jackson voters will select their next mayor from a field of two.

Incumbent Mayor Barbara Lohr is running for re-election. Her challenger is Jackson resident and retired businessman Dwain Hahs.

Lohr has held public office in Jackson for more than two decades, during which time she also served as chairwoman of the planning and zoning committee and as an alderman.

Hahs retired from Bausch and Lomb, where he worked for more than 30 years in various management positions. Hahs is also a member of the chamber of commerce and vice president of the Jackson Industrial Development Company.

Several issues facing Jackson are likely to influence voters' decision, including an aging water system, population growth and bringing in new businesses.

Dwain Hahs

Taxes

Hahs said tax issues are part of a larger issue, one his background in business qualifies him to address.

"The key to slow [tax rate] growth or to not have it at all is to increase revenue from current rates by increasing business," Hahs said.

"If you have more retail and sales, existing rates will generate more."

Lohr said government regulations often put Jackson city officials in a position where tax increases become necessary.

Over the course of her time as mayor, she's gained the experience necessary to navigate such regulations, she said.

"We received a mandate from the EPA that said we had to install catalytic converters [in the electrical system] that cost the taxpayers of Jackson a million dollars," she said. "In order to keep our water and electric rates in line, we have to try to keep the EPA in line."

Aging water system

Both candidates agreed the Jackson water system needs an upgrade.

A bond issue is being developed to cover the costs of the improvements, but Lohr and Hahs said communication will play a large role in moving it forward.

"It does need to be upgraded," Hahs said. "The key part of this will be communication."

"It will be expensive," Lohr said. "We have to make sure the people understand what they're getting."

Bedroom community

Many Jackson residents commute to jobs in nearby towns such as Cape Girardeau or Perryville, leading some to worry about the ramifications of becoming a "bedroom community."

Lohr said she doesn't see this as a problem necessarily, because the population of Jackson continues to rise.

"I can't hold a gun to [anyone's] head and say, 'Get in here,'" she said. "We just have to make our town as attractive as possible."

She pointed out many people choose to work in other towns.

While Jackson's situation is not uncommon, she said residents should be able to work in their own town if they so desire.

The key to enabling that, she said, would be to increase the number of employers in Jackson and pointed to an influx of new businesses in uptown Jackson as a good start.

Hahs said an approach to bringing in new businesses would need to be all-inclusive.

"The first thing we need to do is understand what their needs are," he said.

Hahs said streamlining building codes, highlighting Jackson's school system to make the town more attractive to families and being proactive about soliciting prospective businesses are things he'd do as mayor.

"I don't think that automatic rolling back or changing of codes is something you want to do," he said. "What we need to do is sit down with builders and understand issues they might have with building codes."

Lohr said building regulations in Jackson are on par with those in the surrounding communities, and it's important they not be compromised unduly.

"The city works with builders any way they can to help them establish a business in our city, but we will not break that code," she said.

Traffic system

Lohr said the city already has made great strides to identify and remedy traffic issues, citing projects such as renovations of Old Orchard Road, a traffic signal to be installed at the intersection of Lacey and East Main streets and a roundabout uptown that is slated to begin construction next year.

"We've already made considerable improvements," she said. "[These projects] have done a great deal for safety and traffic control."

Hahs said if elected, he would continue the progress made by improving communication.

"I'd like to take the communication out of city hall," he explained, saying town-hall forums such as the one set for April 9 to discuss the proposed roundabout are key.

tgraef@semissourian.com

388-3627