ALTON - David Goins, a candidate for the Alton mayor position, detailed his thoughts on his campaign and explained his background in a series of questions and answers below.
What are your thoughts for economic growth of the area for the future?
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“I am running for Alton mayor because like so many citizens, I am concerned about the future of Alton. I love this community and understand the importance of a safe, growing and well-respected community and its role in attracting new families and businesses.
“Our city faces serious obstacles including mounting financial liabilities, decreasing tax base and continuous population decline. In fact, Alton’s population has declined to approximately 26,500 residents and on the verge of losing its home rule status and constitutional authority to self-govern and solving local issues.
“There is also a perception that Alton is unsafe, causing some families to choose or relocate to other communities. When perspective families and businesses read articles stating our city is only safer than 6% of U.S cities its size according to NeighborhoodScout.com publications and the Illinois Realtors Association report their relationship with the the current mayor is not productive which makes marketing and recruitment of new families and businesses even more difficult.”
What is your reaction to COVID-19 and its impact on families, businesses and schools and how do your put this in priority for the election?
“We have all been terribly impacted by this COVID-19 Pandemic, but any thoughts of reopening our businesses and schools in a sustainable manner, or enjoying family life in a normal manner without a comprehensive vaccine campaign will be very difficult.
“My priority as Alton mayor will be to get my hands around this terrible pandemic by partnering with the Madison County Health Department and other health providers to lead an aggressive and comprehensive education and accessible vaccine campaign to get shots into the arms of every Alton citizen, especially for our seniors, elderly and underserved citizens.
“We will repeat the proven Mobile COVID-19 Testing program organized to reach our senior, elderly and underserved citizens throughout Alton and Madison County. We actually used the Lewis and Clark Medical Bus to travel into these neighborhoods and provided COVID test for our most vulnerable citizens. The Madison County Health Department, Southern Illinois Hospital Foundation, SIUE Nursing, Madison County Board, and local service organizations, such as the Leadership Council, Alton NAACP, 100 Black Men, Coalition of Concerned Citizens, 100 Man Movement, Ministerial Alliance and other outreach agencies, all partnered to develop Mobile COVID-19 testing services. As Alton mayor, I will use this template model to replicate getting vaccines shots into the arms of Alton citizens."
What are some of the most major things you would like to do for Alton?
“While working to mitigate the COVID-19 Pandemic through our aggressive vaccine campaign, my administration will begin developing a comprehensive plan for “Rebuilding Alton With A New Vision.” I do believe that help is nearing with the Federal Stimulus Plan aimed at helping our struggling families, businesses, schools, and state, to recover from this pandemic. But even with this stimulus, our focus must be on moving Alton forward and developing comprehensive plans for addressing these things:
Declining population
Changing the perception of Alton’s unsafe image
Creating a climate attractive to investors and businesses
Investing in our youth
- Partnering with labor to find solutions to our workforce issues
partnering our realtors, developers, contractors to address our critical housing issues. Partnering with our public and private school leaders to market our education system. - “First, I will assemble a professional team that operates with honesty, integrity and transparency to begin developing comprehensive plans for:
- Changing the perception that Alton is unsafe, but rather it is a family oriented community. I will create a community engagement committee focusing on safety, crime prevention, and strategies to promote community pride and trust. The committee will be comprised of members of the civic, youth, business, law enforcement, education, and faith sectors.
- Begin a robust marketing campaign touting our vibrant public and private education system.
- Begin a robust marketing plan around activities on the Mississippi and downtown Alton as a tourism Destination.
- Create a climate attractive to investors and businesses, for new development along Broadway, the riverfront, downtown and off Homer Adams Parkway. Specifically, we will be aggressive in marketing Alton’s location on the Mississippi and our close proximity to Interstates 255 and 270.
- Partner with local labor organizations to find solutions for families to have good paying jobs and to live in Alton. I will not support the further outsourcing and privatization of jobs. If we are going to rebuild Alton, it is imperative that we provide our families with safe neighborhoods and job security.
- Launch “Invest in Our Youth”, including a vibrant Alton Youth Teen Center, youth employment opportunities in areas such as entrepreneurship, apprenticeship, summer grass cutting, painting and performing beautification work throughout the city. Our families will become the focus of our city, including improved access to our Park and Recreation, Alton Amphitheater.
- Aggressively focus on repairing streets and sidewalks. There is no reason to have allowed our infrastructure to deteriorate to the degree that we are witnessing.
Support the church’s vital role in cultivating a multicultural growing community and its ability to recruit new families to Alton. I look forward to continuing our outreach initiative in supporting those citizens experiencing difficulties in their lives.”
Discuss your background and how it prepared you for this election:
“I am certainly very people oriented and specifically a community oriented person. I feel my natural calling is to serve and always try to give back. I truly and sincerely care about all people and do my best to treat everyone with dignity and respect. Even during my time on the police department I did my best no matter the situation to treat the citizens I encountered with respect regardless if the encounter was favorable or unfavorable.
“Whether it’s my work with troubled juveniles in Madison County Court and Probation Services or through my career as a police officer and pastor my life’s work has always revolved around serving, helping and caring for people and I will bring that same mindset into the office of Mayor of Alton if I am elected.”
