Hoffman, an incumbent and Air Force veteran, is the current city council liaison to the Fairborn Municipal Court and a past member of the Citizen Capital Improvement Committee. He served seven years with the Fairborn Planning Board and is senior sales vice president with a local real estate firm. He has a real estate license.
McCubbins said he has three decades experience in the federal government, most recently with Veterans Affairs. He has an associates degree of applied science pharmaceutical technology and a bachelor’s degree in organizational management.
Morrow, a U.S. Army Reserve colonel, enlisted in 1986 and was commissioned in 1995. He works in the defense contracting community, holds a master’s degree in strategic studies, another master’s degree in international relations, and a bachelor’s degree in political science.
Wilson is an incumbent council member of four years. She is a flower shop owner and a retired teacher with master’s and bachelor’s degrees in education.
As a public service to readers, the Dayton Daily News asked the candidates to identify the two biggest challenges facing Fairborn and address how they would deal with them on the upcoming council. Below are their answers presented in alphabetical order. Additional questions and full responses are available online at vote.daytondailynews.com.
Robert E. Hoffman: In my opinion, the two biggest challenges that the city of Fairborn is facing are as follows:
Our fight against heroin and addiction. It is paramount that we as a community listen to the people that are experts in the field of addiction and recovery and put their plans into action. It is just as important that we as a community provide our citizens with the necessary options to assist with their recovery. This is an epidemic that has its grasps on many of our citizens and isn’t something that can be dealt with by simply incarcerating the addict. I believe that taking a tough stance on law enforcement/drug detection is also a vital piece of the puzzle. As a member of Fairborn’s council, we have been very active about ensuring our police department is properly staffed, equipped and trained. We have also been a strong supporter of reinstating our Police K-9 program.
Attracting and retaining jobs. The backbone of our economy is having good jobs. Our team has dedicated a lot of our attention to reducing our community’s unemployment rate. We have continuously supported the creation and staffing of Fairborn’s first fully-funded and staffed economic development department. We also had the privilege of seeking and hiring our current city manager, Rob Anderson. Rob has a strong economic development background and has been very instrumental in getting Fairborn on the road to economic success. For the first time in many years, Fairborn is now a City in Motion.
Rodney McCubbins: Economic development and jobs. City council's priority objective is to evaluate and/or establish policy, procedures, and regulations that are current, valid and supportive to retain current businesses while affording them the opportunity for growth. Additionally, our city's policies, rules and regulations must remain competitive in an ever changing market not just locally, but throughout the state of Ohio and the region to attract new business.
Colin J. Morrow: The two biggest challenges the city of Fairborn faces are recruiting new businesses that bring living wage jobs to Fairborn and promoting Fairborn as a place to raise a family. Fairborn has unlimited opportunity for new business development. Working with the Fairborn city manager, we will develop a program that will attract new business by combining "shovel-ready" locations, easier access to tax-reduction incentives at the local, county and state levels, as long as the tax reduction does not impact the current level of community services. Building on the close proximity to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, we would market Fairborn as the ideal location to establish a corporate presence during the stages of an organization's planning for expansion. Developing out the business opportunities in Fairborn works in tandem to fostering Fairborn as great place to raise a family. This process begins by highlighting the positive aspects of our schools, local businesses, and community resources. It continues by recruiting businesses to Fairborn that offer family entertainment or expand on the existing amenities and resources that support our community. As more families move to Fairborn, buy homes in Fairborn and invest in the community, the city tax base will expand, allowing more amenities to be offered by the city and ultimately, improving the quality of life for the individuals who work and live in our community.
Donna A. Wilson: Job Creation — The city of Fairborn is aggressively marketing itself and offering incentives to bring new businesses to Fairborn. During the past four years we have added over 350 new jobs in a variety of occupations. We remain committed to bring enough industry and commerce to our city to meet the needs of our citizens. We are also trying to work with educational institutions and agencies to increase job training opportunities to those who are unemployed, under-employed or wanting to advance.
Drug Addiction — Our city participates in a collaborative purchasing program to provide first responders with the life-saving drug Narcan and we are able to have enough to meet the need. We have a drug treatment center, several faith based programs, and a citizens’ group, Fairborn Against Heroin, who reach out to recovering addicts. While we have a long way to go, these efforts have helped. We must continue to learn effective practices, address mental health issues and make sure our first responders are trained to assist citizens and protect themselves, and connect patients with the help that they need.
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