Newberry mayoral candidates face off in debate

BY DAVID LIGHTMAN

NEWBERRY, Fla. – On March 26, Newberry City Hall was filled with residents who had come to see the first mayoral candidate debate in Newberry’s recent history. Newberry High School Student Senator Keegan Lowry and Junior Class President Audrey Ellenburg were co-moderators.

The election will be held Tuesday, April 8, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Mentholee Norfleet Municipal Building.

The moderators introduced the two candidates for mayor, former City Commissioner Joy Glanzer and current City Commissioner Tim Marden. Ellenburg said each candidate submitted nine questions to be asked of their opponent, three each in the categories of economic development, vision for the future, and governing philosophy; she said Tim Marden would be giving his two-minute opening statement first, following the results of a coin toss.

Lowry explained the rules: “Following opening statements, we will begin with the first question, which will be a question from Ms. Joy Glanzer directed to Mr. Tim Marden. Mr. Marden will then have two minutes to respond to that question. We’ll continue in that format, alternating between the questions each candidate submitted. After each candidate has had the chance to ask his or her opponent three questions in that category, we will go to audience questions… Once all the questions are asked in that category, we will then have a four-minute crossfire in which each candidate has the opportunity to ask his or her opponent a question directly. There will be a crossfire after each category. Candidates, we ask you to hold your rebuttal to the crossfire as a point of order, though one minute of rebuttal time may also be granted to a candidate at the discretion of the moderator.”

Opening statements

Marden gave his opening statement: “Folks, I am your day-one-ready Mayor candidate. As Commissioner for the past 12 years, I know the issues. I know the people involved. I know the history, and I know the goals. I want you to hear, really, three main themes from me tonight. It’s my commitment, my conviction, and most importantly, my consistency. I hope we get through a lot of policy issues and talk about some tangible things that really make a difference to Newberry, like infrastructure and growth.

“But I also hope we get to some intangible things as well, like what really makes Newberry special, our heart for volunteerism, and our purpose. I’ve done some pretty big things and little things as Commissioner. A couple of big things: 12 years ago, I saw corruption in the Fire Department. I brought in the FBI and sought restitution and got it for the City of Newberry. I’ve watched hard-earned tax dollars being given out for political favors, and I helped to stop that. I saw a leadership team that had no discipline and helped change it and develop it into what you actually see today.

“Here are a couple of little things: I put the crosswalk flags here in downtown. I coached youth sports, and I’ve hosted voter education events as well. I’ve even mowed my neighbors’ lawn when they lost their mom.

“Over my tenure, I’ve had a front row seat and made some hard leadership decisions about the recreation center and improvements like the inclusive playground, the equestrian showplace preservation, Champions Park renovations, the UF-IFAS Extension relocation over here to Newberry to preserve our heritage, housing and road projects, the overlay district, standard upgrades, an entire city-wide utility upgrade, and redrawing of urban service areas and implementation of the Community Redevelopment District.

“But it’s actually not very easy for me to stand up here and take credit because it really belongs to our team here at the City. It is just being a part of a great Commission, focusing on core services, hiring a staff that is second to none, giving them the tools and resources to be successful, and then getting out of the way. I look forward to our discussion tonight. I am your day-one-ready candidate. Thank you.”

Glanzer gave her opening statement: “I look forward to answering a lot of questions, which is an opportunity to talk about the way I would like to see Newberry roll into the next chapter of its long history. I’ve been here in Newberry since 1977. We raised four children here and had six businesses in the downtown Newberry area, and we served wherever we saw a need. It’s been a long and rewarding life for me and my family here in Newberry, and now I want to give back in a different way, in a new way.

“I will be your full-time Mayor. This is my only job, and you’ll be my focus. The growth we’re seeing in Newberry has been a long time in our vision. It didn’t just happen overnight. I want to make sure we give it our diligent attention so that it’s growth that we can all be proud of. I will have an open door policy, which means if you have anything to talk to me about, come on. Text me, email me, call me, drop in. I’m ready to talk with you about anything you have to say, and I’ll listen. We have so many new people coming to Newberry now, and we welcome them all. I don’t care what creed, color, religion, party affiliation, or any other thing that might separate us, we want to welcome them. And to those of you that have been here a while, please help me to keep Newberry Newberry. Thank you.”

Economic development

The first category was economic development. Ellenburg asked Marden why he had voted “No” to every grant that has been offered to the City, totaling millions of dollars. Marden said he is specifically against federal grants because “they’re really not free money. Those are actually debts, because the Federal Reserve just prints the money. Those are debts on our children, our unborn grandchildren.” Marden stressed that the grants are never “guaranteed.” 

Lowry asked Glanzer about the government’s role in economic development. Glanzer responded, “What we’re seeing now is a growth and development that’s been planned for a very long time, about 30 years. And Mayor [Grady] Hartzog – back then, he and the City Commission appointed about 21 people to give us a vision for what we saw was the future of Newberry… And I went back and looked at it the other day, and it was stunning. I mean, there was five things on that list, and every single one of them (is done).  Government has a real big impact on economic development. They can’t go out and bring the businesses here, but they can lay the foundation.” Glanzer cited the Ag-Tech Park as an example of government influencing economic development.

Ellenburg asked Marden why he had voted to approve industrial zoning for a 50-acre parcel in an agricultural area. Marden explained that it will be used by the adjacent 1500-acre NC Ranch development, and it made sense environmentally to not have trucks driving back and forth across town every day.

Lowry asked Glazner why she is running for Mayor instead of Commissioner, since the Mayor is unable to vote. She said she saw an opportunity when she heard Mayor Jordan Marlowe was resigning, and she would like to work alongside him in his capacity as City Manager, since they have worked well together in the past. 

Ellenburg asked Marden why he has voted against all three CDDs (Community Development Districts) that have come before him. Marden explained, “The biggest challenge that I could not get over with the CDDs is, it actually grows government. I’m a small government guy, and even the attorney for all the CDDs admitted that it adds to government.”

Lowry asked Glanzer about changing standards for buildings and aesthetics in the overlay district. Glanzer said she looks forward to hearing public input on what people want.

Audience questions on economic development

The first audience question was, “How will you protect me from higher taxes?” Marden said local decisions matter the most and they have been doing a good job of controlling costs. Glanzer said much of the blame for high taxes should go to the County and Newberry has been doing a great job.

When asked about paying for infrastructure, Glanzer said impact fees on new construction pay for most of the costs. Marden said, “I’m not really in favor of impact fees so much.” He mentioned affordability concerns for homebuyers and questions about whether impact fees actually slow growth.

Vision for the future

The next category was a discussion of the candidates’ visions for the future. Ellenburg asked Marden whether he supports the middle and high schools in Newberry converting to charter schools if the elementary school is successful. Marden answered, “100%.” Ellenburg apologized and said the question should have been directed at Glanzer. Glanzer said she “would want to wait at least two years to see how (Newberry Elementary) works out” before taking any further action related to charter school conversion.

Lowry asked Marden how the City will pay for the $80 million wastewater treatment plant it needs. Marden said it should be possible to reduce to cost closer to $50-$55 million by working with contractors before the bid process. He said the impact fees for the developments under construction will cover the majority of the cost.

Ellenburg asked Glanzer how the Commission has set up the community for success. She said it is a “two-way street” and “the community supports the Commission” with volunteers and groups like Newberry Main Street. 

Lowry asked Marden what sources of revenue will pay for street and road improvements in the future. Marden mentioned the local gas tax, property taxes, and impact fees. 

Ellenburg asked Glanzer if she wants Newberry to have its own police department. She said it will be necessary in the future as Newberry grows, but it will have to be cost-effective. 

Lowry asked Marden if he is willing to work “completely in the sunshine” and not have any meetings “outside of the public purview.” Marden said they have always acted publicly and there has never been a need not to.

Audience questions on vision for the future

An audience question asked, “What legacy do you want to leave Newberry with?” Marden said, “I don’t ever want to add more debt… I hope that we leave a legacy that can be built upon.” He added that the City has always focused on core services instead of “social programs.” 

Glanzer answered, “I want to make sure I leave it with good streets and roads and that our utility infrastructure is there to match the growth that we’re going to see in the next 20 years or so. And I just want to make sure we’re fiscally sound, and I do agree with my opponent that not leaving debt for the future is key.”

Another audience question asked what influence the Mayor will have on the charter school. Glanzer said that aside from an oversight role, the City will not be involved with running the school, and the school will have its own school board. 

Lowry asked Marden another audience question: “Do you support the idea of Springs County? Why or why not?” Marden answered, “Yeah,” and then laughed briefly. He said, “Obviously, as the person that started it, I am in favor of it.” He added that is not why he is running for Mayor, although spoke to the Governor about it as recently as two months ago. Referring to the City having influence with the charter school, Marden said, “What she was saying is not correct. The City will be involved with the charter element because we are going to be providing some vendor services to them such as running their payroll.” 

Returning to the original question, Glanzer said, “No, I do not support Springs County. Seceding from Alachua County isn’t going to solve the problem.” She said she has spoken with legislators, and they told her it’s not a feasible idea. Glanzer said she would work to better the relationship with the Alachua County Commission instead of seceding. 

Cross-fire questions on vision for the future

Glanzer asked Marden how he had his campaign for Mayor ready to go the next morning after Marlowe announced his intention not to run for Mayor if they had not discussed it secretly, before Marlowe’s public announcement. Marden said he has access to the Mayor as a Commissioner and they had talked about it. He emphasized that it doesn’t take him long to set up a campaign because he “is good at it.”

Marden asked Glanzer what she meant about Newberry “needing a brand new start.” Glanzer said change could be good and added, “Not to mention that we haven’t had a woman serve here as elected official since I was there in 2017.” The audience responded with some applause and audible booing.

Marden responded, “That’s the choice of the voters. You’ve run four times and lost four times.” Glanzer took some time to collect her thoughts before answering, “It doesn’t matter how many times you lose. My mom said, ‘You get up and you do it again’… There’s nothing wrong with trying.”

Governing philosophy

The last category was governing philosophy. Ellenburg asked Marden how he will reconcile his loyalty to the John Birch Society with his oath of loyalty to the City. Marden clarified that he is not a paid lobbyist for the John Birch Society, although he is a federal lobbyist in D.C. He said, “I think that actually helps Newberry because it gives me a seat at the table with our federal officials.” Marden said he agrees with the “less government, more responsibility” tenets of the John Birch Society’s philosophy. 

Lowry asked Glanzer, “What is the number one priority of government?” Glanzer answered, “It’s very simple. Four words: the government serves the people. The closer the government is to the people, the more representative it is of the people. It gets less representative when you move away from the people.” She emphasized her open door policy and wanting to do what the people want.

Ellenburg asked Marden, “Citizens have complained that their interactions with you as a City Commissioner are unkind if they belong to a different political party than you or if they challenge your opinion. You have asked more than one of them to move out of town. How will that change if you are Mayor?” Marden said he has been called many names including drunk (he said he doesn’t drink), misogynist, racist, and more. He said, “I think I have an absolute right to defend myself because I don’t necessarily take that as an attack on me. I take that as an attack on Newberry, and if you are not going to embrace what Newberry is about, then I don’t necessarily think that this may be the place for you… I do not want to make Newberry Gainesville… I do not want that. We are different for a reason.”

Lowry asked Glanzer whether she agreed with the County’s lockdown policies during COVID. She said, “I believe in being safe and listening to our health professionals on what the best practices are. But I think, on some level, there was some extremes that were crossed during that time. I was glad in Newberry that we did still get to live more normal lives.”

Ellenburg asked Marden, “If you become Mayor, that will be the third job that you have. One as the Chair of the Republican Party of Alachua County, second as a John Birch Society lobbyist, and three as a Mayor. Can you list for us the order of importance you will give to each one?” Marden said his job with the John Birch Society is as a national development officer (fundraiser) and he is not a lobbyist. That job is his primary focus because it pays his bills, Marden said. He said he uses delegation to get a lot done, and he tries to practice good time management, including not watching television.

Lowry asked Glanzer about government’s role in problems like homelessness, poverty, and food insecurity. Glanzer said, “If we have homeless people living on the street, that affects our community, so on some level we need to address it. We have homeless shelters in Alachua County that are being funded by grants and donations, and I support that.” She said she supports food pantries. 

Audience questions on governing philosophy

Responding to an audience question about term limits, Glanzer said, “Monty Farnsworth has been here 22 years. He knows everything about the City that’s happened in the last two decades, and that’s good, but I still think that we need to have fresh people, new people. And for the new people moving into town to feel like there’s an opportunity at some point to serve, and that you don’t have lifetime members up here. So I would encourage, you know, limits.”

Marden said, “I’m not really in favor of term limits because it takes away, really, a motivation for some of the electorate to be involved. You know, they sort of think, ‘Well, I don’t like that person. I’m just not going to engage because eventually the clock is going to run out and they’re going to be removed from office automatically’… Term limits create a lot of apathy.”

Lowry read an audience question for Glanzer: “Why did you change parties?” She said her beliefs haven’t changed, and she has always been somewhere between a Republican and Democrat, but “the party changed” on her.

When asked about having the Mayor become City Manager, Marden said Marlowe has a lot of valuable information and experience and he is planning to be City Manager for only a few years, so he thinks it was a “wise” decision. He added that it also saved the time and expense of recruiting someone from the outside. 

Glanzer said some citizens felt they weren’t told everything, but the Commission has the right to hire whoever they want as City Manager.

Lowry asked Glanzer about the County Commission challenging the single-member districts that were approved by voters. Glanzer answered, “(With at-large districts) you have five representatives to call, not just one. I’m not sure it serves a great purpose to have a single-member district because you only have one representative.” She said she likes being able to call all five Commissioners and express herself.

Marden said he favors single-member districts. He said, “I know there’s too many people here who, despite the fact that we supposedly had five representatives to call, they never got a phone call back from any of the representatives on the County Commission. The single-member districts may or may not be a benefit. I think time will tell.” Marden mentioned taxpayer money wasted by fighting over it in court when the voters clearly decided in 2022 to switch to single-member districts.

Marden closed by saying the government’s main job is to protect people’s rights and thanked Glanzer for getting into the race and making him a better candidate. He stressed the importance of small government and people wanting to be left alone. He encouraged voters to look at his 12-year track record.

Glanzer said, “This City deserves the best, because you are the best… As your Mayor, I want to know you.”