Council candidates express their views

OROVILLE » The Oroville Exchange Club hosted a forum for those running for the Oroville City Council. All seven candidates participated: Jack Berry, Bryan Flicker, Janet Goodson (incumbent), Bobby O’Reiley, Krysi Riggs, Scott Thomson (incumbent, vicemayor) and Lisa Torres.

Thermalito annexation

All candidates want tomove forward with the annexation of Thermalito save one, Berry.

“We have fallen down on providing public safety to the south Oroville area. We should have been increasing our amount of police officers to serve our community there,” Berry said. “I think holding off on it until after talking to the residents of Thermalito would be best.”

Others agreed that the annexation of Southside didn’t go as smoothly as they would have hoped. Regardless, the pros of annexation outweigh the cons for most councilors.

“Oroville needs to be made whole,” Thomson said. “We’re bigger than what the demographic of Oroville says.”

Goodson agreed.

“Population increase is vital to our ability to attract additional federal and state funding,” she said.

Riggs, as the treasurer of the Downtown Business Association, knows people who live in Thermalito, but own a business in Oroville. There’s a discrepancy there.

“The decisions the City Council makes directly affect the citizens in Thermalito. They can’t vote on measures, can’t vote for City Council,” she said.

Biggest issue

Berry believes the business community is underrepresented and needs to have a voice. He also wants to bring outside business. Flicker agreed.

“If we attract more businesses, we have more money and can do a better job of taking care of our citizens. If we take care of our citizens, we can attract more businesses,” Flicker said.

To Torres, the biggest issue the city faces is racism.

“When you see that the ( Department of Justice) comes and says that we have a problem in our school system, that is something that is big,” she said. “Our responsibility is to the people and to make sure our community is well spoken for. When we see there’s been injustice toward children, we need to step up.”

Both Riggs and Goodson believe economic development to be a large issue.

“We’ve been at times stagnant at creating new economic development. Part of that is because of our outdated infrastructure. Part of that is because of our population size. Part of that is from our recurring crises. When we’re able to account for proper economic development,” Riggs said, “our whole city will be uplifted and be able tomove forward in a more productive manner.”

Goodson agreed.

“In order for a city to attract outside investors, the city must present a healthy, sustainable budget, an optimum level of public safety and present an appetizing portfolio,” Goodson said. “Supporting local business is the city’s bottom line safety net.”

Homel e s snes s , to O’Reiley, isn’t the biggest issue. Rather, it’s the drug abuse that comes with it.

“Anything that causes harmto our kids is the biggest issue for me,” he said.

Homelessness

All candidates agreed that homelessness issue needs several helping hands.

“Iwould like us to get involved in a multi jurisdictional agency,” Flicker said. Goodson agreed.

“It’s an inclusive effort in law enforcements, churches, nonprofit organizations. We must come together,” she said. “It is incumbent upon the city officials to partner, meet together, appropriate funding to the proper places so our community can operate at an optimum level of performance.”

Thomson doesn’t believe money can solve the problem.

“If the solution was more money, the situation would be fixed,” he said. “I don’t think that we face a homeless pandemic. I believe we face a drug pandemic.”

He, like the rest, believes the way forward is through teamwork.

“It’s going to take all of us working together as one in unity,” O’Reiley said.

Homelessness is one of Torres’s passions. She volunteers with Haven of Hope on Wheels.

“Homelessness just doesn’t happen. It’s a course. No one wakes up and says ‘I want to be homeless today.’ Some have drug problems, some have had hard times,” she said. “You have to have the love and compassion to help somebody.”

Berry wants code enforcement to put pressure on absentee landlords who own properties overtaken by homeless people. Thomson is also concerned about these properties. For that reason, among others, he played a role in the formation of the Problem Oriented Policing Unit, or POP Team.

Riggs, who is the executive director of Axiom, believes early prevention is important.

“That’s why I work with young people and youth, to change the cycle of poverty,” she said.