Port Wentworth Council candidates face off in forum
Six Port Wentworth candidates participated in a forum at the CLIC Center on Thursday, discussing residents’ traffic concerns, quality of life improvements and affordable housing.
The forum included Mayor Pro Tem Thomas Barbee and LaShawn Benton, running for At-Large Post 2; incumbent Mark Stephens, running unopposed for District 2; Shawn Randerwala, running unopposed for District 4; and ArtLise Alston-Cone and Avril Roy-Smith, running for the At-Large Post 1. Addressing needs and concerns of residents
Moderator Dawn Baker of WTOC asked the candidates what they consider the biggest need for the residents of Port Wentworth.
All of the candidates agreed that the biggest issues were mitigating traffic, more restaurants and improving public service.
“I believe that our opinions that we keep sharing with our state leadership has fallen on deaf ears, because we’ve been asking them to make Highway 21 six lanes and nothing has been done about it,” said Barbee.
He noted traffic mitigation tactics that the council has implemented, including a Benton Boulevard extension. He also mentioned the partnership with Chatham Area Transit to extend an existing route to the city.
Roy-Smith said the city needs an identity.
“There’s absolutely no cohesive identity,” Roy-Smith said. “I think if the city can actually come up with an identity, then maybe we could get some citizen involvement.”
Baker asked District 2 Incumbent Stephens about the benefits of the new transit service for residents, and if the $400,000 annual cost was a meaningful use of city funds.
“First of all, yes it is,” Stephens said. “It’s going to work to help eliminate some of the traffic, because less people will be taking cars.”
Baker asked all of the candidates what their plan of action was for the first 90 days, if elected.
“The first 90 days for me would be to send out a survey to citizens,” AlstonCone said. “I would like to know what it is that you want. What do you feel are our most pressing issues?”
She also said she would fill all of the city’s potholes.
Roy-Smith said something similar and added that she would try and make concrete plans about the things she’s been hearing from residents. Quality of life improvements
Baker asked Randerwala about his plans to improve the quality of life for residents and visitors, and how businesses affects residents.
“More restaurants in the area will definitely be better for the citizens,” Randerwala said.
As a large port city, Randerwala said warehouse development seems inevitable, but it can be steered away from residences with buffers.
She asked Barbee and Benton how they felt the new recreation facility would serve residents.
“I think that it will benefit the kids, and moms, and adults overall,” Benton said. “It will attract more people that want to come and stay in our city ... it’s going to bring more home ownership and people who want to come and stay in Port Wentworth.”
Barbee echoed Benton’s sentiment. “It’s definitely a benefit for the city,” Barbee said. “It has already been an economic driver because it caught the attention of a semi-pro hockey team that decided to choose us out of 108 other cities to build their 90,000 squarefoot facility and put in two hockey rinks and a restaurant.”
Baker asked Alston-Cone and RoySmith about their plans to secure post offices and other vital services.
“I would certainly start the discussions with the United States Postal Service about the possibility of getting an office,” Roy-Smith said. “But there are other services we need even more than the post office. We need medical, dental, even a library. Those things we can get.”
Alston-Cone agreed with the need for medical offices and more small businesses. But as an educator, she’d like to research first and connect with folks that would guide her.
“As far as other resources, I definitely would like to have our own high school, and I think we can with the population growth in this area,” Alston-Cone said. Affordable housing
The city of Port Wentworth recently approved the zoning amendment for a new housing development, LEO Cottages at Port Wentworth. LEO at the Sanctuary in Rincon is owned by the same company, Advenir, and the monthly rent sits at $1,653 up to $2,599.
The city also announced in August that Habitat for Humanity Coastal Georgia executives signed a letter of intent to build affordable housing on Cantyre Street.
Baker asked the candidates what the city has done right and what it has done wrong in bringing in new types of housing.
Randerwala and Stephens shared the same view: It’s up to the builder to build affordable housing.
“If there’s somebody wanting to build it, we will approve it to make sure that it’s affordable for every citizen,” Randerwala said.
Roy-Smith said it’s up to the builders to decide and that the city can’t control prices outside its limits.
“The market prices are totally out of our control,” Roy-Smith said. “We can just keep trying to encourage smaller houses, smaller duplexes that can begin at a price people can afford.”
Alston-Cone said that she doesn’t see where the city has done anything wrong as some of it is out of their hands.
Barbee said he doesn’t think the city has done anything wrong, and has done a lot of things right by allowing builders to build. He also encouraged residents to get with Habitat for Humanity if they are looking for affordable homes.
Benton had a slightly different opinion.
“I want to listen to the people,” Benton said. “What’s affordable for the builders is not affordable for the people. What we need to do is read those contracts, make them bring something affordable for the people.”
Destini Ambus is the general assignment reporter for Chatham County municipalities for the Savannah Morning News. You can reach her at dambus@ gannett.com.