RALEIGH -- At the end of a City Council candidate forum last week in North Raleigh, District D challenger Ted Van Dyk explained that his problem with incumbent Thomas Crowder is one of style, not substance.
"Thomas Crowder and I agree on most things," Van Dyk told the crowd. "But where we are 180 degrees in opposite directions is I want to be positive and bring a cooperative attitude to the council."
The matter of what does and does not constitute a positive attitude on the City Council has become a central campaign issue in District D, which covers West Raleigh.
Crowder, 53, an architect who has represented the district since 2003, said his tenure on council has been about building consensus and educating and empowering his constituents. Van Dyk, also an architect, disagrees, arguing that Crowder frequently stirs up unnecessary discontent and circumvents the public process to suit his own objectives.
Jerome Goldberg's name will also be on the District D ballot, but he was ruled ineligible by the Wake County Board of Elections.
In recent years, Crowder has led the council's efforts to raise impact fees on new development and to toughen the rules and regulations for residential landlords.
Crowder said he's particularly proud of the work done by the District D Neighborhood Alliance, a citizens group he created several years ago that meets once a month. Crowder said the alliance, which is open to anyone, includes a diverse group of neighborhood leaders and residents.
Reviewing city plan
Several members of the alliance led a review of the District D portion of the city's recently adopted Comprehensive Plan that resulted in a number of changes to the plan.
"I think my district is extremely proud of being one of the very few districts to become extremely engaged in that process," Crowder said. "The vision for Raleigh is not Thomas' vision; it's a collective vision. I consider myself a careful listener."
Van Dyk, 48, sees things differently. He said the revisions proposed by the alliance members should not have been presented as the voice of the entire district.
"I understand it was dedicated and well-meaning members of the community, but the rest of us were left out," Van Dyk said.
Van Dyk said he wants to reach out to District D neighborhoods that may not be active in local politics.
"I think you need to give consideration to everyone and not just the squeaky wheels," he said.
What Crowder wants
Crowder said the city's top priority moving forward is to make sure that new growth occurs in the right areas and at the right density, "but never at the expense of our natural environment and our existing neighborhoods and our rich history."
He wants to raise development fees to help pay for new roads, parks, and water and sewer infrastructure while also offering incentives to developers that build in urban centers and include things like affordable housing in their projects.
How Van Dyk sees it
Van Dyk, who lives in Cameron Park and sits on the Raleigh Appearance Commission and the Hillsborough Street Partnership Executive Committee, said the District D representative needs to be more open to working with all sides if reinvestment is to occur in the district.
"I would insist on the highest quality of development, but at the end of the day, I think we can all agree that reinvestment in our community is important to us, and we need to see that these projects can move forward," Van Dyk said. "We need somebody who knows how to build consensus and play well with others. That's not Thomas Crowder."
Crowder said his record of accomplishment on the council speaks for itself.
"You can't sit here and shy away from the tough issues," Crowder said. "If you're sitting back and you're not moving forward putting these ideas out on the table because of a fear of criticism, then you're not being a good leader."
Staff writer Ray Martin and researcher Denise Jones contributed to this report.
