The next mayor of Raleigh will work to expand bus service, turn the Dorothea Dix mental health property into a signature park and devise a public safety center less costly than a controversial version that stalled last year.
Agreement on these priorities became clear Tuesday when the three mayoral candidates sat down together for a discussion with editors and reporters at The News & Observer.
Nancy McFarlane, Billie Redmond and Randall Williams struck cordial tones, expressing admiration for outgoing Mayor Charles Meeker's accomplishments and thanking each other for avoiding negative campaign tactics as the Oct. 11 election approaches.
The trio agreed the contest has been a low-key affair - in sharp contrast to the more heated Wake County school board elections, which have been marked by partisan rancor.
But some differences emerged as the candidates talked about three issues facing Raleigh over the next two-year council term.
Public safety center: The proposed 17-story Lightner Public Safety Center was proposed to offer space for fire, police, emergency communications and information technology departments in a downtown plot that borders Nash Square. Raleigh leaders remain divided amid criticism over the price, which could surpass $205 million.
McFarlane has defended the city's work on the project but said she's willing to rethink the proposal and possibly hold a referendum to seek public guidance. "That specific building is probably dead," she said Tuesday, referring to the earlier design.
Redmond said that the city needs a new, larger 911 emergency operations center but that she thinks the timing is not right for the larger project, which she called an example of "financial exuberance."
Williams favors "a more functional facility, not as elaborate as what was planned."
Dorothea Dix campus: The city and state have negotiated for years over the future of the Dorothea Dix mental health property near downtown.
Some want the land reinvented as Raleigh's version of Central Park, with trails, sitting areas and outdoor gathering spots.
McFarlane says the price to acquire the land from the state could range from $10 million to $100 million. She wants the city to work with private fundraising groups and partners such as N.C. State University. "At some point, we as a community may have to stand up and decide, 'Is that worth it to us?' " McFarlane said. "We need to be ready to do what we need to do to make sure that property stays a park."
Redmond says the city should lead the way in coming up with redevelopment opportunities surrounding the park. But the property itself, she said, should be preserved. "No one else should be in control of the Dix property," she said, calling it a potential "people's park of North Carolina."
Williams, who worked at the Dix facility and now jogs through the property for exercise, also favors the creation of a destination park. "It's very exciting to me that all three candidates agree on this," he said.
Future of transit system: A proposed $40 million transportation bond issue - which would fund sidewalks, bike lanes, greenways, road resurfacing projects and new bus shelters - is on the Oct. 11 ballot.
McFarlane supports the measure. She said current transit projects should set the stage for future light rail. "We need to step up now and show we're serious about this," she said.
Redmond has not taken a position on the bond issue, saying she has concerns over the city's debt and needs more information. Redmond supports the idea of transit-oriented development but says the city should wait for the economy to improve before pursuing a light-rail system.
Williams supports the bond issue, calling it a reasonable investment. He would expand the city's bus services and also work toward a light-rail system, though he describes it as a regional undertaking that will need support from neighboring communities.
