Prospective aldermen discuss priorities, differences at forum

Four McMinnville alderman candidates outlined their priorities Monday night, addressing issues from stormwater to cell numbers during a political forum.

Incumbent Keri Curtis Morton joined challengers Emily Stefanick, Sean Logsdon and Kimberly A. Cantrell for the final political forum ahead of the Nov. 3 municipal election. A fifth candidate, incumbent Deitra Dunlap, was unable to attend due to family commitments, according to organizers.

The five candidates are competing for three seats on the board, with voters permitted to select up to three candidates. All five appear on the ballot as independents.

The forum was held at the Magnolia Room in the Warren County Administrative Building and presented by McMinnville Public Radio WCPI 91.3-FM, Ben Lomand Connect and Main Street Media. Professor John Vile of Middle Tennessee State University and WCPI host Bill Zechman served as moderators.

Morton, who is seeking another term after four years on the board, emphasized the city's financial management during her tenure and her opposition to creating a separate stormwater utility funded through monthly fees.

“Stormwater started me on this path,” Morton said while discussing the issues that motivated her involvement in city government.

In February, Morton was among four board members who voted against establishing a stormwater utility that would have added monthly charges to most city water bills. The proposal failed 4-2 on first reading, with Mayor Ryle Chastain and Aldermen Deitra Dunlap and Rachel Kirby joining Morton in opposition.

Under the proposal, more than 96% of single-family homes would have paid $3 per month or less. City officials said the utility would have provided dedicated funding for drainage improvements, flood prevention and stormwater infrastructure maintenance.

Morton argued at the time that the city could address problem areas through its existing budget rather than creating another utility. She also cited McMinnville's 2022 Tennessee Municipal League award for Excellence in Stormwater Management.

Monday night, Morton reiterated her support for addressing drainage problems without creating a separate department or imposing additional fees.

“My first priority would be to make sure we continue to put money into stormwater, so we can take care of those spots around town that need to be fixed, so we don't hear the words ‘stormwater department’ again and put that strain on our citizens,” Morton said.

She also defended the board's financial management, saying the city has balanced its budget while funding departments and providing appropriate compensation for employees.

Morton emphasized her willingness to answer questions and make her positions known.

“You don't have to wonder where I stand on anything,” Morton said. “If you have a question and you ask it, I'm going to answer it honestly.”

Stefanick, who has raised six children in McMinnville and has been involved with community nonprofit organizations, identified transparency, responsible growth and careful management of public money as priorities.

“I believe the citizens of McMinnville deserve honesty and transparency in the way our tax dollars are spent,” Stefanick said.

She praised the city for maintaining a balanced budget but said she would want to examine spending closely to determine whether opportunities exist to reduce costs without sacrificing essential services.

Stefanick also stressed the importance of listening to residents and maintaining the community's character as McMinnville grows. She described her longstanding community involvement and relationships with local residents as strengths she would bring to the board.

Logsdon, who moved to McMinnville approximately two years ago, focused on public safety, infrastructure and financial stewardship. He also reiterated his opposition to data center development in the city.

“One thing I want to make clear. The proposed AI data center will not be established in McMinnville during my stay as alderman,” Logsdon said.

The issue has generated widespread public opposition in McMinnville, where the Board of Mayor and Aldermen unanimously approved an 18-month moratorium on new data centers and high-density computing facilities in June. The temporary measure gives city officials time to study potential impacts on utilities, water resources, noise levels and surrounding neighborhoods while considering permanent regulations.

Logsdon also questioned why some city projects have received bids but have not been completed.

“There's all these projects we've gotten bids on, and they're not being fulfilled,” he said. “I would want to know, on the first day, why these projects are failing.”

He described himself as “a little bit of a bulldog” when pursuing answers and said his experience living in larger cities could provide a different perspective on McMinnville's needs.

During his closing remarks, Logsdon also argued that the board would benefit from having a male perspective.

“Being the only male up here, we have all females for our aldermen,” Logsdon said. “Men need to have a voice, too. A male perspective and a female perspective will be different.”

He said he intends to remain in McMinnville and wants to contribute to the city's future.

Cantrell, a lifelong McMinnville resident, emphasized community involvement, neighborhood safety and the importance of listening to residents.

One of her principal concerns was pedestrian access, particularly the intersection of Highway 70 and Chancery Street near Walmart.

“I see people every day crossing that intersection,” Cantrell said. “We have a big community that lives on the other side of that intersection that is a walking community and that's their only way to get to daily essentials. It's very important we offer them safe passage to that.”

She called for improvements to sidewalks and crosswalks to make the city safer for people traveling on foot.

Cantrell also addressed the city's use of Flock automated license plate reader cameras, saying she supports equipping police officers with effective technology but believes residents deserve answers about privacy protections.

“I want our police officers to have all the tools they need to do their jobs,” Cantrell said. “But I also think we need to be asking questions about privacy.”

One of the forum's more direct questions came from Zechman, who asked whether the candidates would be willing to have their personal cellphone numbers listed on the city's website so residents could contact them.

Morton and Cantrell said they would. Stefanick indicated she would have no objection.

Logsdon said he would not want his personal cellphone number published but would support making a city-issued number available to constituents.

The responses illustrated differing approaches to accessibility, although all four candidates emphasized the importance of communicating with residents.

The municipal election is Tuesday, Nov. 3, with early voting beginning Wednesday, Oct. 14, and continuing through Oct. 29.