Two mayoral candidates and five at-large candidates for MuncieCity Council discussed the role Ball State plays in their visionsfor Muncie.
The University Democrats and the College Republicans hosted theforum Monday afternoon in Cardinal Hall in the Student Center. Eachcandidate was given time to provide a personal statement, answerquestions from the audience and give a closing statement.
"If you take Ball State out of here, ask yourself what youhave," William Shroyer, Democratic candidate for City Council,said.
Shroyer has served on the council for 20 years. He served aspresident for 12 years.
"I've been on the city council for 20 years, and I learn moreeveryday," Shroyer said.
Mayor Dan Canan said Ball State plays a large part in the Munciecommunity as an employer and opportunity for economicdevelopment.
"Students come into town bringing money from far away andsharing it with us," Canan said.
Canan said he heard many students say Muncie offered littleentertainment. These comments, he said, inspired a bipartisandowntown-development plan that started five years ago.
"We need to continue that strong partnership with the students,Ball State administration and faculty," Canan said. "Even ifstudents are here for four years and leave to get a job, we wanttheir experience in Muncie to be positive."
Canan's Democrat opponent, Dennis Tyler, said he would like tosee more Ball State students stay in Muncie after graduation.
"The only way to do that is to create jobs," Tyler said. "We arenot going to make it here in Muncie if we rely on Ball State andBall Hospital."
This answer was a common reply for questions regarding Muncie'seconomy.
Alison Quirk, Democratic City Council candidate, said Ball Stateand Ivy Tech students should be encouraged to stay in thecommunity.
"If you increase the population, you increase the tax base,"Quirk said.
Dan MacDonald, Republican candidate for City Council, saidimproving Muncie can depend on the make up of the council.
"A council can help generate jobs with the leadership of a goodquality mayor and a good quality council," MacDonald said.
Mike Dague, Republican City Council candidate, also said backingthe mayor was an important part of an effective city council.
Dague suggested Muncie should improve its employment,infrastructure, and civil unity and lower taxes.
Dague also said Muncie needs to be run on a more-profitablebasis.
"For years, I watched city workers do nothing, and I still watchcity workers do nothing," Dague said. "I don't like it."
Reducing overall spending was also offered as a solution toeconomic problems.
Tom Rector, Republican City Council candidate, said reducingspending would have an impact on taxes. Rector said this shouldplay a role in negotiating city employee contracts. He suggestedthe City Council should be involved in the negotiation processbecause it serves a large constituency.
"The more people we have at the table, the more we have in theprocess, and the stronger we're going to be," Rector said.
MacDonald said Muncie can help observe fiscal responsibilitythrough accountability. He said the city of Muncie "must keep itsthumb" on the appointments of committees like the airportauthority, Muncie Indiana Transit System and the library. This,MacDonald said, will remind the City Council that it is responsibleto the tax payers.
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