Picking the mayor

The candidates for Mayor of the City of Grayson participated in a debate that was aired last week on WUGO GO Radio’s YouTube channel. Grayson’s current Mayor, Troy Combs, shared a stage with his opponent, fiscal court magistrate Derrick McKinney, and the two candidates answered questions and spoke of their plans for the city. The full debate can be watched via YouTube through the radio station’s website.
Both candidates were able to give a brief introduction, and Mayor Combs began by thanking his host and everyone tuned in.
Combs said he graduated from East Carter in 2010 and served as Senior Class President. Combs also got his degree in government from Morehead State University and received a law degree from Chase College of Law. He also noted that he is the proud grandson of Robert “Doc” Webb and the proud son of State Senator Robin Webb. Combs said his family has always been involved in the City of Grayson and has had a presence on Main Street for 60 years.
Candidate Derrick Mckinney began by thanking everyone for being part of the debate.
“I went to Hitchins Elementary,” McKinney began. “I went to East Carter Middle School and graduated from East Carter High School. From there I went on and have been a lineman for 24 years. I’m a proud member of IBW, and I also own Casey’s Lane and 606 Bar and Grill. And we built All Star Athletics last year.”
“I was on City Council for a term.” McKinney continued. “And I am currently a magistrate in Carter County for District 2. So, I do understand the government, and I am running for mayor because I want to see more in our little town. I think Grayson has great potential.”
Combs won the “coin toss,” so he fielded the first question. That question asked what three things over the next four years were of the highest priority for the City of Grayson and what he would like to see accomplished by the end of that term. Combs answered public safety first, with a focus on Carol Malone Boulevard. Combs said that he has a project currently in the works to be funded by state dollars.
Combs said his second priority would be job creation.
“I want to continue to create an environment where businesses want to set up,” he said, and listed initiatives he has been involved with since his time on the city council.
The third priority, he said, would be to finish projects that have already been started. An example of this included projects at the Sports Park, with the mayor pointing out that there was already $400,000 in approved funds.
Candidate McKinney said the Sports Park was a top priority for him.
“We need to get that done. It has been going on for ten years now,” he said. “And it seems to have gone stale. We’ve got the four baseball fields done and I feel like nothing has happened in the last several years. I know they have the grant, but there are just some things they need to work out on it.”
“Our Sidewalks are a really big deal in town” McKinney said as another priority, and they need to get finished. “I talk to many seniors in town. They walk, and they trip. That’s a big infrastructure problem to me. But I think we could get that done pretty easily.”
“Another thing is housing. We’ve got to get more housing in Grayson where people can walk to work,” McKinney said. “Gas prices are through the roof. But if we can get more housing, we have more workers in town.”
McKinney reiterated his priorities as housing (emphasizing the need for affordability as well), sidewalks, and the Sports Park.
The next question the candidates were asked was if they have ever taken a strong side on an issue, knowing they were on the right side, then changed course or took the side they were against after they learned more information or facts?
“I’m sure I have,” McKinney answered. “I think all of us have. I’m sure if I learned more information down the road that I didn’t like, I’m sure I’d change my mind.”
Combs responded with an example of the pervasive theme in government that you don’t lower taxes because of inflation.
“We’ve been in inflation years, as long as I can remember, since I was on city council,” he said.
Combs said he understood the concept, but he was for lowering taxes to help people.
“But you can only do that if it’s sustainable,” he said.
Another question posed to the candidates was since the role of mayor requires expertise in the areas of project management, fiscal discipline, public safety, and listening accessibility, professional experiences outside the offices of mayorship, how do you feel you have developed these skills?
Combs answered by saying his experience has been invaluable in his current work for an engineering company.
“I help municipalities with special projects,” Combs answered. “My company specifically builds bridges and sells bridges, so I have learned about resources that are available to municipalities.”
Combs said his experience has helped him become more aware of the resources, and this assisted him in submitting for funding for city projects. He also stated that he believed his job experience as mayor, and participating in all the available training, help him meet the needs of the city.
McKinney responded to the question by saying that he has been on many construction sites in his work career as a lineman and has been a business manager for his local.
“I own a business, so I deal with employees on a daily basis,” he said. “So, I think I have what it takes there.”
The candidates were asked what the City of Grayson could realistically do to attract new business and investment while also helping the locally owned businesses that are already here succeed.
“I believe Grayson needs to hire an economic developer,” McKinney answered. “Someone that’s working with our tourism director on a day-to-day basis. I feel like that would help a lot. We have three major state parks here around us. We need to market what we have, and we need to work with our local businesses.”
McKinney said Grayson should work with these businesses to help them get grants and other funding and also focus on the historical aspects of the city.
“Obviously we want to grow in the right direction,” Combs responded. “That’s why stakeholder meetings are very important to me. We don’t want to create an infrastructure that isn’t going to benefit everyone.”
Expanding the road system will encourage development, he said, and added that the city had applied for an economic opportunity zone with the state’s cabinet for economic development.
The candidates were asked about attracting more grocery options into the city, and gave similar answers. Bot agreed that the city needed to make locating in the city attractive, but that was ultimately the decision of the independent business. Both candidates when asked about annexation were for it, but both also said that it should not be forced. Mayor Combs was in favor of holding town hall style meetings to make people aware of the benefits of coming into the city limits, while candidate McKinney said he preferred leg work, and going out into the community to speak on a one-on-one basis.
Both candidates agreed that transparency in how the tourism commission spends money collected from the restaurant tax was something that needed to be fostered. Candidate McKinney said that what he considered past mistakes such as the Blue Goose property should be avoided in the future. Mayor Combs said he has researched the tourism commission bylaws and has encouraged communication between the commission and the city council.
The question of whether a person who owns a business in the city limits (but does not live in the city) and pays city taxes should be able to vote in city elections was posed to both candidates. Combs responded by saying he wasn’t sure. He did, however, point out that the state legislation decided that the answer would be that no, they would not be able to. He also pointed out that non city residents pay less in property taxes and that city residents pay a higher insurance tax. McKinney said that he believes that Grayson business owners should be able to vote; but he also acknowledged that state law prevented them from being able to do so.
In regard to the role downtown should play in the future of Grayson and what steps the city should take to support that role, McKinney said that he believed a great job was being done now, and credited Haley Bayes and the Main Street group with being proactive in supporting downtown. “She’s got a really good board together right now,” McKinney said. “And I think that’s a really big deal. I think downtown has a great opportunity to take off with the right people watching over it.”
“Downtown is a hub for economic development,” Combs said. Its role is to be able to accommodate the needs of our town. And it also gives us a gathering place for events. Where would Grayson Memory Days be without Main Street?”
The candidates also answered questions about the need for shelters and humane population control of feral animals within the city limits, including animal welfare and adoption.
“One of the first things I did as mayor was add kennels to our street department,” Combs said. “And we just brought back the spay and neuter program. Which is a catch and release program.”
Combs said after talking to citizens the council realized this was a need in the community that should be filled.
“I’d like to partner with the county, if at all possible,” McKinney responded.
He also said he wished there was a place in Grayson able to house dogs.
“But we need to be able to catch these (feral) cats as well,” he said.
Mckinney said the city was overpopulated with cats and that large numbers are behind every gas station and restaurant.
What steps could be taken to address blighted properties, encourage owners to maintain their properties, and improve the overall look of the city, were other questions posed to both candidates. Mckinney said the city had several problems with blighted properties that included issues such as trailers with broken windows. Improvement to code enforcement would be an option to deal with the issue, he said.
“I think it can be done,” he said. “But we need to push it to make sure it gets done,”
“Whenever you are dealing with landowners and property rights, it is a process,” Combs responded. “And we want to work with our property owners. There are steps and avenues to address these issues. And we do always address them though it’s not always quick.”
They were also asked how their administration would respond to city employees that had supported their opponent.
“They would just continue to work,” McKinney answered. “I don’t have any issues. If they are doing their job, then they can keep doing it.”
“I have city employees who support my opponent right now,” Combs answered. “I have never taken any retaliatory action against them, and I don’t intend to. In my eyes, the only way someone is going to lose their job is if they lost their job because they did something to not keep it.”
When asked if they were elected what would be one thing people could point to a year from now, Mayor Combs answered that it would be the Grayson Autism Sensory Park at the Sports Park.
“And we are going to get the pickleball and basketball courts done,” Combs said.
“I would push to get the Sports Park done in the first year,” McKinney said. “And the housing. I want to be able to get something together and reach out to investors and developers.”
McKinney thanked the listeners in his closing statement.
“I have always been a hard worker who has raised a family here, built business here, and I care about Grayson. I don’t want to promise you the world. But I will promise you hard work, honesty, and dedication. I believe Grayson’s best days can still be ahead of us, and I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and go to work. Just remember me on November 3. Thank You.”
“I want to thank everyone for allowing me to serve as long as I have,” Combs said in closing. “It has been an honor to serve the people of this town. And it has been an honor to get to know every single one of you during this election cycle. I have heard people’s struggles, and I have taken pride in their accomplishments. And no matter what happens, I will always cherish that. I would like to finish what we have started, so please vote for Troy Combs in November.”

Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com