Layne Wilkerson for Mayor of Frankfort, KY

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Name one recent city decision or action that you disagree with.

Name one recent city decision or action that you disagree with. Be specific and explain your answer.

One of my campaign themes is to focus on the future and not the past.  Questions like this keep our community from focusing on the task at hand, which is to minimize the effects of the COVID-19 crisis and develop a plan to come out stronger on the other side.  

Our city’s lack of a post-COVID recovery plan risks putting our community behind surrounding communities even further. 

Preparing our city finances, and our local businesses, for a possible second spike in cases is paramount.  With winter months approaching, we need to ensure that our small businesses have the resources they need to stay in business.

The city should also be prudent and not commit to any significant financial obligations until we know how much more occupational tax revenue will drop because of this crisis.  Particularly worrisome is a permanent loss of state government commuters if it becomes apparent that they can be just as productive at home in a neighboring county.  The next mayor will need to work with city staff and determine how we will continue to meet payroll and essential services without significantly depleting our rainy-day fund.  My financial experience will be essential during this critical period.

Further, the next mayor and commission need to have a plan ready for high impact projects, such as workforce training, and business promotion like the #ShopLocal2021 initiative to ensure Frankfort comes out of this crisis stronger and more competitive than surrounding communities. This can be an opportunity if we have the vision to seize it.

In a typical year, perhaps another decision would have topped my list. But this is 2020, a year that is testing our country’s mettle when big decisions and strong leadership are needed to keep our communities together.  From this perspective, some of our local political decisions seem minor. As mayor, I will focus on COVID recovery and building our economy for a successful future.  

Economic Development Strategy?

What changes, if any, should Frankfort make in its economic development strategy?

The number one issue facing the new mayor is how to successfully execute an economic development strategy that will minimize the effects of COVID-19, expand economic diversification beyond state government, oversee a city-wide revitalization and increase our population to support our small businesses.

Now, more than ever, we need a mayor with a strong economic and investment background, and a strong leader with the ability to communicate a vision for our economic future.

The fallout from COVID-19, unfortunately, will dominate our economic development strategy in the near term. My priority will be to help our existing small businesses receive the support they need and that city finances are prudently managed. As a financial professional, I have the knowledge and experience to make tough decisions so that we come through this crisis stronger than neighboring communities

We have become too reliant on state government for local jobs and to sustain our economy.  I will create the “Remote Frankfort” initiative to recruit remote workers to move here and bring their jobs with them.  We are now in the era of remote work and Frankfort’s quality of life has much to offer those seeking a less congested and less expensive place to live. Frankfort can become the “Zoom Town” of Kentucky.

Aside from parcels B &C, several redevelopment projects already in the works that, collectively, could transform our downtown by providing much needed living space. This is encouraging. I will see that we build on this momentum and embark on a city-wide revitalization that will make Frankfort a better place for all of us to live.

I believe our city is at a tipping point and future success is not assured. We need a leader who has the financial acumen, patience, and vision to see us through to the other side. 

Parcels B & C and Tax Increment Financing

Given the city’s latest released plan, do you support Tax Increment Financing (TIF) to fund public infrastructure for Parcels B and C and other downtown development? Do you support the developments themselves? Why or why not?

Yes, I support the city’s efforts to use Tax Increment Financing to fund public infrastructure for the development of the former convention center site known as Parcels B & C.

I also support the actual development proposal, assuming that residential units and a reimagined hotel remain the focus. The development is a positive for downtown and will be helpful for my primary goals as mayor: meaningful economic growth.

If anything, the city’s TIF plan may not be ambitious enough. Including other nearby projects could have a more significant impact on our future.

I know we are eager to get this development completed, and I understand the desire to keep things simple to get the deal pushed through. Yet I do not want this to be another example of Frankfort setting its sights too low.  I also do not want the public to be disappointed should the projected TIF numbers not turn out have the economic impact planned because the new development was not significant enough.

The execution of this project, and similar future projects, needs a mayor with a strong financial background and ability to evaluate the numbers.

As mayor, I will ensure that we minimize our risks and not burdened us financially. I will also work with the developer to ensure accountability, with timelines kept, and that the completed project is what Frankfort intends.

The development of Parcels B & C is a huge opportunity for Frankfort.  We need a proactive leader who will promote Frankfort’s value and vision, to close this deal and the expected ones to follow. That is what I intend to do.

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Jefferson Davis Statue?

What are your thoughts on the removal of the Jefferson Davis memorial from the Capitol Rotunda?

The time has come for the removal of the Jefferson Davis statue from the Capitol Rotunda.  As President of the Confederate States of America, Davis was on the wrong side of history, and honoring him in our state’s most public building offends a significant portion of our population.

The Civil War will continue to be an important part of heritage tourism, and Frankfort should be the first stop for researchers and enthusiasts to learn about our Commonwealth’s role in shaping the outcome of the war. It is a unique circumstance that the leaders of the Union and Confederate governments were both Kentuckians.

That, along with being a border state, reflects the complexity of our state during the Civil War. The story is appropriately presented at the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, the Capital City Museum, and the Kentucky Military History Museum.  The Capitol Rotunda is not the place to do it. 

Body Cams?

Capt. Dustin Bowman told The State Journal on Friday that the Frankfort Police Department is in the process of implementing body cameras. What are your thoughts on the Frankfort Police Department’s use of body cameras and dash cameras?

Body cameras for the Frankfort Police Department are necessary, especially during these volatile times.  It will protect all parties involved, and the initiative has my full support. As mayor, I will support any training, resources, and policies to make ours the most professional police department in the state.  I will work diligently with the police chief, city manager, and advocacy groups to ensure harmony in our efforts to keep Frankfort a safe place to live.

Recent events in Minneapolis and Louisville have once again put the focus on the dynamic of police and race relations. I hope that Frankfort is never in a similar situation.  We are a community that will not tolerate racism, prejudice, hatred, or violence.  Let’s show the world that we mean it by focusing on what we can do individually, and through our institutions like the police department, to ensure equitable treatment for everyone.   

QUESTION OF THE WEEK: APPOINTMENTS TO THE FRANKFORT PLANT BOARD?

WHAT WILL BE YOUR TOP PRIORITIES WHEN MAKING APPOINTMENTS TO THE FRANKFORT PLANT BOARD?

The Frankfort Plant Board is a community’s asset, and everyone should have a voice. The first mission should always be to deliver reliable utilities at the lowest possible cost to ratepayers.  Frankfort is fortunate to have control over our utilities, and it will allow us to better compete in the future.

When it is time to appoint a new director to the Frankfort Plant Board, my priority will be to address areas of expertise that may be lacking.  Once areas of need are determined, I will seek candidates with those backgrounds first. There should be some base level of knowledge and perspective to help guide the organization and staff.

We need a board that can anticipate and adapts to rapidly changing consumer needs. This is especially true of the internet, cable, telephone, and security services. Emphasis will be placed on candidates who understand the importance of world-class internet capabilities so Frankfort can better compete for workers, jobs, and residents.

Next will be whether the new member would balance the board to reflect the makeup of the community so that we have a mixture of viewpoints from throughout the city.  An understanding of how we can best serve the needs of the entire community will be critical.

My goal for the Frankfort Plant Board is to have a well-functioning board of directors that represents the entire community and focuses on FPB’s primary mission of managing our utilities at a reasonable cost.