CL: We have several challenges, and the No. 1 is water and sewer infrastructure. Our residents and businesses need upgrades to the lines that are existing and for the new growth. The sewer plant is needing an expansion or adding another one to the city. The traffic is another one that the city is working on. Most of our city streets cannot carry the traffic that would be coming with our growth. The city does have a thoroughfare plan and should be updated as needed. I will work with the experienced staff and understand the grants and other avenues to better serve the community.

CL: I want to be a liaison between the life-long and new residents of Montgomery and City Hall. I have worked at City Hall, served on council, planning and zoning and [the economic development corp.]. I feel I have the experience to help all residents.

JS: Reckless spending, infrastructure needs and keeping the small-town atmosphere or feel of this town. I fear we're losing the soul of the city.

JS: I'm somebody who will stand up for what's right and what needs to be done. I was the sponsor of Cedar Brake Park, and I secured a half million dollar grant for that park, and I also was the one that got zoning started—the talk of zoning—and made the motion at the council to get it passed. There was no zoning in the town before I was on council my first term. The other thing is I helped broker a deal for the land the new City Hall is on. I was able to help secure that property for $1 from the county. So when I found out that they had spent $750,000 for 4.5 acres, I was very unhappy because nobody ... knows about it. They haven't told anybody in town. I found out from the superintendent they bought it from the school district, and they have no designated use for it. You just don't go out and buy property with tax dollar money, especially that expenditure. And the city didn't have the money to pay for it, so they borrowed it from MEDC. I'm in favor of dissolving MEDC and putting all those funds into the general fund. We don't need goat costumes and $14,000 spent on walkie talkies for events; we need roads, water, sewer. There's an awful lot of other real needs in this town and not what I consider frivolous spending.