While only one race on the Nov. 7 ballot for the Carroll City Council is contested, all five candidates who have filed participated in last night’s (Wednesday) Carroll County Growth Partnership (CCGP) candidate forum at the Carroll High School. Questions ranged from economic development to attracting young families, but many of the candidates’ answers came back to one thing: housing. LaVern Dirkx, the sole at-large candidate, says many challenges need addressing, and housing is at the center of most of them.
Dirkx played a significant role in developing and implementing the city’s current housing incentive, which provides $20,000 to developers or residents who construct a new home in the community, and the council is actively pursuing other partnerships to encourage additional construction. Ward 2 candidate Jason Atherton says the housing shortage is an obvious issue, but he believes many factors are out of the city’s control.
Mayor candidate Jerry Fleshner says the council is on the right track with offering incentives, and the city will have to continue to fight housing headwinds, like rising mortgage rates and limited contractor availability, if Carroll wants to see progress.
Ward 4 Incumbent Carolyn Siemann says the council saw a tremendous response to the $20,000 infill housing incentive program, and the efforts to add housing along the west side of the Carroll Municipal Course also appear promising. She says housing at all levels is imperative and highlights her efforts in the low-to-moderate income ranges.
Justin McCool, the other Ward 4 candidate, says availability isn’t the only issue for housing. He says the high cost of homes on the market is also an impediment.
The video from Wednesday’s CCGP Candidate Forum is included with this story on our website and on the 1380 KCIM YouTube page. The 2023 city/school elections are scheduled for Nov. 7.
