Five making run for District 3 seat

By Margaret Moffett Banks
News & Record Staff Writer

Friday, Sep. 28, 2007 3:00 am

GREENSBORO - Five people want Tom Phillips' job. The longtime councilman, most recently the District 3 representative, decided not to run this year.

The line to replace him formed almost immediately.

Two members of the Greensboro Zoning Commission, Cyndy Hayworth and Zack Matheny, are seeking the seat. And both note that much of what the council does relates to rezoning and development.

They're joined by Bobby Coffer, Joe Wilson and two-time Guilford County sheriff's candidate Berkley Blanks.

The primary is Oct. 9. The top two vote-getters will face each other in the general election Nov. 6.

In interviews and questionnaires, the candidates shared their concerns and their plans to improve Greensboro should they be elected to the council.

Berkley Blanks

Blanks, 57, is a familiar name in Guilford County, having twice run against Sheriff BJ Barnes. The former Greensboro Police Department supervisor said Greensboro has had a gang problem for years, noting problems in the St. James Homes and Hampton Homes communities during his time on the force.

Gangs know the city has too few police officers on the streets. He criticized the department for leaving jobs unfilled because they "can't fill diversity numbers." Blanks said he would rather have "a white male cop than no cop."

Blanks said there's a lack of trust in local government because of the city's initial "mismanagement" of problems within the police department.

He also advocates a long-term solution to Greensboro's water problem. The Randleman reservoir, once it's up and running, will provide some relief, he said. But the city needs additional measures and a plan for the future.

"Residents should not live under the threat of civil penalties for water usage every time we have a dry spell," he said.

He wants the City Council to focus on providing to citizens essential services: water, sewer, sanitation, fire and police.

According to Blanks: "Everything else is bling."

Bobby Coffer

Coffer, 70, declined to be interviewed or fill out a candidate questionnaire.

Cyndy Hayworth

Hayworth, 57, wants to make one thing clear: She said she has a "community agenda," not a personal one.

"I am not the mouthpiece for any special-interest group and I do not feel the need to comment on every issue," she said.

But communication with citizens is key, according to Hayworth. She said confidence in the police department has been eroded. Citizens want clear information, and she said as a councilwoman she would try to bring transparency and clarity to local government.

She said she "generally" approves of the way the council handled recent controversies within the police department.

Hayworth said she would push for more after-school programs that would help students feel included and prevent them from going home to an empty house. That would help reduce crime in the long run, she said.

"The inclusiveness will help fill the need in a student to belong somewhere and to be with someone," she said. "This is the premise that gangs work through - a feeling of being included."

Zack Matheny

At 34, Matheny is the youngest of the five candidates. And he's running on his experience.

"I have proven myself as an involved leader in the community at a young age, yet I have learned about our community the old-fashioned way - by volunteering and becoming involved," he said.

His platform: Boosting economic development.

He wants the city to become more business-friendly. Matheny said the head of a big business told him he reached out to leaders, saying he needed more parking for his 200 new employees. According to Matheny, the leader said he couldn't get anyone from City Hall to talk to him.

The council has done an "OK" job addressing the city's economic needs, he said. The board should lead the way in economic development - everything from recruiting new industry to making sure City Hall is easy to do business with.

Matheny wants various facets of Greensboro "to all get on the same page" in terms of creating jobs. He said his background in business and his volunteerism would let him bridge the gap among corporations, nonprofits and citizens.

He said Police Chief Tim Bellamy is the "right person for the job" and someone who will restore trust among citizens and boost morale among officers.

"I have faith in Chief Tim Bellamy and that is a first step," he said.

Joe Wilson

Like many challengers in this year's council elections, Wilson is critical of how the city handled recent problems in the Greensboro Police Department.

The candidate, 45, said confidence in City Manager Mitchell Johnson's office and the police department "is currently at a low point."

"True leadership is significantly lacking," he said. "The issues should have been handled responsibly and with full disclosure."

He also said the police department's slow response times "are a direct result of someone not willing to make the decision to improve the situation." And he calls the growth of gangs the No. 1 crime issue in the city.

Wilson said unnecessary bureaucracy drives businesses out of Greensboro and into other cities. As a councilman, he said he would work to streamline the planning department to help eliminate excessive red tape.

He's also critical of how the current City Council has spent the taxpayers' money, accusing the board of using the money "as their piggy bank." The council must get serious about rational spending, Wilson said.

"Significant spending cuts are definitely needed," he said.

Contact Margaret Moffett Banks at 373-7031 or mbanks@news-record.com