CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Eleven candidates for local and state offices spoke Friday at the Sustainability Forum, hosted by APSU’s College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and the Clarksville-Montgomery County Sierra Club.
Seven City Council candidates and four state General Assembly candidates spoke at the event. They answered questions relating to affordable housing, the environment, and long-term sustainability.
City Council candidates
City Councilperson Ambar Marquis of Ward 5 advocated for a new compost facility to keep up with the demands of Clarksville. She focused on allocating resources efficiently by listening to experts. She argued that grants are structured so those who need them can’t afford the upfront cost, and that homeowners are resistant to energy-efficient homes. She also supported the county’s 20-year comprehensive plan, saying it’s a guide for officials to improve the city.
Joshua Wikholm, candidate for Ward 3, voiced concerns about the tornado that devastated Clarksville last December, which revealed that many buildings were not up to code, and he supported rewriting and enforcing the codes. He stressed the need for more sidewalks and bus stops. As a disabled veteran, he wasn’t able to drive for nine years and was nearly hit several times walking down McClardy Road, a road with no sidewalks.
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Dwight Jemison, candidate for Ward 8, said he’ll address low-income issues by pushing weatherization assistance programs. He supports funds for energy efficient programs as well as providing tax relief to developers of affordable housing. He also advocated for more greenspaces since there’s not enough shade for people to enjoy the summer.
Bridget Childs, candidate for Ward 9, supports a plan to lower the bills of people who recycle. She stressed that low-income communities are suffering the most from pollution, and she opposes continued economic development since Clarksville has no green space, no tree canopies, and too much light pollution. And despite all the roads being built, there are not enough sidewalks.
Keymonta Epps, candidate for Ward 9, agreed with Childs that Clarksville needs a recycling program, sustainable practices, and better public transport. Epps said the city’s comprehensive plan focuses on future problems, and not the current problems, such as the lack of bike lanes. He added that since there are no tree canopies to insulate noise, the Clarksville Speedway has gotten louder. When asked about low-income housing, he said, “I don’t agree that because they don’t like energy-efficient housing, that we should just avoid them. I feel that if you’re looking for affordable housing it’s not really opinion-based.”
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Zoyie Jackson, candidate for Ward 12, said her biggest issue was the lack of accountability regarding how Clarksville uses the funds that we already have. She said she wouldn’t buy a new home, some of which are being built in less than two weeks. She said that her ward doesn’t have any support from the comprehensive plan. She argued for a balance between safety, green spaces, bike lanes, limiting cars on the street, and accommodating those who move into Clarksville.
David Bilan, candidate for Ward 12, strongly supported a sustainability position and action plan, especially since many cities in the area already have plans that Clarksville can easily use. He also argued that energy efficiency takes second place when hundreds of people don’t have homes. Bilan said the comprehensive plan has “a lot of pretty pictures,” but doesn’t have any plan for greenspace in Ward 12. There are, however, plans for condos and parking lots that would create more runoff and thus contaminate more water.
State House, Senate candidates
Garfield Scott, candidate for House District 68, supports more public transport, sidewalks and electric vehicles. Scott argued for more local control as long as the laws weren’t too radical. Scott said he opposes any building on wetlands, which would destroy environments, increase flooding, and create unstable buildings. Like the other state candidates at the forum, he supports a bill that would hinder companies from discharging forever chemicals (PFACs) into wastewater treatment plants.
Rep. Ronnie Glynn of House District 67 advocated for incentivizing companies to reduce emissions. When asked about preemptive laws that prevent Clarksville from passing regulation, he said that Clarksvillians know their own home more than the state Legislature and they should be trusted to elect people to protect it. In regard to wetlands, he argued the federal maps should be updated before any bill is passed. All candidates at the forum supported the Tennessee Waste Reduction and Recycling Act, and Glynn emphasized leaving a planet for our kids as our ancestors did for us.
Karen Reynolds, candidate for Senate District 22 and a City Council member, said we must act with urgency to address the climate crisis. She advocated for bold steps to improve sustainability, support renewable energy policy, and create energy efficiency programs, thereby reducing emissions, creating jobs, and cleaning the community. Reynolds was most vocal on this issue of local vs. state law, saying, “Local governments should have the freedom to create regulations that reflect the community’s unique needs, even if those regulations go beyond the state and federal requirements.”
Allie Philips, who is running for District 75, said Clarksville should be “proactive and not reactive.” With 2023 being the hottest year since climate records began, she argues that, “Our lawmakers should be legislating on facts and not feelings, and actually understand the scientists, that are telling us that global warming is a significant problem.” Phillips also opposed the bill to weaken wetland protections.
Correction: Dave Bilan said the comprehensive plan doesn’t include greenspace specifically in Ward 12. The article has been updated.
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