Harvey Mayoral Candidates Speak in an Q and A Interview With the Citizen

Anthony McCaskill Vs. Christopher J. Clark

Harvey Mayoral Candidates Speak in an Q and A Interview With the Citizen


CHRISTOPHER CLARK SPEAKS:
Citizen Newspaper: How would you improve and expand public safety in the City of Harvey?

Harvey Mayor Christopher Clark: We have made substantial progress towards improving public safety by removing nearly 200 illegal guns off the streets, reducing homicides by 55% from 2021 and gunshot victims by 38%. We achieved this success through a multi-pronged approach that included:  making significant investments in new equipment such as police vehicles, tasers, body cameras, license plate readers, and surveillance cameras.

It's great to see the progress that the City of Harvey has made towards improving public safety; the city has gone approximately 3 months without a single homicide, which is a tremendous accomplishment.  However, there are still opportunities to further enhance public safety and rebuild community trust.

As we look to build on this success we will continue with our comprehensive plan to include public trust between the police and the community, education for residents on community safety techniques, our new tip411 system and community events (National Night Out, a Citizens Police Academy for residents to be educated on community safety techniques, cancer walks, pet-fair for dog and cat registration, Halloween trunk or treats, car-shows, and Christmas toy drives) to encourage engagement and collaboration.  We will also continue to focus on infrastructure improvements such as repairing and replacing streetlights, demolishing abandoned buildings, and improving road conditions. These improvements can help deter criminal activity by creating a more secure and well-maintained environment.  We recently received $2.8 million from the U.S. Congresswoman Robin Kelly for the purchase of a new fire truck, demolition of blighted homes and improvement of streetlights.  While we have already repaired, replaced or retrofitted over 2000 streetlights and demolished over 50 abandoned buildings, the additional funds will assist in furthering our mission to improve and expand public safety.

Furthermore, we are nearing completion of the first of seven police substations (one in each ward) that was financed from a grant from our State Rep. William Davis and Nicor Gas. These substations will act as safety centers for each ward and provide a visible police presence that can improve public trust and community engagement. Daily manned substations can also serve as points of contact for residents to report crimes, seek assistance or ask for information.

Lastly, we will continue to explore partnerships with other leaders, agencies, organizations, and businesses to strengthen our efforts towards improving public safety. These collaborations can bring additional resources, expertise, and funding to support public safety initiatives.

Citizen Newspaper: What are some of the things you think could make Harvey more economically viable?

Clark: Trust in the police department, investing in a cleaner city, increasing population density and bringing in new investments are some of the key factors that could make Harvey more economically viable. It is important to continue focusing on these areas to attract more businesses, residents and investments to the city, and to ensure long-term sustainable economic growth.
Trust in the police department:  Prior to taking office, the Harvey Police Department was raided twice by the federal government and once by the state.  Several of those former officers have been indicted and/or convicted.  Since taking office, our department has worked to remove corruption, and terminate bad actors. This goes a long way in rebuilding trust.

A cleaner city contributes to economic viability.  Since taking office, the public works department has invested in a cleaner city.  The department has purchased six new snowplows and dump trucks, a new frontloader and various landscaping equipment to keep our city clean.  Additionally, the department has employed Harvey residents, who have a stake in our city, to address issues of blight throughout our community.

We are increasing our population and density. We have brought in millions of dollars in investment to improve our PACE and Metra system, which will give our neighboring communities easier access to key areas within our city.  As we become a more attractive city, we expect that neighboring communities will opt to spend some of their discretionary income in Harvey.  Additionally, Harvey has secured a $19 million investment in new housing through “Harvey Lofts”, a 51-unit workforce housing development.  This development will create a greater population density, encouraging future investment and development in the downtown area.

Citizen Newspaper: How would you bring more jobs and economic development to Harvey?

Clark: My administration is actively seeking to attract new businesses to the city by highlighting our strategic location, transportation infrastructure, and the available workforce in the area. We have been reaching out to businesses in various industries, including technology, healthcare, and manufacturing, to showcase the benefits of setting up operations in Harvey.  We have secured development and investment opportunities; such as: the Southland Logistics Center on the former Dixie Square Mall site, $94 million Wood Street reconstruction, and $70 million Metra/Pace reconstruction will provide job and economic development opportunities and skills that our residents can use now and in the future.   Additionally, we have businesses, such as 160 Driving Academy, University of Chicago at Ingalls, Fuchs Laboratories, Atkore International, and others which provide a variety of job opportunities in the construction, health, trucking and manufacturing industries.

Under my leadership, we are working with our state legislators and University of Chicago at Ingalls to create a medical district similar to that in Chicago.  This type of district will allow public, private, civic, university, health, financial, community and other partners to take advantage of financial incentives available in the district.  Entrepreneurs and investors will have an opportunity to develop their business and provide housing by redeveloping our abandoned housing stock.  It creates the perfect opportunity for high schools and junior colleges to develop curriculums and provide training for the employees of the future.

Citizen Newspaper: What ideas do you have to improve Harvey’s infrastructure?

Clark: We have already started repairing, refurbishing, and replacing over 2,000 streetlights to improve visibility throughout the city. We are also working with our County, State and Federal partners to bring financing opportunities to the city.  We have secured approximately $90 million in state funds to totally repair Wood Street from 146th to 161st Street.  The project will include not only a new street, but sidewalks, streetlights and a main sewer line to reduce area flooding.  Under this administration we were awarded part of a $1.5 million federal grant from a collaboration between U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin and the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago (MWRD) to mitigate flooding.  We were also awarded $3 million in federal dollars from U.S. Senators Tammy Duckworth and Dick Durbin for water and sewer improvements.

Going forward we are working to shore up our main water supply lines to reduce breaks during the winter.  Once we are able to re-enter the bond market, we intend to finance future street reconstruction and repair through bonds and financial assistance from our County, State, and Federal partners.

Citizen Newspaper: Where do you stand on small business creation and more opportunities for small businesses in the City of Harvey to grow scale and be sustainable?

Clark: I have been leading economic development and working effectively to support our new and current small businesses and working to increase job creation in Harvey. My administration has welcomed new small businesses including but not limited to a restaurant, butcher shop and meat market, gas station-convenience store, an auto-parts supply store and a truck driving academy. We also brought J-J Fish, S2 Express Grill, Davita Kidney Dialysis, and Route-1 Industries.  As we continue to support small businesses, our future projects include a self-service car wash, Burger King and the expansion and development of a full-service supermarket.
The development of a medical district will provide small businesses with an opportunity to provide goods and services.  Entrepreneurs and investors will have an opportunity to develop their businesses and provide housing by redeveloping our abandoned housing stock.
We are also working to develop relationships and establish a Small Business Incubator.  We realize that many small businesses and entrepreneurs need assistance securing funding, access to investors, mentorship, and business management strategies.  Through these efforts, many small businesses increase their chances of success.

Citizen Newspaper: What are some things you would do to improve education and create pathways for youth employment?

Clark: As an attorney and businessman, education, business and employment are important to me.  As a mayor, I am always interested in partnering with community-based organizations and businesses to create youth employment opportunities.  We will continue to work with our County, State, and Federal partners to provide new opportunities and funding for projects that will provide hands-on experiences for our youth.

On a local level, we will establish the Department of Youth Engagement to address youth issues including but not limited to employment.  As a part of this department, we will approach our local high school about the possibility of collaborating with their programs such as NFTE or DECA to provide pathways to entrepreneurship, leadership, and financial literacy.   We will also collaborate with our local junior college to provide opportunities for education in trades.  Our slogan, “Trucks, Trains and Technology”, reflects the many trades that are important to developing and maintaining this robust part of our future economy.

The development of a medical district provides STEM educated students the opportunity for youth mentorship and employment in the public, private, civic, university, health, financial arena.  This is a conduit to future entrepreneurship and business ownership.

Mentorship and relationship building are key components to improving education and creating pathways for youth employment.  As such, we intend on joining established organizations such as the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce, creating relationships with local businesses and reaching out to others in an effort to develop relationships and youth opportunities.  Our youth can gain an opportunity to learn the necessary skills for future employment.

These types of collaboration not only provide the possibility of youth employment, but are the tools for becoming a positive contributing part of society and the Harvey community.

 

THE CANDIDATE SPEAKS…

Anthony McCaskill


Citizen Newspaper: How would you improve and expand public safety in the City of Harvey?  
         
Harvey's Mayoral Candidate Anthony McCaskill: By executive order I would eliminate the monthly $39,000 cost for private security for the mayor.  I would rely on the same officers the public has to rely on, the local police. I’m confident the nearly half million dollars per year being used to protect the current mayor could be better used toward overall public safety.  I would use the $39k per month to hire 6 new patrol officers to patrol the streets.   I will eliminate overlapping top heavy administrative positions to add more street patrol. I will coordinate with neighboring communities to strategically identify the best ways to decrease crime across cities as opposed to participating in high-speed chases that result in the death of the subjects or innocent bystanders. Increasing lighting throughout the city especially in main thoroughfares and residential areas

Citizen Newspaper: What are some of the things you think could make Harvey more economically viable?                                                        
McCaskill: I will not take a salary. I will donate my salary to a water fund established to assist senior residents with their water bills. Beyond public safety, the number one thing would be to clean up. Beautician will make the city overall more viable and attractive to homeowners and business owners not only building a desire to come to our city but to stay and plant roots.   I will work with the other government entities to collaborate procurement efforts and programming; eliminating repetitive and unnecessary expenses. Identify waste in the budget to align resources for the best outcomes (ie.paying down debt to free up funding to address pension and water bill shortages; hiring competent officers to reduce lawsuits). Analyzing the current budget and levy to ensure all available sources of income are accounted for. Decrease the number of legal entities with over inflated contracts placing those funds back into rotation. Those are a few things I believe  could be done fairly quickly to stabilize the economic viability.

Citizen Newspaper: How would you bring more jobs and economic development to Harvey?

McCaskill: Work with local manufacturers to help identify how the city can assist with their business expansion. Working with large box companies to consider building up dormant and unincorporated land for distribution hubs. I would also be requesting meetings with the various rails that frequent Harvey to discuss local hiring and other options to provide employment. Bring in developers that are  seeking to build with a set aside for minority, women-owned companies, veterans,  local laborers,  and unskilled residents.  There will also be an aggressive employment effort for persons with challenged backgrounds. Being a transitional community the successful engagement of persons with barriers will not only support the workforce of the business owners but decrease the potential for distasteful behavior. Again, improving public safety.

Citizen Newspaper: What ideas to you have to improve Harvey’s infrastructure?

McCaskill: Water Reclamation. The agency will be held accountable for the deteriorating sewer infrastructure it has failed to address for decades. Banks and slumlords will be held accountable for dilapidated properties. They will be given an opportunity to restore or sell but houses will be placed back on tax roll and beautified.

Citizen Newspaper: Where do you stand on small business creation and more opportunities for small businesses in the City of Harvey to grow scale and be sustainable?

McCaskill: CBGs and other grants will be offered to support “purposeful” expansion. When a direct benefit to taxpayers can be demonstrated TIFF funds will be used.

Citizen Newspaper: What are some things you would do to improve education and create pathways for youth employment?

 McCaskill: Bridge the relationships diminished by the current administration with local businesses and local/other government entities; and work directly and collaboratively with park, school, and library district officials as well as other local resources to address employment education and placement.  We are stronger together and my priority will be to increase access to opportunities for all residents especially our youth.  My wife Dr. Kisha E. McCaskill and I pride ourselves on the love we have shown to the youth of our community.

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