The following is an interview with Brian "Barry" Pollard who is running for the District 4 City Council seat.  Both Mr. Pollard and Mr. Young were contacted via email for an interview.  We have not heard back from Mr. Young as of election day.   Once we do, his comments will be posted on our website. We wish them both well, and we hope the information provided will help you make a better informed decision.

1. How did you get started with politics?

I started a short time ago. About a year. I have always been politically involved and maybe it started back in high school at Morse. I was always the leader in spearheading a couple  of demonstrations and walk outs. Recently however, I noticed our District was sliding backwards and wanted to make a difference. No one stepped up in the community so my family and I decided to step up and have some input in making this District better. I know we deserve better than we have now. Go to other districts, come back and compare what we have vs. what other districts have.

2. What are some of your greatest goals for District 4? 

Being more supportive of our youth, the next wave of leaders for our community, I want to develop a better relationship with our community and the young folks. That includes more mentoring, training, support and better relationship with the Police Department. Also, I want to work on bringing well paying jobs into our community, more businesses and more effective economic development for our community. We are a community without a plan.   I will develop one with the help of our residents. Without a plan of action we will not make progress. D4 can be greater, and we still need the entire community to pull together and work together. One person cannot make the necessary changes.

3. What benefits would your election bring about that incumbent Councilmember Tony Young's re-election could not bring about?

Make our community proud again. I would bring more revenue into our community and I would champion "volunteerism" to help pull our community together. I would find revenue to build more libraries, and rec centers as well as including our younger people in the community process. They will have a voice in my administration. I would work hard to bring back the Encanto Street Fair as well as the MLK Parade. Additionally, I will focus on getting internships and jobs with our local employers for our younger adults. I will ensure our community groups and resources are well supported and are accountable to our residents.

4. What would your answer to our council's budget cuts be?

Stop the needless spending and hold organizations accountable to the residents. I will be very cautious with spending more than we bring in. Basic budgeting, additionally as mentioned before, I will bring alternative revenue streams to our community to help with projects without being so reliant upon our General Fund.

5. What will you do to improve education in District 4?

Increase accessibility to libraries, and focus on programs like Pazzaz to help students that require assistance. Additionally, I will reward and recognize those students that excel in studies. I will work hard with the parents in our community to better support our students in study habits and activities.