Each week through the General Election, The Breeze will ask the candidates for Cape Coral City Council an issue-related question. In the interest of fairness, each candidate is limited to the same amount of words, about 100, for their response.

This week’s question:

What was the chief issue or concern expressed by residents and/or businesses as you campaigned? How would you address it?

District 2 candidates’ answers:

Laurie Lehmann

There have been many issues/concerns expressed by residents and businesses as I have been campaigning.

1. Citizens feel that they are being ignored by the current council. I would hold monthly town hall meetings in my district to have the citizen’s concerns listened to and then work to rectify the problem.

2. Citizens are concerned with wasteful spending. I would recommend a forensic audit by an outside auditor.

3. The stipend — I would make a motion to rescind it.

4. Businesses are concerned with the delays in permitting and inspections thus delaying their openings. I would look at staffing numbers and add staff if necessary. Also upgrade the current computer system to cut down on the delays.

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Dan Sheppard (Incumbent)

To address growth in north Cape, encourage proper commercial development which will reduce the need for residents to travel long distances for goods and services, minimizing traffic and congestion.

Expanding the UEP, completing new parks and focusing on beautification projects will enhance the community.

Key opportunities including upcoming Lee Health facilities on Veterans Parkway, which will meet local medical needs. Improve boating access off the Spreader Canal in the northwest, boosting recreational opportunities and property values.

These efforts will create a more self-sufficient and attractive environment for families and residents alike.

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District 3 candidates’ answers:

Derrick Donnell

DerrickDonnell.com

Make no mistake about it, the chief issue expressed by both the residents and our business community was and continues to be that of the stipend. Many residents I spoke to shared that they thought council members deserved a higher salary. However, they were absolutely against the way the council obtained the salary. To address it, the first order of business is to rescind the stipend. After the stipend is rescinded, we should then draft an ordinance that codifies the philosophy that the city council will not have the opportunity or authority in the future to vote on any type of compensation for themselves. The authority to grant any type of salary or salary increase will rest solely with the people in terms of a ballot initiative.

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Deborah Lee McCormick

McCormickforCapeCouncil.com

I’ve spent the past nine months speaking with residents and have come to learn a lot from them. Having been here 50 years, it came as no surprise to me that the citizens of this city want one, basic thing from their government: respect. A government is supposed to support its citizens, not deceive them. A government should make life easier for its citizens, not for itself. The residents of Cape Coral have made it clear that the city council has fallen short of these standards mainly via the stipend. City Council effectively gave themselves a 100% pay increase via a stipend, and because they dubbed it a stipend, they avoided going to a ballot referendum. This is not only disrespectful, it’s wrong. I intend to motion to rescind the stipend and will never take a dime of it. Additionally, I want to go through the process to amend the charter so that a future council can’t do it again. My goal is to restore respect for citizens and make our city council trustworthy again.

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District 4 candidates’ answers:

Richard Carr (Incumbent)

VoteRichCarr.com

I’ve found that many people have lost respect for the city council, largely due to the self-imposed stipend. This decision cast a shadow over all actions taken since, even the positive ones. Throughout my work, I have strived to rebuild trust by representing myself in a way that reflects integrity and transparency. The first step I took in this effort was to decline the stipend. I was appointed after the vote, and ultimately, I did not agree with the process used to implement it. If elected, I will continue this effort for the duration of my term. To truly begin restoring confidence in the council, the first step must be to rescind the stipend. With the support of incoming council members, I believe we can make this change. Rebuilding trust takes time and requires consistent actions that prioritize resident involvement in our decisions. Listening and fostering meaningful discussions–especially when opinions on the city’s direction differ–will be key to this process.

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Jennifer Nelson

NelsonforDistrict4.com

Traffic and permitting were two biggest concerns I heard  from residents and business owners. We need to streamline our permitting process to mirror what Lee County and Fort Myers.

Traffic is the number one issue.  Light timing, road widening, flyover to 75, use of new processes to significantly shorten construction time, such as the design build process. I would support. Public Safety is a top priority. 

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District 5 candidates’ answers:

Joseph Kilraine

KilraineforCape.com

Residents overwhelmingly upset at “moment-in-time-issues” of residents off committees & the stipend … easily fixed by reversing both… then rebuilding trust through resident involvement, respect & transparency. The durable long-term issue is infrastructure not paced to hyper-growth. Manifested in … Traffic, too many apartments, potable water supply- North Cape, poor drainage & costs. Fixes … water!! … reorder-accelerate UEP with added federal funding support, traffic!! do roads correctly with UEP in North/pursue I-75 access, reduce driving needs via smart housing eg Grove model (basic needs within walking-improves apartment impacts too) multimodal transport … drainage!!.. right-size North… get federal climate funding, fix South locations via smart engineering, cost!!- cut waste-unneeded programs

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Charlie Pease

VoteCharliePease.com

While the self-approved stipend — which I will certainly vote to end — often comes up, the primary concern for most residents is sustainable growth. To achieve smart growth, we need to revisit Cape Coral’s Comprehensive and Strategic Plans and set clear goals with input from stakeholders, including residents and industry partners. The City Council is crucial in planning, funding, and executing infrastructure projects; we need to expedite roadway and utility improvements to enhance traffic flow and solve water issues. Protecting preservation and park land is also essential to maintain a balance of green space and wildlife habitat. Lastly, we should guide commercial and mixed-use projects using strategies such as tax increment financing, appropriate zoning, and potential new sub-zoning regulations.

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District 7 candidates’ answers:

Michael David Harper

The majority of the people I have spoken with are concerned about the growth of the city and the problems with the infrastructure. There is not much we can do about the growth of the city as people will continue to flock to our area. Where we need to do better is we have to be more proactive about the infrastructure needs for the coming years and addressing those needs now before it becomes an issue. We also need to look at our remaining commercial space and make sure it is properly zoned for the upcoming needs of the city.

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Rachel Kaduk

RachelKaduk.com

Improving the city’s infrastructure and roadways is crucial as we continue to build out. The most common compliant is traffic. We need to look at coordinating traffic signals to increase flows and reduce delays. This issue is at Del Prado & Cape Coral Parkway every morning. The light turns green, but at Cape Coral Parkway that light is still red. We also have so many four-way stops that continue to be backed up. We need to look at roundabouts or signals for those major arteries now. I look forward to being “Road Rachel” for Cape Coral, should I be elected.