Oct. 12--For years, Charles Mulholland has been urging city and state officials to repair Second Street. Not satisfied with their response, he said he wants to get more involved.

That is why Mulholland, 65, is running for an At-Large position on the Clinton City Council. Following through on projects, such as Second Street, aggressively would be a priority, he said.

Mulholland is now retired after working for PCS Nitrogen for 37 years where he worked both as a union representative and manager.

If elected, he said setting up town hall meetings at the Ericksen Center would be one of his goals because he's dissatisfied with the rapport back to the average citizen.

Jason Nevel: Why should somebody vote for you?

Charles Mulholland: I am very sincere and honest. Everyone will be treated fairly and I will be available at all times. I have no prior experience so I think I have some fresh ideas and I'm very determined to get things moving in Clinton.

JN: What are some of the things you would do to try and attract more jobs to Clinton?

CM: That's been an issue forever. We need to aggressively go after good-paying jobs. We just have to continue the projects, like 19th Avenue North, and hope for the best.

There are no jobs no place. Everybody is losing jobs. Where I worked for 37 years got bought out.

The only way we're going to get jobs is finish the projects we're on as fast as possible.

JN: What are some of the ways you would look at to provide relief for escalating sewer bills?

CM: I don't know how we can do it but there has to be something the city can do. We need to go back to the Utilities Commission again.

We're not going to be able to change them. But, we need to come up with an ordinance that if the renter leaves and they're liable for sewer bill it goes on their taxes.

Why should the average citizen take care of everyone else who isn't paying?

JN: What do you think will be the biggest challenge for you if elected?

CM: The biggest challenge I guess will be learning the inner workings of the city. I'll have to learn about how the department heads and city administrator work and just the overall structure of things. Also, just learn who do I need to go to when people call me.

JN: The city is looking at bonding to fund street repairs and other community improvements at the risk of raising property taxes. Where would you draw the line?

CM: I don't have any experience with that and would have to learn the ins and outs. I know the rates are low so I would have to have some more information.

The streets need to be repaired so hopefully we would find some other revenue or offset. I'm definitely against any increase in property taxes.

I cut it off at the point property taxes would get raised. Nobody ever says anything about property evaluation and that's going to hit us down the road. It's going to be an increase because your property will be worth more.

JN: How do you plan to adjust and make transition into being in the public eye?

CM: I think I will be comfortable because I enjoy helping people.

JN: Is there anything you would like to see changed in Clinton?

CM: The riverfront is beautiful but if you go down side streets and even main streets you see junk and abandoned cars and lawns that haven't been mowed.

I want to see the city cleaned up so when people come into town they feel good about it.

JN: How has the city handled the crumbling street problem in Clinton?

CM: The reason the streets are getting done now is because we let them get to the point where they're at. We quit seal coating, we quit maintaining blacktop streets. We didn't maintain even when we had the money.

They had no choice but to fix the streets. The streets have to get repaired. The 107-block plan is a fraction of what needs to get done.

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