Mayor Tartaro - Questions for Council Candidates

Editor's Note - Welcome to fourth installment of Questions for Council Candidates. Recently, Hyattsville Patch sent a 15 part questionnaire to candidates running in this year's Hyattsville City Council election. The questions, developed with the help of Hyattsville Patch readers, probe the candidates thoughts on city policy, development, and also asked the candidates to do a little self reflection. 

Between now and May 6, Hyattsville Patch will be publishing their responses to each question to help you, the reader, make a more informed decision at the polls on May 7. Here now are the responses to the fourth question. Responses are organized alphabetically by ward. 

Question - What is your opinion of Mayor Marc Tartaro's leadership of the Hyattsville City Council?

Ward 1 Candidates:

William Jenne - Editor's Note - Jenne's response to this question was added after this post was published. Jenne, citing work and family obligations, did not submit his responses to the candidate questionnaire until May 2, well after the publication deadline, and well after the first seven candidate responses had been published.

I have no doubt that if I’m elected I would be able to work well with Mayor Tartaro, as I would work with any of the members of the council and city government.

Bart Lawrence - The Mayor is not the leader of the City Council. The more accurate question is either “What is your opinion of Mayor Marc Tartaro’s leadership of the City?” or “What is your opinion of Council President Matt McKnight and Council Vice-President David Hiles’ leadership of the Hyattsville City Council?”

It’s difficult to critique the Council given that no one Council Member is responsible for the successes and failures of that body. And, it’s not enjoyable to critique a group of people who are your neighbors and who are volunteering to do the work that needs to be done. 

That being said, when we look back on the past two years of governance, we see the City without a city administrator for 18 months; numerous vital city staff positions vacant; 4318 Gallatin Street (the Arcade building) project stalled; 3505 Hamilton Street (BB&T building) languishing; Banner/Buchanan/40th/Crittenden Street project unfinished; 40th/Crittenden Street project delayed and incomplete; University Hills street/sidewalk project delayed; functionally obsolete City facilities not being addressed; and other failures.  

These failures are not the fault of City staff. These failures represent a failure of leadership. 

I am hopeful that the new Council Members, including myself, will work with the existing Council Members and Mayor to ensure that the City’s business is done.

Ward 2 Candidates:

Robert Croslin - I have no comment for this question. 

David Hiles (Incumbent) - Mayor Tartaro can improve. He is only two years into the job.  However, it does take two to tango.  (Or is that 11 on our Really Big Council?  Watch your toes!)  The Mayor can propose, but the Council has to act. If the Council won’t do its job, it doesn’t matter what the Mayor does.  Leadership means facing up to the difficult issues as they present themselves and not kick them down the road.  Marc does that, unlike our friends downtown.  After all, we can’t print our own money.

Ward 3 Candidate:

Patrick Paschall - I believe that Mayor Tartaro is someone who genuinely wants to help Hyattsville move forward.  Regardless of challenges that may have existed in the past, I genuinely believe that now is a real opportunity to move forward together.  We will have at least five, potentially six, new members of the City Council.  I view this as an opportunity for a new set of people to bring fresh perspectives to work together to make Hyattsville even better than it already is.

Ward 4 Candidates:

Ross Gateretse - I personally do not know the mayor, but I have met him at the city council meetings. l believe he’s got what it takes to run this city, but I do believe that the strength of a team is in each member. It is the mayor and the city council’s responsibility to work hand in hand on the city’s issues. I hope together, they can collaborate, innovate, and find a way to overcome Hyattsville’s challenges like fighting crime.

Edouard Haba - From what I have seen, the collaboration between the Mayor's Office and the City Council has not been smooth. This in turn has lead to some dysfunctionality in the working relationship between the two. 

Ward 5 Candidates:

Pastor Herrera - Editor's Note - Herrera did not submit responses to this questionnaire before the publication deadline.

Joseph Solomon - I look forward to working with the Mayor in developing the City of Hyattsville, so long as his agenda is in line with needs of Ward 5 residents.

Clayton Williams - I am not deaf to the frustrations expressed about the Mayor’s first two years. Nor am I blind to the behavior I have seen at Council meetings. However, this is a chance for a fresh start. This is an opportunity for the entire Council to come together in good faith and with no preexisting conflicts. I will expect professionalism from everyone and assume that we all desire a better Hyattsville. My opinion is that if the Mayor has a similar sentiment, there will be no need to address the past.