Two candidates for Bowling Green’s mayoral race took the stage for a debate on what sets them apart if they were voted to the position during the November General Election.
During a moderated event sponsored by the Bowling Green Daily News, incumbent Mayor Todd Alcott and former state representative and Western Kentucky University professor Patti Minter debated on stage at Bowling Green Junior High School on Tuesday evening. Each candidate took questions about how they plan to handle the rapid growth in the city, affordable housing, infrastructure needs, and education.
During the nearly two hour event, each candidate was mostly cordial. However, a few tense moments also occurred.
Minter was critical of Alcott’s response to the deadly tornado outbreak in December of 2021. Minter, who was a state Representative at the time of the storms, said disaster funding was available during the crisis but Alcott ignored her communication.
“I was not able to deal directly with the mayor during the tornado relief and recovery process because you didn't respond to my emails, and I had money that the governor made available through the safe funds,” Minter said.
Alcott countered saying he was more focused on what needed to be done during the crisis than returning emails.
“Email was not a priority,” Alcott said. “We had a city management team that helped us manage that. That’s not my job either. She doesn't really understand the difference between a city management and the face of the mayor in a crisis.”
Each candidate laid out their plan for the future of the city with Minter focusing on improving city traffic and roadways, as well as improving infrastructure through sustainable, equitable, and livable strategies. Minter has said she would also implement a fairness ordinance to eliminate discrimination based on sexual orientation. Minter said it’s something that is inhibiting Bowling Green’s growth.
“Twenty-four other cities, towns and counties including Henderson and Paducah both have passed those since the first time those were heard in Bowling Green City Commission,” Minter said. “You don’t want to pass a fairness ordinance because you clearly don’t want to stop discrimination against certain members of this community. Discrimination is wrong but it’s also bad for business.”
Mayor Alcott focused most of the debate on his leadership during the tornado outbreak during 2021, improvements to the city's infrastructure including the downtown and riverfront projects, and curbing homelessness in Bowling Green.
“We’ve had a working session on affordable housing and homelessness because we knew those issues were related,” Alcott said. “We came together at public meetings, these were public sessions I was very proud of and have borne physical results today. We have received over $155 million working with HUD, working with the state, working with our developers, working with Habitat for Humanity."
Alcott also said under his leadership the city has taken up plans to build a facility to address mental health services in the region.
“We were able to land, in the last legislative session, $20 million dollars for mental health crisis center that was a result of those meetings.”
The nonpartisan election will be on the ballots of Bowling Green voters during the upcoming general election. In-person, excused absentee voting begins October 23rd.
Three days of no-excuse, in-person voting is being held across the state Oct. 31-Nov. 2. The traditional Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5.
