Candidates seek council seat

One candidate is seeking to extend his government service while the other is hoping to return after a couple of years off.

Incumbent Dunkirk at-large council member Tom Johnson, a Democrat, is facing a challenge from former health and safety officer Rick Buckner, a Republican.

Johnson is a 1959 Dunkirk High School graduate who is now retired. He served as Dunkirk’s mayor from 2000 through 2004 and has served on city council since 2005.

Buckner is a retired businessman who also served in the U.S. Marine Corps. After high school, he attended Ivy Tech and military service schools, and he served as health and safety officer, code enforcement officer and zoning administrator in 2016 and ’17.

The candidates were asked to respond to a questionnaire from The Commercial Review. Their answers follow.

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Why did you decide to run for office?

Buckner: I will promote fiscal responsibility and a open-door format of government to the citizens of Dunkirk.

Johnson: I’ve lived here all my life and have seen a lot of changes. I would like to think I am helping out.

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The Jay! Region, including Dunkirk, is a finalist for the state’s Stellar Designation that would open the door to millions in grants and other incentives for local projects. What projects would you advocate for to benefit Dunkirk?

Buckner: Economic development. Downtown infrastructure revitalization. A greater drug-free environmental policy.

Johnson: Flooding is a problem. Also, we need new sidewalks, upgrading water lines, senior housing, walking trails around town, just to start.

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Dunkirk has faced challenges with keeping police officers on staff. How would you help address that issue?

Buckner: Dunkirk has not had a problem keeping police officers. We need to maintain quality police officers through better pay and work incentives, as well as being more open to the law enforcement needs of the citizens of Dunkirk.

Johnson: This is more or less a budget issue. With budgets getting tighter, it is hard to pay more.

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What is the most important issue facing Dunkirk and how would you handle it?

Buckner: Increasing the tax base by getting new businesses to open up in Dunkirk.

Johnson: The big problem, like in other towns, is the drug problems.

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What makes you the better candidate for city council?

Buckner: Life long resident. Twenty years military service. Ten years former federal employee for the Department of Defense as a project manager handling a $6 million a year IT budget. Successful businessman handling an advertising budget of over $120,000 a year for 10 of the largest vacation rental companies in the Smoky Mountain region of eastern Tennessee for a period of 10 years.

Johnson: Nineteen years in city government; 2017 Outstanding Service Award from the Dunkirk Alumni Association; 2005 Elks Citizen of the Year; 2013 Dunkirk Community Commitment Award; 2016 runner-up for the Dunkirk Community Commitment Award. All this is because I like to help the city out by doing what I can. I worked with the beautification committee, getting planters and benches uptown, and trash cans uptown and at Webster Depot Park.