SALINAS, Calif. -- The elections are over and the results are in. This year, Central Coast News did something different and made a commitment to cut through the spin and the clutter and give you a chance to hear from the candidates, un-edited on our website. We called them "candidate statements." Now that the results are in, we're holding the winners accountable, focusing Friday night on Joe Gunter, incoming Salinas mayor.
He said his top priorities focused on improving public safety, promoting new and retaining current businesses, and providing better public service.
Gunter is pushing for a new police building through the Alisal Marketplace, a 52-acre development in East Salinas. He also wants to add about 10 officers to the police force in the next year.
"I think every year we need to move up that number, because we need that number of officers. We've cut back on some of the services we used to provide," he said.
Next comes attracting more businesses to the city.
He said the city is getting interest, but what's holding prospective businesses back is the permit process can take a while.
Right now it takes anywhere from two weeks to eight months.
"We're working on getting the permit center up and running, whether they need more staff, better direction. They do a good job, but now we need to improve it," Gunter said.
With new busineses coming, he said that will attract more traffic, enticing current ones to stay.
"It's a trickle effect. With the new businesses being built, there will be jobs and that's where we really generate," he said.
Also on his list is changing the culture at Salinas City Hall to provide better customer service by adding more staff and making more services available online.
"We have a great city. We have great people. I think, sometimes, in all the little things that come up we sometimes lose track of that. We really have to keep our energy focused on moving forward and thinking about the positive side of our town," he said.
Central Coast News will check back with Gunter to see how he's doing with fulfilling these goals, in addition to all of the other newly-elected candidates who submitted a candidate statement.
