Editor’s note: The Bulletin asked municipal candidates to Answer a set of questions. Below are the answeres provided by Landrum candidates. Incumbent council candidates Jon Matheis, Joyce Whiteside and Randy Wohnig and challenger John Carruth are vying for three open seats.

1.What will be your top priorities if elected to the Landrum City Council?
John J. (Johnny) Carruth: If elected I would work to help Landrum grow and improve life for the citizens of this great city and area. I will strive to work with the great citizens and council to do what is best for all who live here.
I would study the current budget, policies and departments to see if we are in line with similar size cities in our area. We need to see how as a city we can be more competitive to attract new business. I would be proactive in asking citizens their opinion about issues and to encourage openness between government and people.
Before I acted on any measure I would ask myself what effects it will have on us now and in the future. We need to be foresighted, plan for our present and for the future of those who will follow – do what we need and be careful in what we want.
Jon Matheis: To formulate a plan that will shape the look and feel of Landrum in five years and beyond. This plan must include maintaining a welcoming community that not only thrives financially, but also moves forward and gives back to its residents.
Our vision must be of structured growth that brings more residents and business in, while maintaining the small city feel that already exists. We must also strive to remain fiscally responsible so that our city continues to serve its citizens without placing any additional burden on them.
Joyce Whiteside: My top priority if re-elected to the town/city council is to make sure that we finish the work that is laid out on the table, such as the sidewalks project in process on North Randolph Avenue. It’s slow but in the process.
My second priority is the rebirth of the Landrum Depot. We need to find ways to generate revenue to the city, so our citizens do not have to endure a tax increase.
Thirdly, I would like to promote our city for new businesses to come to Landrum.
We need to search for grants to help replace housing on our vacant lots. Our neighborhoods can be rebuilt for our seniors as well as our next generation. We need to keep our neighborhoods thriving with all of our age groups. We need all of us to move forward to the next level. In time it will make people think of Landrum as a stopping point, and not a quick stop for cheap gas.
We must keep our wonderful and thriving city moving forward. Our goal is to make Landrum a great place to visit and a great place to live.
Randy Wohnig: My top priorities are and will be to continue to work with residents and business owners to keep the quality of living in Landrum the best it can be.

2. What issues do you see facing the city and what would you do to address those issues during your term?
Johnny Carruth: I see very challenging economic times for our local municipal, state and federal governments because of fewer revenues, rising costs and changing public opinion on what our governments should do for their people. We will have to make very tough decisions on what is necessary and what is not.
I will look for ways to cut costs first and look for every grant available (government and private) as long as it does not cost us in the long run.
I think we need to think differently than we normally do. We will need to look for organizations and citizens to volunteer their manpower, leadership, etc. to cut the cost of certain projects they and we want done. We will also need to encourage employees to come up with true ways to doing their jobs with the most efficient way. In doing so we may be able to cut costs while getting more things done.
Jon Matheis: In this economy our most pressing issue is to maintain the services that Landrum provides under our current budget without the need for a property tax increase, which I am already on record voting against. Landrum needs to work vigorously at bringing in additional revenue from outside through the use of targeted advertising throughout the southeast and beyond.
Joyce Whiteside: The issue facing us now is housing for our seniors. We have a lot of undeveloped tracts in our city. We need to diligently search for development grants, partnerships and finances to bridge our housing needs.
I will do my very best not to raise taxes. We need new ideas to generate funds and not just raising taxes. We can raise revenue with new businesses and more people moving in wanting home ownership. We could form partnerships to develop unused properties. We can search for funding to upgrade senior and low-income houses. These are just some of my ideas for new funds and upgrading our neighborhoods.
We must take a serious look at our spending. Let’s put our spending in their proper priorities and get more efficient in what we do. We have to cut those inefficient processes and methods of doing business. We are doing a great job but we can do better. Some areas can be done cheaper and more efficiently by private services. It’s worth investigating for justification of present services.
Randy Wohnig: As a councilman, resident and business owner, I want to see our cost of living as low as possible. I have been part of a small tax increase.  The fact is all city costs have risen but increases in city revenue have not kept the same pace.

3. What is your vision for the future of Landrum’s depot and how do you plan to pay for that vision?
Johnny Carruth: My vision is probably a lot greater than we would be able to afford at this time. I like a lot of what I have heard and seen. I would like to see it keep as true to historical as possible but brought up to date and be more multi-use with a lot of natural light. I would want it to be very energy efficient and eco or green building. I would probably try to have it done in stages and use volunteers, grants and donations, fundraisers, community service time, etc.
When the city hall was remodeled it was done in part by the Navy Seabees. We may be able to find other armed services construction divisions that need projects.
I do believe we should do everything we can to not put any more burden on the taxpayers and to get as many people involved as possible for pride.
Jon Matheis: I see Landrum’s depot as a new focal point for the northwest end of Landrum. The architectural contract has been awarded and work is scheduled to begin in mid 2012. This will provide a location for outdoor entertainment and Landrum’s farmers market, and will be also able to be rented out for receptions and meetings. This use of the depot will provide additional revenue for Landrum.
Part of the cost to renovate the depot will come from the hospitality funds our city already has. In addition to those hospitality funds we will seek out grants and consider a bond issue. In this way, we will not put any additional burden on our taxpayers.
Joyce Whiteside: I have a vision for the future of the Landrum Depot. We have started the groundwork for its development. We want it to be the focal point of the city. There we can share our history and our proud heritage. We all have city history and items of our past, present and future. Let’s come together and share.
It can and will be a place for wedding, meetings, celebration and many other social events. With that come more funds for the city and more community pride. We, the council, have started the remodel project. It will take a lot of work and money. It can also be a unifying source for local businesses, and individuals can donate time and funds.
We’ll need work done from the roof to the curb appeal. The master plan will allow the citizens to step up to show their pride in remembrance of a loved one and cut costs at the same time.
We will continue searching for other sources of funding to make this project happen.
Randy Wohnig: Many have expressed interest in the renovation of the depot. It is used frequently and would be an asset to the community for many years. I think it would be great to have a hub for activities in town for use by all. There are grants available. We also have at our disposal hospitality funds to see the project to completion.

4. Landrum residents will choose in November whether or not to allow restaurants to sell alcohol on Sundays. What do you see as the benefits or harm to the city if the referendum is approved?
Johnny Carruth: I don’t see any benefits to this issue that are not offset by the harm that can and probably will come from this referendum if it is passed. As I see it, this would give the citizens one more day a week, at least 52 more days a year, to be at risk of being harmed by someone who is driving or abusive while intoxicated.
I do not believe we should do this just because other cities have done this, for if we are to help this area to be safer and unique we must guard against things that might harm it. I also think there are less harmful ways to generate revenues for the city or businesses.
Jon Matheis: I can understand people may worry that the passing of this referendum could lead to an increase in alcohol-related problems. Greenville approved Sunday sales in 2000, Spartanburg did so in 2003, and Greer did last year. In that time, no police chief, mayor or members of any city council or representative from MADD had noted any problems with, or raised any concerns about, the impact of Sunday sales.
The benefits of Sunday sales would be additional hospitality tax funds, additional jobs, and more business for local vendors and suppliers, and this would make us more attractive to tourists. This would make us more competitive with Greenville, Spartanburg, Greer and Tryon, all of which currently allow Sunday sales.
Joyce Whiteside: It was said by the merchants that alcohol sales on Sunday could bring in more revenue. It would give them justification to be open. It would give our citizens a choice to stay for meals they would have had elsewhere.
There is the other side of alcohol-related crime. The police department may have more calls as a result of alcohol sales. This is a decision that our citizens will make in November with a vote.
Randy Wohnig: Should the measure pass there will be some uptown and surrounding area shops that will see increased activity. There will be some Sunday traffic through town. Some people that take Sunday to be with their family, friends and worship will now be working. Is it worth it?

5. All small towns are seeing significant decreases in state revenues as a result of the economic downturns of the past several years. How do you plan to overcome those shortfalls in revenues in the future?
Johnny Carruth: We will need to be very resourceful with the revenues we have, spending only on the things we have to and not waste on the things we want. I do believe we are in the most challenging times that we have seen in the last 60 years, but we can rise to this challenge and overcome it in time. We all will have to sacrifice and adjust what we want to change the way we think about government, and each other. We don’t need to focus on ourselves and the government but to look at the community and see what we can do for them. Once we do that, things will seem to start looking a lot better.
We are responsible for part of the problems because we all ask the government to do for us. We must ask less to change, resulting in more money.
Jon Matheis: As my answers to previous questions have shown, I am strongly in favor of overcoming these shortfalls in revenues by finding new sources of income such as the Landrum depot or increasing current sources such as our income from hospitality funds.
I do not, however, wish to increase the burden on our citizens through such things as property tax increases, which as I have stated I am on record as voting against. The more tourism we can generate the lighter the tax burden will be on our residents.
Joyce Whiteside: I will work to help us solve our shortfalls in finance and build to a bright future. We can cut spending and create a bridge from the past to a brighter future.
Randy Wohnig: Landrum has adjusted well to decreases in revenue in the past. This council will do its best to cope with the loss. If it means cutbacks in service, so be it.