Cottage Hill Baptist Church hosted Meet the Candidates Tuesday night–a joint debut of candidates for Mobile’s 2025 Mayoral election.
Seven candidates were planned to attend, though Alabama House of Representatives District 103 Representative Barbara Drummond was absent due to her being in Montgomery in the last week of session.
The event’s hosts included CHBC Pastor Alan Floyd and St. Joseph Missionary Baptist Church Pastor Leon Bell, Jr. It started with a worship service led by CHBC and a prayer by Bell. Candidates were then given three minutes for introductions before moving on to the question-and-answer portion of the evening.
Drummond, who recorded a video for attendees in her absence, shared her reasoning for running by citing her experience in state, city, and county government, saying, “I know the doors to knock on and the things to do to take Mobile to the next level.”
Former Mobile Police Chief Lawrence Battiste followed, sharing his confidence in the Port City’s public safety, saying, “I do believe that the city of Mobile is moving in the right direction,” and that every child should have an opportunity “to come back to the community that they grew up in.”
Former District 3 City Councilman Jermaine Burrell highlighted his accomplishments as a public servant, youth mentor, and small-business owner. Burrell says it’s obvious to him that “the city isn’t working for everyone,” stating he “wants to ensure that no one has to leave Mobile to thrive.”
Spiro Cherigotis, who recently stepped down as county district judge, noted the city’s accomplishments, like its river bridge, airport, and arena, in the works, but stated that Mobile’s next mayor can’t be content just to complete those projects.
Mobile County Commissioner for District 2 Connie Hudson told attendees, “Public service is a calling for me–it’s a calling and passion.” Hudson said she intends to improve Mobilians’ “quality of life but, first and foremost, on improving public safety, to stop “the exodus of people leaving our city.”
Stephen Nodine, former Mobile County Commissioner and city councilman, followed, mentioning the city’s past achievement of bringing Airbus and Austal to Mobile but said “We’ve lost most of those high-paying jobs,” to Baldwin County residents. Nodine added that the city will be most restored if we “Make Mobile Great Again.”
Former Police Chief Paul Prine wrapped up introductions by sharing “the three easy things” he wants to do for the city: ensure public safety, offer a one-stop shop for workforce development, and address the city’s economic infrastructure and development.
Weeks leading up to the event, residents submitted questions through the Cottage Hill Baptist Church website to be asked of the mayoral hopefuls. Candidates were then given two minutes to respond to their respective questions. The following are each candidate’s questions and answers:
Question:
There has been talk in the past about relocating the jail. Are you supportive of this idea?
If so, why, and where would you propose through relocation?
Lawrence Battiste:
“So, as I think about the idea of relocating the Metro jail, at this point in time, I can’t say whether I’m for or against relocating the jail, but I would think that as we continue to think as a community about developing our waterfront, the jail sits in a prime spot for real estate and creating opportunities for our community.
“If I were making a decision about where I would potentially relocate the jail today, I would think that over in the area of where Happy Hills were, there’s a lot of green space in that area there. It allows the jail to continue to be centralized within our community, so people will have access to it as well. But again, I think that most of the time when you think about building the jail, the first thing people say is ‘Not in my backyard.’ And so, that is going to be a big issue.
“So, if that’s something that comes up as I’m there, certainly we will have conversations. It is also an issue that’s really more of a county-related issue to do something like that there, but certainly from the mayor’s perspective, we will use our influence to make sure that the voice of the people of the city of Mobile is heard when that discussion comes forward.”
Question:
What do you think is the number one infrastructure issue facing our city?
Jermaine Burrell:
“I think that we can all agree that no matter where we go throughout the community, the community of Mobile, we can all see the poor road conditions, and also flooding. We see the flooding by downtown and Midtown area, as well as all the way here into West Mobile.
“We also see projects that have been going on for years, such as the McGregor Street Project and the overflow of sewage. So I think that our roads and infrastructure are our top issues there.
“To address this, we know that the city can’t afford to do this alone, so I will work in concert with the federal government, as well as the state government, to build the resources we need to address these issues. As mayor, I will bring the community to the table and prioritize the projects that are most important.”
Question:
What do you see as a city’s most pressing challenge, and how would you propose to address them?
Spiro Cherigotis:
“I think we have a few. That’s a good question.
To me, public safety is number one. When you look at some of the things that have happened, the truth is, it doesn’t feel like it, but our part one crimes are down over 50% over the last decade. Last year, we had the greatest reduction in crime in 30 years, but it doesn’t feel that way.
“When you watch the news, when you hear about a shooting at Langan Park or during a t-ball game, when people are afraid to go to their neighborhood grocery store in the middle of the day, public safety it’s a problem, it’s an issue. As a prosecutor and judge, I’ve seen things that work and I’ve seen things that don’t.
We’re in a technological age now. Tuscaloosa has an amazing drone program that I think has had great success. I think it could be very helpful with some of our high-speed car chases.
I think that’s something we need to look at.
“AI can scare you, and it probably should, but we can employ it now at our parks, for instance, and AI can detect people just squaring up to fight, having a verbal argument. It can even detect a gun within your waistband now, so that hopefully, the goal of public safety is not to arrest everyone, it’s to prevent the crime everywhere that you can.
“And so I think with the use of new technology, and for me, there are some things that I think most of our police would agree don’t take it huge impact, and I think that we can refocus some of our detectives and resources specifically on youth violence. It is the problem. I saw it every day.
I see the hopelessness that all these young men have in common. We’re talking about young men from the age of 14 to 24. And I just look forward to intervening in their life and showing them opportunity.”
Question:
There’s been a lot of talk over the years concerning annexation.
Where do you stand on annexation as a means of growing the safety of Mobile?
Connie Hudson:
“I think annexation is a means, certainly, of growing the population and growing the territory of Mobile, and I support it under certain circumstances.
“I think it has to be favorable, mutually favorable. They certainly circumscribed the area that the city would annex, the citizens would have to be a majority, would have to be interested in joining the city for the services, for the protections, and also to have a voice in government. So if that’s clearly indicated, then I think that that would certainly be something we would pursue.
“But, at the same time, the city has to look to see what the cost would be. Because of the infrastructure itself, when you accept that infrastructure into the city from annexation, then there is a cost because you’re maintaining an additional area.
You’re policing, you know, an additional area. And so that has to be factored in. But, at the same time, increased population also qualifies the city for more state and federal grant money.
“So looking at all the pros and cons, I think that certainly we do need to grow the city and we just have to be judicious about how we know about it and work with the citizens, to show them what a benefit it is to be a part of the city and have those protections and those services.”
Question:
Regarding city employees, money is always at the top of their priority list, but other than raises, have you identified other ways to compensate and retain current employees and to recruit new ones?
Stephen Nodine:
“Thank you for the question, absolutely, and again, it’s cutting some of the facts that you have a mayor’s office that has gone from almost $7 million to $13 million in overhead. We have almost 70 appointed positions to make over $160,000 a year, that I can probably guess live in Baldwin County, not in the City of Mobile.
“I would take a look at restoring a health insurance committee, health insurance benefits are key to many of the employees. And I would also look at–we have not changed the administrator, we do not bid out the service contract, and we have not for 42 years. So I would certainly put that out for bid and start getting innovative with our benefit package for employees.
It’s, again, the quality of life and making sure people that work in Mobile live in Mobile.
“You can’t tell people where to live, obviously, but we have to make that quality of life for our employees even better because it’s tough to compete with the private sector out there. So I would take a look at certainly reinstituing the insurance committee that we used to have, and that is getting input from all department heads and what is the key component of what is important to them and what is important to the departments that live within the means that they have, But, those would be two main issues that I would look at to retain employees.
Question:
If elected, what three steps would you take to put our city on a firm financial footing?
Paul Prine:
“Excellent question. The first thing that any mayor on this stage, if elected, should do is the first thing is audit the books. We have to find out where we’re overexpending at and be able to do away with some of those contracts that are frivolous and some of those that maybe are not needed right now. That’s number one.
“Number two, we are going to have to look at one of the biggest challenges that I see right now with the infrastructure is certainly going to be bringing the staff Mobile Police Department up. And you say, well, ‘How does that have to do with anything that financially?’ Because we’re not going to be able to bring people to Mobile, we’re not going to be able to be business-friendly if people don’t feel safe.
“The Mobile Police Department, at least a year ago, was budgeted at 489 officers. We average about 455 officers. Twenty-eight years ago, we were at 550 officers, and now that we’ve annexed and reached over 20,000 people, we should be somewhere around 600 to 620 officers. We are woefully unprepared, we’re woefully understaffed. And yes, does that address financial, but it has to because if we’re not family friendly, if we’re not open to the world that says ‘Mobile is open,’ we will never be in the city that we once were, or that we need to be if we don’t do that.
“I would also have to look at insurance.
If we don’t address the rising cost of insurance, the largest section of your money goes to salaries and fringe benefits. Salaries are going to have to keep up, but we’re going to have to work hard on fringe benefits, and the only way they’re going to be able to do that is truly open up the market, especially the insurance industry. Be competitive and drive these costs up. Thank you.”
After round one of questioning, Pastora Floyd and Bell continued to Round 2.
Question:
Do you have a plan to hold our city executive directors, directors, etc, and the departments accountable for measurable outcomes in a way that is transparent and made public?
Lawrence Battiste:
“First, I’d like to say is that yes, I do.
My first hundred days would be all of the executive directors and directors within the city–their job would be to bring to me their plan of operations within their respective departments. My expectation is to see what projects that are on the table, how did we come to the decision of putting those particular projects on the table and what projects are action needed and what projects or slow.
“The next step would be to have them identify to me how we’re going to measure our ability to move forward with the projects that they could before me.
In holding personnel accountable, one, you have to give them a desire to want to work for you, and to do the job that you ask them to do, or that you’re going to be paying them to do. So again, the intent would be to have them understand that as the new mayor, we want to ensure that they are doing what the citizens of Mobile needs them to do and that is to hold the vendors and all of the different people that we employed to do projects for us accountable in meeting their timelines, not allowing them to expend timelines and also make sure that we are working to ensure that the citizens of Mobile, when they are trying to get things done are able to get it done with as a little red tape as possible.
“The thing that we always hear is that, you know, a lot of projects that we would like to get done, but it’s so hard to get things done in city government, sometimes we need to remove some of the obstacles that are in the way of people being able to move forward and getting things done in our city.”
Question:
Will public transportation be addressed in your administration? And if you have a plan or an idea, you may share that with us.
Jermaine Burrell:
“Yes, I would say public transportation would definitely be a priority for the Burrell administration.
“In my neighborhood, I see folks who walk to the bus stop at 5:00 a.m. These are hardworking people looking to make a living for themselves, and they depend on our buses to help them do that. These are not lazy folks.
These are folks who are contributing to our community, folks who depend on a quality bus system to plan and provide for themselves.
“So, as a mayor, I will bring the bus operators to the table, along with their management company, to determine how we best provide a safe and reliable bus system for those people. Mobile is a city where neighbors take care of each other, and that includes our bus operators. They deserve a clean and safe bus system, as well. So I would work to create a strategic plan to address the gaps that we currently see, to ensure that everyone has safe and optimal buses.”
Question:
Candidates say they want to improve the education in our city. But, as we know, Mobile County Public School System is a separate entity, and the city has no direct control over school policy. So, how do you improve public education in our city?
Spiro Cheriogotis:
“I think that’s a great question. Thank you for asking it. You know, when people are trying to decide where they want to live and where they’re going to choose to buy a home, I think they look at three things: home price, the level of the schools, and crime.
The three biggest things, the three biggest factors for people and schools, are an issue for us. I think that one thing you can do is, obviously, partner with our county school board and find ways that you can partner. The mayor has the power to convene. If the mayor calls a meeting, people are likely to show up, and I thought of a few ways, I think the city can help.
“For one, I think that the city should commit to ensuring every child receives at least one year of pre-school education prior to entering kindergarten. We have a lot of kids showing up in kindergarten who have never had any formal education versus kids who have two, three years of formal education prior to kindergarten, they feel left behind at the very beginning. There’s a lot of state money out there. Alabama First is the program we lead the nation in our requirements. Of all of the areas of town, of all the groups in town that receive that funding, 100% of them are west of I-65. We have council, we have some public schools that offer that program, but no private entities are receiving those state funds. I want to help with that. I think we also, in order to show kids an opportunity and a clear path to success, we have to change the narrative on the trades. I have a biology degree, my best friend grew up, went straight into plumbing and electrical, I can promise you his checkbook is better than mine. We need to change that narrative to show that there are multiple pathways to success, and having an electrician certificate, an HVAC certificate, is something that you can build on all of your whole life, even if you don’t use it forever. So changing the narrative to be a partner with the school board.”
Question:
Do you see the 9,000 acres owned by MAWSS surrounding Big Creek Lake to be developed in the foreseeable future?
Connie Hudson:
“No, I do not see a large-scale development. The property was purchased by MAWSS and was acquired in order to be a buffer, to protect the Converse Reservoir/Big Creek Lake, which is the main source of drinking water for at least 70% of the city of Mobile and out into the county as well. And so, I know that there’s a lot of controversy right now about that, about the closure, and the area around it, and the city having made attempts at one point to consider an annexation. I don’t see development there.
“The only kind of development that I think makes sense, that I think MAWSS is actually in favor of, is some type of public access, park development, maybe pier, campgrounds, walking/biking and trails, that sort of thing. And, in fact, has reached out to the county for a partnership going forward. And so I see that, but no other kind of large-scale development on those 9,000 acres.”
Question:
How many police officers does Mobile currently have? How many do we currently need? And how will you pay for it?
Stephen Nodine:
“Well, I have two chiefs of police up here, and I know they’re gonna have a better answer to this, but a formula, obviously, through, not state statute, but with every thousand residents, there’s 3.5 officers that are needed.
“So, right now we have 491 firemen, and I think we’re close to about the same amount of police officers and there’s 600 or some odd that are needed with the amount of area that we’ve advantaged into, and that has becomes problematic and recruitment of that, and again, I always referred to Chief Prine and Chief Battiste when it comes to these issues, and I always establish that we need a good general.
“Now, back years ago, we had Harold Johnson, and we went through some tough times. We need to get the politics out of the police department–both in the mayor’s office and the city council and allow the chief of police to do their jobs.
With recruitment, I think both of these gentlemen did an outstanding job, and I commend them for their services, but also, we need to look at the firefighters, too. It seems as though we continue to try to parody between the police and firemen. And we need to ensure that we don’t do that. And we put the emphasis on the police and fireman and make that a priority for this community. And that’s what I would do, in my administration.”
Question:
Past mayors have struggled with reducing homelessness in our city. Is this a priority for your administration, and do you have a plan?
Paul Prine:
“Absolutely. And that’s a great question, and I was hoping I’d get that question. A couple of years ago, the Alabama Supreme Court struck down virtually every vagrancy law in the state of Alabama…so let me make it clear: a leader has to work with every level of government, including legislators in Montgomery, to find some legislation.
“Now, enforcement and legislation is important, but it’s not as important as the goal, and the goal is compliance. It doesn’t matter if it’s discipline at home; it matters if it’s not trying to prevent crime or even enforcing the law. Compliance is always to go when it comes to trying to deal especially with homelessness.
“The problem with homelessness is I have found virtually after 30 years of service, 27 years in Mobile, Mobile is so diverse that its politics is so scattered and separated on race, ethnicity, and party lines. We do not get our fair share of our money from Montgomery that’s going to be able to help us with drug addiction, veteran recovery, affordable housing. If we want our homelessness to be able to comply with the demands, and those things really do affect economic development and growth, we are going to have to find the funds, the resources, and bring all the nonprofits to the table, because the city can’t do it.
“We partner with the nonprofit, bring it to the table, not just a handful, but all of them, and then when we give them money, it’s something the government doesn’t do very well; we do not measure their success or their recidivism rate. And the truth of it is, if the city is going to give hard taxpayer dollars to any non-profit, whether it’s a two, four or six-year commitment, then we need to be demanding of those nonprofits their successful recidivism rate. What works, we build on it, and what doesn’t work, we destroy and part ways with it. And then, and only then, will we be able to address, truly, homelessness.”
After over a decade under the Sandy Stimpson administration, this year’s election could completely reshape the Port City, and with election day set for August 26th, voters have about three months to make their decision.
