Four candidates are running for Owensboro Mayor. Candidates were asked to provide background information and give brief responses to three questions.
Candidates are listed in the order they appear on the ballot.
Candidates are also participating in the OT live virtual Town Hall later today. The event is free to watch on our Facebook page. The video will remain on our Facebook and be uploaded to our website later.
Larry Conder
Age: 60
Education: Daviess County High School; Brescia University (B.S. in Business Administration); Murray State University (Master’s in Business Administration)
Occupation: Director of Operations at Public Energy Authority of Kentucky
Elected offices held: Owensboro City Commission (2017-2020)
1. What would be your top priority upon your first day in office, and how would you address it?
My top priority would be to communicate with the City Manager and other department leaders to ensure they know my intentions to be supportive of their needs and to gain information to help maintain the stability of the city services.
2. What steps would you take to ensure the economic and social stability of the City going forward?
I would work with the other Commission members to review budget projections, seek state and federal grant programs for infrastructure and social services, and communicate frequently with the city staff to proactively plan for future needs.
3. How would you describe your leadership style, and how would you use that in your role if elected?
I lead by example and delegate responsibility. I do not believe in micromanaging, but empowering and supporting the staff to do what they know best. I enjoy collaboration and open discussions to seek innovative ideas to discover opportunities for growth, especially in services that make our city safer and inviting.
Pamela L. Smith-Wright
Age: 71
Education: Owensboro High School; Rosebud Beauty Academy (St. Louis, MO); Owensboro Community and Technical College; South Seas Cooking School (Captiva Island, FL)
Occupation: Cosmetologist; Caterer; City Commissioner
Elected offices held: Owensboro City Commissioner (currently in fifth term); Mayor Pro Tem
1. What would be your top priority upon your first day in office, and how would you address it?
I believe our greatest challenge would be COVID-19. I believe it is very important to listen to our health professionals first and then try to find ways to get our citizens back to work and our children back to school safely.
2. What steps would you take to ensure the economic and social stability of the City going forward?
I believe we must work together as a team. Collaboration with the Chamber, the EDC and the CVB are essential in keeping our city moving forward. There is a domino effect, jobs can be created, which in turn helps our city. If we work in unison and share ideas, we can find ourselves on the receiving end of a common goal.
3. How would you describe your leadership style, and how would you use that in your role if elected?
I tend to have a democratic leadership style. I like including all players so when we have success we all can feel successful and if we come up short, we all must take responsibility for that as well. I will take the lead but will be open to any and all opinions, and weigh those and choose what I as mayor feel is best for our city.
Tom Watson
Age: 69
Education: Northwestern University Prosthetic Program at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago
Occupation: Co-owner with wife Barbara of Tom Watson’s Prosthetic and Orthotic Lab in Owensboro and Evansville
Elected offices held: Mayor (2005-2008 and 2016-2020)
1. What would be your top priority upon your first day in office, and how would you address it?
Top Priority – Continue what we have been doing the last four years. All elected officials should have Public Safety as their No. 1 priority. Create a Western Kentucky Police Academy in conjunction with or of our post-secondary education schools.
2. What steps would you take to ensure the economic and social stability of the City going forward?
Economic Development is the No. 2 priority of all elected officials. Continue to work with EDC, Fiscal Court, Frankfort and Washington, D.C. to strengthen our relationships to keep us moving forward. Encourage more Entrepreneurism. Engage any and all developers to see how we can assist them in their endeavors. Increase the local government assistance to programs like shelters for the homeless as well as drug rehabilitation.
3. How would you describe your leadership style, and how would you use that in your role if elected?
Leadership style is one of a head coach. I have been told I am honest to a fault. I do have high minimal goals for people and as Mayor, my door is always open with the thought that “All ideas are welcome, just do not get upset if we do not use yours.” I believe that the seat I occupy is not my seat but the people’s seat, and I always keep that in the forefront of my decisions. I never want to get in the weeds or try to make history. I just want to lead a great team for the overall success of the community.
Dracin Williams
Age: 29
Education: Western Kentucky University (B.A. in History, Master’s in Organizational Change and Leadership)
Occupation: Resident Monitor at Women’s Rehab
Elected offices held: None
1. What would be your top priority upon your first day in office, and how would you address it?
The top priority will be to create a strategy to address the looming eviction crisis. Housing advocates are sounding the alarm for local governments to take seriously the hundred of families that will be impacted when the eviction moratorium ends. As Mayor, I would immediately gather housing stakeholders to understand how to strategically utilize funds to ensure families are housing secure during the COVID-19 public health crisis. This means that local government allocates more money for rental assistance and small grants for home rehabs to address the roughly 20 percent of community members with one or more substandard housing conditions.
2. What steps would you take to ensure the economic and social stability of the City going forward?
It is vital that our city creates a comprehensive plan to address struggling small businesses and COVID-19. I believe that small businesses are the lifeline of our community, however, many are on the verge of closure. We can provide stability by extending the relief fund for the duration of the shutdowns and support small business owners with technical support in order to apply for small business loans or transition to delivery services. By doing this we are also ensuring that they have new skills that will make them more successful after the pandemic.
To maintain social stability, I would utilize social media to speak directly to our community about our plans to address their needs, ways we can support one another and to highlight the great work of specific community members.
3. How would you describe your leadership style, and how would you use that in your role if elected?
The leadership style I use is the democratic style. This leadership style is important for local government because it allows for the exchange of ideas, builds trust and cohesion toward meeting common goals. We know that in order to maintain a successful community it will be important all of us be engaged in the decision-making process.
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