(Memphis 8/19/2009) The group of Candidates for Mayor of Memphis is a diverse group to say the least.
They have their own reasons for wanting the city's top job, even the man who gave up the job prematurely. So, in an effort to help you make an informed choice at the polls, we are on your side, profiling ten candidates in ten days.
Dr. Sharon Webb is a member of the Memphis School Board, and full-time minister. She's been married for 35-years and has 4 adult children. Dr. Webb graduated from Carver High School, earned her B.A. from Crichton College, and a PhD from Memphis Bible College.
Mondays, you can find Dr. Sharon Webb at the Memphis Board of Education. She's a first term Commissioner, elected in 2006, and now, she wants to be Mayor. I asked her why.
She says she wants to be Mayor because we have a lot of things going on in Memphis that she knows she can change, and she adds that before things can change, you have to give people hope.
Webb says she knows it's not a one man show, but you need someone to bring it together.
I told Dr. Webb she's been accused of being too nice to handle a tough city like Memphis. And, while she admits to being a nice person, she says she's also a no nonsense person. Webb says, if you have a job to do then she expects you to do it. And if she has to make a hard decision, and thinks it's the best thing for the citizens, she would not have a problem making that decision.
As far as crime is concerned, Webb acknowledges that young people are a big part of the problem, a problem she says can be helped, by working closely with Memphis City Schools. She says a lot of our youth are incarcerated, and are repeat offenders, so as Mayor, she would explore every possibility for us to educate them while they are incarcerated, make sure that they get a GED, make sure that they're able to read, and teach them a trade, so that when they come out of jail, they can be productive citizens again.
When asked how she would address the city's less than shining image, Dr. Webb says she would establish a good rapport with the media, so that we can focus more on the good things that the city has to offer. And when we do that, it will change the whole atmosphere of the city, causing people who live here to want to stay here, and entice others to move here.
As Mayor, Dr. Webb says before making any division director changes, she would sit down and talk to them. She says she needs to know how they feel about the city, how they feel about working for the city, what they have to offer, and can they fit in with what she wants to do with the city. If they can fit in, she says they will work well together. But, if they can't, she says she would still love them, but, they wouldn't be allowed to stay.
I asked Dr. Webb, if she could win. She said yes, because there's so many people in the race, and all she needs to do, is get more votes than anyone else.
They have their own reasons for wanting the city's top job, even the man who gave up the job prematurely. So, in an effort to help you make an informed choice at the polls, we are on your side, profiling ten candidates in ten days.
Dr. Sharon Webb is a member of the Memphis School Board, and full-time minister. She's been married for 35-years and has 4 adult children. Dr. Webb graduated from Carver High School, earned her B.A. from Crichton College, and a PhD from Memphis Bible College.
Mondays, you can find Dr. Sharon Webb at the Memphis Board of Education. She's a first term Commissioner, elected in 2006, and now, she wants to be Mayor. I asked her why.
She says she wants to be Mayor because we have a lot of things going on in Memphis that she knows she can change, and she adds that before things can change, you have to give people hope.
Webb says she knows it's not a one man show, but you need someone to bring it together.
I told Dr. Webb she's been accused of being too nice to handle a tough city like Memphis. And, while she admits to being a nice person, she says she's also a no nonsense person. Webb says, if you have a job to do then she expects you to do it. And if she has to make a hard decision, and thinks it's the best thing for the citizens, she would not have a problem making that decision.
As far as crime is concerned, Webb acknowledges that young people are a big part of the problem, a problem she says can be helped, by working closely with Memphis City Schools. She says a lot of our youth are incarcerated, and are repeat offenders, so as Mayor, she would explore every possibility for us to educate them while they are incarcerated, make sure that they get a GED, make sure that they're able to read, and teach them a trade, so that when they come out of jail, they can be productive citizens again.
When asked how she would address the city's less than shining image, Dr. Webb says she would establish a good rapport with the media, so that we can focus more on the good things that the city has to offer. And when we do that, it will change the whole atmosphere of the city, causing people who live here to want to stay here, and entice others to move here.
As Mayor, Dr. Webb says before making any division director changes, she would sit down and talk to them. She says she needs to know how they feel about the city, how they feel about working for the city, what they have to offer, and can they fit in with what she wants to do with the city. If they can fit in, she says they will work well together. But, if they can't, she says she would still love them, but, they wouldn't be allowed to stay.
I asked Dr. Webb, if she could win. She said yes, because there's so many people in the race, and all she needs to do, is get more votes than anyone else.
