The League of Women Voters Candidates Forum for Mexico City Council will be held on March 31 at 7 p.m. at the Mexico Area Chamber of Commerce.

Here are questions and candidates’ answers, limited to 200 words each:

Larry Webber

What are your qualifications for a position on the Mexico City Council?

I'm really not sure what the qualifications are for the position. I've spent the past three years on the council so I think that experience is a big plus. It's really difficult to see from the outside what the inner workings are of any organization. City government is no exception. When you become familiar with the administration, staff, etc., it is easier to identify issues, how they're handled, how they might be handled differently or more efficiently.

I also have business experience - I've owned my own business for 49+ years and have seen and experienced both good and bad related to that. I think that might help look at city issues differently and provide more options to consider.

I guess I really think that basic intelligence, common sense and the ability to look at issues or problems objectively without any prejudice might be the best qualification. I hope that I might have some ability in those areas.

Identify two issues you would like to see addressed by the Mexico City Council during the upcoming term. How would you recommend these issues be addressed?

There are more than two issues which need to be addressed by the council and administration working together. I'm absolutely certain that a hospital is, and should be, the number one issue for the entire city team, as well as the Audrain County Commission. I know that this is being worked on by both and meetings, either in person, on Zoom, by phone, etc., are occurring weekly and I also understand that this is a long, slow process. However, I think that it may be time to push a little harder to try to determine exactly where our current potential "partner" might be in their process. Perhaps, we may need to back up and see if any previous partner candidates may have had changes in their organizations which might make them interested again. I do think that we need to only consider those who have current hospital operations and that they are organizations with which we are familiar. A second issue is affordable housing and I wish I had a potential solution for this as well. I think that we, the council and administration, ·need to again review any and all current incentives as well as any potential ones which might entice developers to again consider building such housing.

Steve Haag

What are your qualifications for a position on the Mexico City Council?

I have served on the Mexico City Council for six years, including two years as Chairman Pro Tem and this past year as Mayor. These experiences have given me valuable insight into how our city government operates and the responsibility that comes with serving our community.

During my time on the council, we have worked to make decisions that strengthen and improve Mexico while addressing challenges that affect our residents. Effective public service requires thoughtful leadership, collaboration, and a commitment to making decisions that benefit the entire community.

In my career as a teacher—and especially as a head football coach—I lead and organize a program focused on helping young men grow, succeed, and represent our community with pride. That leadership experience closely mirrors the work of city government. In both roles, the goal is to build something people are proud to be part of and that others want to join.

Whether in the classroom, on the field, or in city government, leadership requires accountability and the willingness to make difficult decisions in order to create opportunities and strengthen the community we serve.

Identify two issues you would like to see addressed by the Mexico City Council during the upcoming term. How would you recommend these issues be addressed?

Access to a healthcare facility serving Mexico and Audrain County remains our most pressing issue. Over the past several years, we have worked diligently to move this process forward, and I am hopeful we can build on the progress already made. This is a complex and sensitive challenge with no simple solution, influenced by decisions at the federal level as well as by our local institutions. While the path forward is difficult, we must remain committed to exploring every option until we find a solution that meets the healthcare needs of our community.

We must continue exploring ways to strengthen and improve our downtown while also increasing awareness of everything Mexico has to offer. I would like to see the City and the Chamber of Commerce work together to develop a coordinated public relations and social media strategy that better informs residents and visitors about the opportunities, events, and businesses in our community. As communication trends shift toward shorter, more accessible formats, we need effective platforms that highlight the great places and activities in Mexico in clear, engaging ways.

Alexander Finck

What are your qualifications for a position on the Mexico City Council?

I am a physician, working to solve issues my patients face every day. The first step to any solution is listening to understand the problem — gathering information and working together, with the patient, to achieve our goals. I will take the same approach on City Council. Visiting with patients, I have an appreciation of challenges many of us face — things like affordable daycare, affordable housing and transportation — that could be addressed more proactively by our city.

As a business owner, I often view issues in our community through the prism of entrepreneurship. I strongly believe we have untapped entrepreneurial potential in our community if we were to lay the groundwork for their success. That means investing in unique solutions to problems like affordable housing and daycare.

Lastly, I am the father of two young children. My children are the North Star for everything I do. It is my firm conviction that decisions made today will affect the health and wellness of our children tomorrow. Equipped with the experiences above, I will work to strengthen the future of Mexico’s children. That is why I run for City Council.

Identify two issues you would like to see addressed by the Mexico City Council during the upcoming term. How would you recommend these issues be addressed?

The most important issue is working to reopen our hospital — an effort that requires thoughtful, measured responses to an emotionally charged issue. This is an issue dear to my heart personally and professionally. I have lost patients, in part, due to loss of our hospital. It changes the way we practice medicine in Mexico.

That said, we cannot rush the project for temporary solutions or half-measures. We need a sustainable answer for our local hospital. I support the ongoing efforts at the city and county level to open the hospital. I will bring a solid medical background to the table — not only as a physician and the medical director of the Audrain County Health Department, but also with a history of work in rural hospitals in ERs and as a hospitalist. These experiences allow for more informed decisions and a more nuanced understanding of some challenges the project might face.

Affordable daycare is another issue that plagues our community. I would work with large employers in our area to see what challenges they face in their workforce and work to establish a public-private partnership to find solutions for affordable, reliable daycare in Mexico, thereby strengthening and widening our workforce locally.