I’M SELA KIM, WELCOME TO THE WDSU HOT SEAT, WHERE WE CONTINUE TO HELP YOU GET INFORMED BEFORE YOU HEAD TO THE POLLS. MARCH 23RD. TODAY WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE MANDEVILLE MAYOR’S RACE. THREE CANDIDATES QUALIFIED FOR THE RACE, INCLUDING THE INCUMBENT. TWO OF THEM ARE HERE BECAUSE MISTER BILLY ROSENTHAL TOLD ME THAT HE’S BATTLING A COLD. HE COULDN’T BE HERE. BUT WE HAVE THE INCUMBENT, CLAY MADDEN, JOINING US. THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. AND ALSO MISTER JEFF LYONS. THANK YOU, GENTLEMEN, FOR YOUR TIME. WE START WITH OPENING STATEMENTS 60S TO TELL US WHY YOU THINK YOU’RE THE BEST CANDIDATE FOR THIS SEAT. WE GO, ALPHABET. SO WE’LL START WITH YOU, MISTER JEFF LYONS. TELL US IN 60S WHY YOU THINK YOU’RE THE BEST CANDIDATE. SURE. I’M RUNNING FOR MAYOR OF THE CITY OF MANDEVILLE BECAUSE YOU DESERVE A CHOICE. MANDEVILLE. THAT’S A SERIOUS CHOICE. COMING TO US THE NEXT FOUR YEARS ARE CRITICAL. THE FUTURE OF OUR GREAT CITY. IS VERY CRITICAL. MY POSITION IS SIMPLE. I WILL CHANGE THE CURRENT RECKLESS COURSE SET BY MY MY BY MY OPPONENTS ADMINISTRATION. I HAVE THE NEEDED EXPERIENCE TO LEAD. I KNOW HOW LOCAL GOVERNMENT WORKS. I WILL GIVE THE TAXPAYERS OF MANDEVILLE MUCH BETTER GOVERNANCE THAN THEY ARE GETTING NOW. MY DECISIONS WILL BE BASED ON WHAT IS BEST FOR THE CITIZENS, NOT BASED ON PLEASING PEOPLE. BECAUSE YOU WANT TO FURTHER A POLITICAL CAREER. MY LEADERSHIP WILL BE PRUDENT AND POSSESS A VISION OF THE FUTURE THAT ALL CITIZENS OF MANDEVILLE WILL BE PROUD TO BRING FORTH. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MR. LYONS, THANK YOU SO MUCH, MISTER CLAY MADDEN. TELL US IN 60S WHY YOU THINK YOU’RE THE BEST CANDIDATE. I’M MANDEVILLE MAYOR CLAY MADDEN. I’VE HAD THE PLEASURE OF SERVING MY HOMETOWN OF MANDEVILLE AS MAYOR SINCE 2020. I HAVE A MASTER’S DEGREE IN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION FROM LSU. BEFORE THAT, I CAME UP IN THE MANDEVILLE PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM AND I PROUDLY GRADUATED FROM MANDEVILLE HIGH SCHOOL. THREE THINGS ABOUT ME IN THE LAST TIME THAT I’D LIKE TO HIGHLIGHT IS, NUMBER ONE, MY LISTENING SKILLS. I LISTEN TO ALL CITIZENS REGARDLESS OF WHAT SIDE OF TOWN YOU’RE FROM. SECONDLY IS COMMUNICATION. I HAVE ELEVATED COMMUNICATION FROM MY MADDEN MINUTE EMAILS TO FACEBOOK AND NEXTDOOR.COM MESSAGES THAT I PUT OUT. PEOPLE COME UP TO ME IN THE GROCERY STORE AND THANK ME FOR ALL OF THE INFORMATION THAT I COMMUNICATE ABOUT WHAT’S GOING ON IN THE CITY OF MANDEVILLE. AND THIRDLY, IS MY REPAIRED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE COUNCIL. WE’VE GOTTEN ALONG. WE DO DISAGREE AT TIMES, BUT YOU DON’T HEAR IN THE HEADLINES AND IN THE NEWSPAPERS ANYMORE ABOUT THE MAYOR AND THE CITY COUNCIL FIGHTING AND ARGUING. WE WORK WELL TOGETHER. WE’VE PASSED FOUR BALANCED BUDGETS IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, AND I LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING TO SERVE AS YOUR MAYOR FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. ALL RIGHT. MR. MADDEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND SINCE YOU BROUGHT UP THE BUDGET, LET’S START WITH THAT QUESTION. YOU ARE THE INCUMBENT AND NOW FACING LEGAL ACTION FOR NOT DISCLOSING THE OVERDUE END OF FISCAL YEAR BUDGET BALANCE REPORT FOR 2023. WHY HAVE YOU NOT REVEALED THAT BALANCED BUDGET REPORT YET? SO THAT HAS BEEN REVEALED. WE’VE DONE OUR REPORTING THE SAME WAY WE’VE ALWAYS DONE IT. WE SEND OUT A MONTHLY REPORT AFTER WE PASS OUR BUDGET IN THE SUMMER. OUR FISCAL YEAR IS SEPTEMBER 1ST TO AUGUST 31ST. UM, I DON’T REALLY KNOW WHAT WHAT THEY’RE ASKING FOR THAT HASN’T BEEN REPORTED BECAUSE IT’S ALL BEEN REPORTED THE SAME WAY. THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK OF IS THEY’RE ASKING FOR AN UNAUDITED, UH, FISCAL END OF YEAR BALANCE. WE’VE NEVER INCLUDED THAT IN OUR REPORTS. IT CAN BE CALCULATED. UH, BUT WHAT I DON’T UNDERSTAND IS WHAT’S THE RUSH? BECAUSE THE AUDIT IS CURRENTLY BEING DONE AND IT’S GOING TO BE COMPLETED IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS. WE DON’T TEND TO RELEASE THE UNAUDITED NUMBER AFTER THE AUDIT IS OVER. WE WILL. ALL RIGHT. MR. LYONS, YOU ARE THE ONE WHO FILED THAT LAWSUIT. TELL US WHY YOU FILED THE LAWSUIT. AND WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO MR. MADDEN? FIRST OF ALL, MY RESPONSE IS, WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO MR. MADDEN, IT’S NOT BEEN REPORTED THE SAME WAY THEY’VE DONE IT THE LAST FEW YEARS. OKAY. IT’S JUST NOT AND IT’S BEEN PROVEN. IT’S BEEN PROVEN. IT’S BEEN PUT OUT ON SOCIAL MEDIA TO SHOW THE DOCUMENTATION. SECONDLY, WHY THE LAWSUIT? AND IT’S QUITE SIMPLE. WE’VE BEEN OPERATING BLINDLY OKAY. SINCE THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. THE BEGINNING OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, WHICH IS SEPTEMBER 1ST. THIS IS 45 DAY RULE THAT WE FILED. I DIDN’T JUMP OUT IN 45 DAYS. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY CONTEMPLATIVE DECISION ON MY PART FOR MONTHS HAD GONE BY EVERY MEETING WE’VE HAD SITTING CITY COUNCIL PEOPLE ASKING FOR THIS INFORMATION THAT THE MAYOR SAYS IS THERE. WHY WOULD THIS COUNCIL PERSON KEEP ASKING FOR THIS SAME INFORMATION OVER AND OVER AGAIN IF IT WAS THEIR. WE SENT OUT 4 OR 5 DIFFERENT EMAILS AS PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS WENT AND VIEWED THE RECORDS AND WE WERE TOLD, THAT’S THE NUMBERS. IT’S NOT THE SAME. THEY HAVEN’T BEEN CHANGED. SO THE INFORMATION HAS NOT BEEN CHANGED AND THEREFORE WE WILL WE ARE GOING TO COURT, UH, THURSDAY MORNING. THANK YOU. AND DO YOU HAVE A RESPONSE? YES, MA’AM. I DO HAVE A RESPONSE. UM, JUST BECAUSE THERE’S PEOPLE ON SOCIAL MEDIA POSTING GRAPHS DOES NOT MEAN THAT ANYTHING HAS BEEN PROVEN. IT HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN. THEY HAVE NOT PROVEN IT WITH ANY OFFICIAL CITY DOCUMENTS. AND LIKE YOU SAID, IT WILL GO GO TO COURT AND THEY BETTER BRING OFFICIAL CITY DOCUMENTS PROVING US WRONG BECAUSE I AM CONFIDENT IN MYSELF. I AM CONFIDENT IN OUR STAFF. I’M CONFIDENT IN OUR CITY ATTORNEY THAT ALL THE RULES HAVE BEEN FOLLOWED. THE ONLY CITY DOCUMENTS THAT THAT WE ARE AVAILABLE TO ARE THE ONES THAT THEY GIVE US, AND NONE OF THE INFORMATION HAS BEEN UPDATED SINCE THE FIRST OF THE YEAR. WE’VE BEEN OPERATING BLINDLY. THOSE NUMBERS SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. WE DON’T KNOW WHAT WAS IN THE CHECKING ACCOUNT BEFORE. WHEN WE SAY WE’RE FIVE MONTHS INTO SPENDING THIS MONEY THAT THEY SAY IS IN THERE AND WE DON’T KNOW WHERE WE STARTED WITH IT, WE DON’T REALLY KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY IS IN THERE. SO THOSE THOSE DOCUMENTS ARE HAVE NOT BEEN UPDATED. WHY WOULD A SITTING CITY COUNCIL PERSON KEEP ASKING FOR IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN? SO, MR. LYONS, YOU’RE CLAIMING THE NUMBERS HAVE NOT BEEN RELEASED. YOU’RE CLAIMING, MR. MADDEN, THAT THE NUMBERS ARE RELEASED. SO IF THEY ARE, THEN TELL US THE NUMBERS. WHAT ARE THEY? IT’S LIKE A CHECKING BOOK, LIKE YOU SAID. WHAT’S COMING IN? WHAT’S THE REVENUE, WHAT’S GOING OUT? WHAT ARE THE NUMBERS OFF THE TOP OF THOSE? THOSE NUMBERS ARE INCLUDED IN ALL OF OUR MONTHLY REPORTS. WHAT IS IT? CAN YOU TELL US THIS? THIS IS A GREAT PLATFORM AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO TELL THE VOTERS WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE. THE REVENUE, WHAT’S THE REVENUE COMING IN, AND WHAT WAS THE SPENDING FOR 2023 SINCE THAT’S THE YEAR IN QUESTION, THE END OF YEAR BUDGET INFORMATION FOR 2020 GIVE YOU A SPECIFIC NUMBER, BUT THAT’S THE EXACT REASON WHY YOU HAVE AN AUDIT. SO WE WE’RE AUDITED JUST LIKE ANY OTHER LOCAL MUNICIPALITY IS AUDITED EVERY YEAR BY LAW, BY STATE LAW. OKAY. AND THAT IS WHY YOU HAVE AN AUDIT TO GIVE YOU FINAL NUMBERS SO THAT AUDIT IS TAKING PLACE. WE’VE HAD TWO AUDITING FIRMS, UH, COME IN IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS. ONE HAS BEEN THE AUDITING FIRM LAST YEAR THAT CAME IN IN JULY, AND TO A PUBLIC COUNCIL MEETING. AND THE OTHER ONE WAS OUR, UH, FINANCIAL FORECAST FIRM THAT WE HIRED TO GIVE US A FORECAST FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. BOTH OF THOSE FIRMS WERE QUOTED IN A PUBLIC MEETING, AND HE CANNOT REFUTE THIS AS SAYING THAT THE CITY OF MANDEVILLE IS THE ENVY OF THE REGION THAT WE’RE DOING GREAT. THEY LOOKED AT OUR BOOKS, THEY LOOKED AT OUR OUR NUMBERS AND SAID THAT, YOU KNOW, UH, ONE OF THEM EVEN SAID, I’VE DONE THIS IN SEVERAL OTHER MUNICIPALITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATE OF LOUISIANA AND INTO TEXAS, AND I’VE NEVER SEEN A CITY WITH SUCH IN SUCH A GOOD POSITION AS MANDEVILLE. YES. WE CAN’T SPEAK AGAINST WE HAVE A GREAT WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD FUND BALANCE THAT HE INHERITED BY THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION. THE ISSUE IS THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION WAS ADDING TO THAT FUND BALANCE. ABOUT 2 MILLION A YEAR. THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS SPENT EVERYTHING THAT’S COME IN AND HE’S ALSO SPENT AN ADDITIONAL MILLION DOLLARS IN REVENUES AND SALES TAX REVENUES THAT WE JUST STARTED RECEIVING WITH THE STATE. WHEN WE GOT THE INTERNET SALES TAXES WITH THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS HAD NEVER HAD BEFORE. OKAY. SO THAT’S THE ISSUE. IT’S THE SPENDING. AND WE DON’T KNOW WHERE WE’RE STARTING. THOSE NUMBERS ARE NOT THERE. WHY WHY WOULD THE FINANCE DIRECTOR IN THE MEETINGS WITH NO SUPPORT, BY THE WAY, FROM MY OPPONENT OUT THERE SAYING OVER AND OVER AGAIN, WELL, THEY’RE NOT THERE YET BECAUSE THE BILLS HADN’T BEEN PAID. WE HADN’T GOTTEN THE BILLS IN YET. WE HADN’T YET. AND SHE KEEPS SAYING, WELL, IT’LL BE UP THERE TOMORROW. YOU CAN FORGET ABOUT THE INTERNET. GO LOOK AT THE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. GO WATCH EVERYONE OVER THE LAST FIVE CITY COUNCIL MEETINGS. AND THAT’S THE FACTS. WHAT’S YOUR RESPONSE? YEAH, MY RESPONSE TO THAT IS HE’S RIGHT ABOUT THE PREVIOUS MAYOR ADDING $2.5 MILLION TO THE FUND BALANCE. I’M NOT SO SURE THAT THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA. TAKING $2.5 MILLION MORE THAN YOU NEED FROM THE TAXPAYERS AND PUTTING IT INTO A SAVINGS ACCOUNT EVERY YEAR. IS IT GOOD TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT LEFT OVER? YES, BUT 2.5 MILLION EVERY YEAR? UM, YOU’RE BASICALLY MISLEADING THE TAXPAYERS WHEN YOU DO THAT. OKAY. PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION. SO SO WHAT WE DID WAS, UM, WE HAD HURRICANE IDA IN MY FIRST YEAR. OKAY. WE SPENT THE FUND BALANCE DOWN TO PAY FOR HURRICANE IDA. I DON’T KNOW WHAT MY OPPONENT WOULD HAVE DONE. I DON’T KNOW THAT HE WOULD IF HE WOULD HAVE LEFT THE DEBRIS IN PEOPLE’S YARDS, IF HE WOULD HAVE NOT BLOWN OUT THE DITCHES, NOT FIX THE ROADS, BUT THAT’S WHAT WE DID. WE WERE ABLE TO SPEND THAT MONEY BECAUSE WE HAD IT IN THE BANK. THAT WAS GOOD. ON HURRICANE IDA RECOVERY. HE’S TRYING TO POLITICIZE A NATURAL DISASTER THAT IS PRETTY LOW. SO HOW MUCH DID YOU SPEND FOR HURRICANE IDA RECOVERY AND ARE YOU GOING TO GET THAT MONEY BACK? YES, MA’AM. WE WE SPENT ABOUT $11.5 MILLION OUT OF OUR GENERAL FUND ON HURRICANE IDA. WE’VE BEEN REIMBURSED ABOUT FIVE AND A HALF, SO WE’RE STILL OWED ABOUT $6 MILLION. OKAY. HE’S SAYING THE FUND BALANCE WENT DOWN. IT DID. BUT WHEN WE GET THAT MONEY BACK FROM FEMA, IT’S GOING TO BE HIGHER THAN IT WAS BEFORE I TOOK OFFICE. SO WHAT HE’S DOING IS HE IS USING A NATURAL DISASTER FOR FOR A POLITICAL PLOY, WHICH IS ABOUT AS LOW AS YOU CAN GO. ALL RIGHT. I’LL GIVE YOU 30S TO RESPOND TO THAT. PLEASE. THAT IS SO RIDICULOUS. WE’RE SO TIRED OF HEARING OF THE SPENDING. OF COURSE I WOULD HAVE SPENT $6 MILLION IF THAT’S WHAT IT TOOK. 11.5. WELL, WE’RE WAITING STILL ON 6 MILLION. AND MAYBE WE’D HAVE IT BACK. 30S IN QUITE A LONG ENOUGH. BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS. I’M NOT POLITICIZING A NATURAL DISASTER. THE ISSUE IS, IS THAT THIS CURRENT MAYOR PUT THAT $6 MILLION IN THIS ANNUAL BUDGET EXPECTING TO SPEND IT, AND WE DON’T HAVE IT IN THE BANK YET. SO I’LL KEEP HEARING OVER AND OVER AGAIN, IF THAT’S $6 MILLION, DON’T COME IN. WE’RE GOING TO BE $6 MILLION SHORT ON THE REVENUES THAT WE NEED TO PAY FOR THE BUDGET OF THE THINGS THAT HE WANTS TO DO THIS YEAR, I’M ACTUALLY QUITE GLAD THAT HE SAID THAT, BECAUSE MY ANSWER TO THAT IS, SO WHAT? SO WHAT IF WE’RE $6.5 MILLION BECAUSE WE SPENT THAT MONEY ON HURRICANE IDA, A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT OR YOU WON’T PROVIDE? SOME OF THE CAPITAL MONEY WAS SPENT ON HURRICANE IDA RECOVERY SYSTEMS BECAUSE. SO HE PUT IT IN SAYING THAT IF WE HAD NOT SPENT THAT MONEY, WHAT WAS THE ALTERNATIVE? WE WOULD HAVE LEFT THE CITY A MESS. THAT’S NOT TRUE. AND THAT’S NOT WHAT THE CITIZENS OF MANDEVILLE WANTED. THEY WANTED THE CITY CLEANED UP AFTER HURRICANE IDA. WE REPAIRED EVERYTHING. WE WERE LUCKY THAT WE DIDN’T HAVE TO BORROW THAT MONEY. WE HAVE NO DEBT. THERE’S NO BUDGET CRISIS. WE HAVE NO DEBT. WE HAVE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE. WE WERE ABLE TO SPEND THE MONEY ON A HURRICANE ZONE FINANCE, AND HE’S TRYING TO POLITICIZE IT. HIS OWN FINANCE DIRECTOR USE THE TERMS DANGEROUS. OKAY. WE’RE ON A DANGEROUS PRECEDENT WITH THE WITH THE SPENDING THAT THIS ADMINISTRATION HAS DONE. WE GAVE AND I WILL GIVE CREDIT TO TO TO THE MAYOR. ONE THING THE COUNCIL NEEDS TO APPROVE THESE THINGS. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THE COUNCIL WASN’T PAYING QUITE ENOUGH ATTENTION, OKAY. BECAUSE WE SPENT RAISED WE GAVE SO MANY RAISES AND I CAN TALK ABOUT WHY THE RAISES AND EVERYTHING. MY POINT IS, IS THIS WE GAVE WAY TOO MANY FIVE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD. IF WE DON’T TIGHTEN OUR BELT, WE’RE GOING TO HAVE FINANCIAL ISSUES AND THAT FUND BALANCE WILL GO DOWN, DOWN, DOWN, DOWN. YEAH, I DO HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE PAY RAISES. SO I THINK YES. GO AHEAD. 30S WHY DON’T YOU ASK YOUR QUESTION? BECAUSE I THINK IT’S THE ANSWER THAT WELL, I THINK WELL, WHAT I WAS GOING TO ASK YOU IS YOU’RE SAYING THAT’S WHAT PEOPLE OF MANDEVILLE WANT. WHAT I THINK THEY WANT IS TRANSPARENCY AND SO YOU KEEP SAYING ARBITRARILY THAT THERE’S A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE, BUT WITHOUT THE NUMBERS BEING REVEALED, HOW CAN YOU, WITHOUT THE NUMBERS BACKING UP THAT CLAIM, THE NUMBER, THE NUMBER IS SAY THAT BECAUSE THE ACCOUNTING FIRM, THERE WAS A RECENT REPORT THAT SAID BY 2025 THAT YOUR SPENDING IS GOING TO OUTPACE THE REVENUE COMING IN. SO SO HOW CAN YOU SAY IT’S A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE WHEN THE SPENDING IS GOING TO OUTPACE THE REVENUE? I’M NOT QUITE SURE WHERE IT SAID THAT. I DON’T THINK THAT IT SAID THAT THERE WAS A THERE WAS A SCENARIO. ACCORDING TO THE CAR, RIGGS ACCOUNTING FIRM, THAT WAS THERE WAS A SCENARIO IN THERE WHERE WE ASKED THEM TO TO GIVE US CERTAIN SCENARIOS OF IF WE DIDN’T GET ANY OUTSIDE GRANT FUNDING, WHAT WOULD IT BE IF WE DIDN’T? YOU KNOW, IF WE ONLY IF WE DID ALL OF OUR CAPITAL PROJECTS, WHAT WOULD IT BE? AND SO THERE WERE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS IN THAT, IN THAT FINANCIAL FORECAST. BUT I’M GLAD HE BROUGHT UP, UM, THE SALARIES, UH, WHEN I BECAME MAYOR IN 2020, WE WERE HAVING PROBLEMS HIRING BOTH PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES AND POLICE OFFICERS. NOT SURE WE DID A SALARY SURVEY. IT IS TRUE. WE WE DID A SALARY SURVEY THAT SHOWED THAT THE SALARIES WE WERE PAYING OUR EMPLOYEES WAS WELL BELOW MARKET IN OUR MARKET. THAT’S COMPARED TO COVINGTON SLIDELL, THE SHERIFF’S OFFICE. AND SO WE DID ABSOLUTELY RAISE SALARIES. WE INVESTED IT IN OUR PUBLIC SAFETY NETWORK. THERE’S CRIME ALL AROUND US. IT’S COMING. WE WANT A STRONG POLICE FORCE, A STRONG PUBLIC SAFETY. JEFF’S AGAINST PUBLIC SAFETY BECAUSE HE KEEPS SAYING THAT WE’RE SPENDING MONEY. WELL, THAT’S WHAT WE’RE SPENDING IT ON, OKAY? WE WANT TO HAVE A STRONG PUBLIC SAFETY NETWORK IN MANDEVILLE. WE HAD A SHOOTING AT MCDONALD’S DURING THE EVE PARADE. WE WANT TO HAVE A STRONG PUBLIC SAFETY NETWORK, AND THAT’S WHY WE GAVE THE PAY RAISE. IT’S A 16.7% PAY RAISE CITYWIDE. WE’VE INVESTED IN TRAINING FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS, BOTH FOR MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES AND FOR ACTIVE SHOOTER. JEFF AND I WERE GIVEN A TALK TO THE REPUBLICAN MEN THE OTHER DAY, AND WE HAD A BARRICADED SUBJECT IN OLD MANDEVILLE THAT PROVES RIGHT THERE WHY WE NEED MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING FOR OUR POLICE OFFICERS AND ACTIVE SHOOTER. SO THAT’S WHAT WE SPENT THE MONEY ON. SO HIM SAYING THAT WE’RE SPENDING TOO MUCH MONEY, HE’S AGAINST PUBLIC SAFETY. NO. WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE? 60S RIDICULOUS. AND WHAT’S RIDICULOUS IS THE FACT THAT HE’S TELLING PEOPLE THAT WE HAVE TROUBLE GETTING POLICE OFFICERS OR WE’RE LOSING POLICE OFFICERS TO OTHER JURISDICTIONS. THE ONLY PEOPLE WE LOSE POLICE OFFICERS TO. AND IT’S A FACT IT’S BEEN THE FBI AND THE STATE POLICE NAME ME A POLICE OFFICER’S SPOUSE. OKAY. WHO WOULDN’T BE WILLING TO COME TO MANDEVILLE OUT OF ORLEANS PARISH, JEFFERSON PARISH, EVEN THE SAINT TAMMANY, WHEN THEIR LIFE IS ON THE LINE. YOU THINK $2000 OR $3000 A YEAR IS GOING TO MAKE THAT DECISION? THAT’S NONSENSE. WE HAVE A GREAT POLICE DEPARTMENT. THEY DO A WONDERFUL JOB. BUT TO USE THAT AS AN EXCUSE TO RAISE THOSE TAXES, THOSE THOSE SALARIES IS NONSENSE. WE DO NOT HAVE ISSUES WITH RETAINING POLICE OFFICERS. ALL RIGHT. YOU CAN RESPOND. 30S. AND ALSO, WHERE WOULD THAT MONEY COME FROM ASIDE FROM GENERAL FUND? DO YOU HAVE AN OUTSIDE REVENUE SOURCE FOR THAT PAY RAISE? WE DON’T WE DON’T NEED AN OUTSIDE SOURCE FOR THAT PAY RAISE. UM, HE’S EXACTLY RIGHT ABOUT THE POLICE OFFICERS LEAVING NEW ORLEANS AND OTHER SOUTH SHORE AGENCIES TO COME TO MANDEVILLE. BUT IT WASN’T LIKE THAT. IN 2020, THEY WERE LEAVING NEW ORLEANS AND GOING TO SLIDELL AND GOING TO COVINGTON AND GOING TO OTHER NORTH SHORE DEPARTMENTS, BECAUSE MANDEVILLE’S PAY WAS TOO LOW. SO THAT’S WHY WE GAVE THE RAISE. SO HE’S RIGHT ABOUT THAT BACK. UH, HE’S RIGHT ABOUT THAT NOW. THEY’RE NOT LEAVING BECAUSE WE ELEVATED THE PAY RAISES. BUT IN 2020 WE WERE AT WE WERE DEFICIENT. WE WERE UNDER MARKET. DO YOU HAVE A RESPONSE TO THAT, MR. LYONS? MY RESPONSE IS, IS THAT. 70% OF OUR OPERATING FUND ANNUAL LEE GOES TO LABOR COSTS, LABOR COSTS, AND THIS FINANCE, THIS STUDY ABOUT WE NEEDED TO GIVE PEOPLE RAISES. THE SURVEY AND ALL THAT. THE ACTUAL SURVEY STATED THAT ABOUT. I THINK IT WAS 40 POSITIONS THAT WE WERE UNDER UNDERPAID ACCORDING TO THE REGION. BUT WE GAVE RAISES TO EVERYONE, NOT ONLY THE 2.5%. AND LOOK, I’M ALL FOR PEOPLE MAKING THE BEST MONEY THEY CAN, BUT I’M USED TO RUNNING A BUSINESS. OKAY? YOU CAN’T RUN AND SUSTAIN 780% OPERATIONS OUT OF YOUR OPERATIONAL FUND ON LABOR ALONE. WE WE GAVE TOO MANY RAISES. I’M SORRY. AND I LOVE CIVIL SERVICE, BUT A MAYOR NEEDS TO STAND UP TO CIVIL SERVICE SOMETIMES. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU. LET’S MOVE ON TO ANOTHER QUESTION ABOUT FLOODING. THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONCERN ABOUT FLOODING, ESPECIALLY AROUND THE LAKE. LAKEFRONT AREA. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO ADDRESS FLOODING ISSUES AND REDUCE FLOODING IN 30S IF YOU ARE ELECTED? WE’LL START WITH YOU, MR. LYONS. YOU’RE NOT GOING TO REDUCE LEE SEARCH. WE JUST DID ANOTHER FLOODING STUDY. WE’VE DONE SO MANY FLOODING STUDIES. IT’S WE’VE PAID WAY TOO MUCH MONEY ON THEM BECAUSE GUESS WHAT? WE JUST DID A NEW ONE. OKAY, IT’S CALLED A RESILIENCY PLAN OKAY. AND WHEN I WATCHED IT AND OTHER PEOPLE WATCHED IT CALLED ME AND SAID THEY DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING NEW. THIS PLAN THAT WAS PAID FOR NOT BY THE CITY, BUT WHEN THE WHEN, WHEN WHEN A POLITICIAN SAYS YOU DIDN’T HAVE TO PAY FOR IT, YOU ARE PAYING FOR IT IN THE LONG RUN. TRUST ME, IT DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING NEW. YOU’RE NOT GOING TO. IT SAYS RAISE THE HOUSES. NUMBER ONE. OKAY, OKAY. SO YOU’RE NOT. BUT THERE’S SO MUCH. MORE ABOUT FLOODING. BUT ANYWAY, MY APOLOGIES. GO TO YOUR WEBSITE TO FIND OUT MORE. YEAH, WE CAN GO. CALL ME UP. WHAT IS YOUR PLAN TO REDUCE FLOODING? THE RESILIENCY PLAN WAS SOMETHING THAT WAS TALKED ABOUT BY THE PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATION FOR TEN YEARS, AND NEVER ACTED ON. I GOT A STATE AGENCY, CPA, TO PAY FOR IT, SO IT DID NOT COME OUT OF OUR COFFERS. IT WAS PAID FOR BY A STATE AGENCY WHO’S INTERESTED IN MANDEVILLE. AND IT DID HAVE SEVERAL SEVERAL NEW. NEW IDEAS AND NEW ITEMS THAT HAD NEVER BEEN TALKED ABOUT BEFORE. UH, THE ANSWER FOR THE TEN YEARS PRIOR TO ME BEING MAYOR WAS RAISE THE SEAWALL, RAISE. THE SEAWALL, RAISE THE SEAWALL. AND THAT’S NOT WHAT ANYBODY WANTED. UH, YOU HAVE STORMWATER PARKS IN THERE. YOU HAVE LIVING SHORELINE. YOU HAVE A BUNCH OF DIFFERENT NEW IDEAS THAT WE’RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF YEARS. ALL RIGHT. NEXT QUESTION IS ABOUT THE COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN. I KNOW THAT’S BEING DONE RIGHT NOW. PREVIOUS ONES HAVE HAD SOME CONTROVERSY. YOU SAID HARBOR PORT MARIGNY. UH, GIVE US YOUR VISION OF THE BEST WAY TO MAKE USE OF LAND USE SPACE AND NATURAL RESOURCES WHILE ENHANCING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OF MANDEVILLE. I’LL GIVE YOU. SO IT’S IT’S IT’S VERY SIMPLE. THE LAST COMPREHENSIVE MASTER PLAN FOR THE CITY OF MANDEVILLE WAS DONE IN 2007. OKAY. AND THEN YOU HAD PORT MARIGNY IN 2017, TEN YEARS LATER, AND YOU HAD CESET ABOUT 15 YEARS LATER. AND STARTING IN 2021, ROUGHLY 2022. THE REASON WHY YOU HAD THOSE PACKED HALLS OF PEOPLE THAT WERE AGAINST IT IS BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT THEIR OPINIONS WERE NOT ASKED FOR BACK WHEN THE ORIGINAL PLAN WAS BEING DONE IN 2007. AND WHAT I MEAN BY THAT IS YOU HAD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE THAT WERE ON THE PLANNING COMMISSION THAT GOT TOGETHER AND SAID, THIS IS WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DO, AND THEY DIDN’T ASK US, THE CITIZENS, WHAT DO YOU WANT? WHAT IS YOUR VISION? OKAY. SO THAT IT WAS INCONGRUENT. MY VISION FOR THE NEXT PLAN IS TO HAVE A CITIZENS COMMITTEE OF ACROSS THE BOARD, WEST MANDEVILLE, EAST MANDEVILLE PEOPLE, AND GET THEIR VISION INTO THE VISION OF THE CITY MASTER PLAN. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, MR. LYONS. WHAT’S YOUR YOUR VISION FOR THE BEST WAY TO MAKE THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN. OKAY, WE’RE WE’RE TWO YEARS BEHIND NOW ON ON UPDATING IT. THIS IS NOT A SITUATION WHERE ONLY SUZETTE AND PORT MANDES THIS BIG ISSUE. THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN IS FOR ENTIRE CITY. IT GOES BEYOND JUST WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO DO SOME KIND OF HIGH DENSITY DEVELOPMENT, DEVELOP IT OR NOT. IT GOES SO MUCH FURTHER THAN THAT. IT GOES ABOUT THERE’S THERE’S RATINGS OF CERTAIN INTERSECTIONS. YOU RATED A, A, B, C, D, YOU KNOW, IT SAYS, OH WELL, YOU GOT A RATING. SEE RIGHT HERE ON THIS INTERSECTION. WELL, OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLAN, LET’S BRING THAT UP TO EIGHT. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO I MEAN THERE’S SO MUCH MORE TO THIS THAN JUST SUZETTE OR OR HIGH LEVEL BIG DENSITY. I MEAN, IT’S JUST IT’S JUST WAY, WAY. WHAT’S BIGGER THAN THAT? IT’S ABOUT PROACTIVE LEADERSHIP AND GETTING EVERYONE INVOLVED. IT’S ABOUT OVERLAY DISTRICTS AND POSSIBLE ANNEXATIONS. IT’S ABOUT MAYBE NEEDING NEW WATER TOWERS. I MEAN, IF YOU’RE GOING TO DO THAT, IT’S SO MUCH LARGER THAN JUST HIGH, HIGH DENSITY. THERE’S A LOT INVOLVED. OKAY, WE’RE RUNNING OUT OF TIME, SO LET’S MOVE ON TO CLOSING STATEMENTS. I’LL GIVE YOU 30S EACH TO TO CLOSE OUT FOR US AND TELL US WHY YOU THINK YOU’RE THE BEST CANDIDATE. WE’LL START WITH YOU, MR. LYONS. MANDEVILLE, YOU HAVE A CHOICE. I’M GIVING YOU THE CHOICE. I’M THE ONLY ONE THAT STOOD UP AND GIVE YOU A CHOICE. I’M GIVING YOU A CHOICE. YOU DECIDE. DO YOU WANT A MANAGER? DO YOU WANT SOMEONE WITH 40 YEARS OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT THAT HAVE HAD 5 OR 6 LAYERS OF PEOPLE UNDERNEATH THEM TO GET THE JOB DONE? DO YOU WANT SOMEONE WHO’S DID BUDGETS THEMSELVES AND LOOKED AHEAD TO THE FUTURE, HAD TO MEET THOSE BUDGETS? DO YOU WANT SOMEONE WHO CAN MANAGE? THERE WAS A THERE WAS A CANDIDATE BACK IN THE LAST RACE WHO HIS PLATFORM WAS WHEN HE GOT ELECTED MAYOR. HE WAS GOING TO GO TO A CITY MANAGER. THAT’S SOME GREAT IDEAS. I UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THERE’S DRAWBACKS. PEOPLE REALLY WANT THE PERSONAL. THEY WANT THE MAYOR. THEY WANT SOMEONE WHO’S GOING. TO BE IN TOUCH WITH THE CITIZENS AND NOT BE AFRAID OF SOME ADMINISTRATOR. GUESS WHAT? YOU GET WITH ME. YOU GET BOTH, YOU GET BOTH. YOU GET THE MANAGER. THE MANAGEMENT SKILLS, THE LEADERSHIP SKILLS, AND YOU GET THE MAYOR WHO’S IN TOUCH WITH THE PEOPLE. PLEASE VOTE FOR ME. YOU HAVE A CHOICE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. ALL RIGHT, MR. CLAY MADDEN, TELL US IN 30S WHY YOU THINK YOU’RE THE BEST CANDIDATE. THANK YOU SO MUCH. IT’S BEEN A PLEASURE TO BE HERE TODAY. MY NAME IS CLAY MADDEN. I’M THE MAYOR OF MANDEVILLE. IT’S A PLEASURE TO BE THE MAYOR OF MY HOMETOWN. UM, I’VE BEEN RUNNING A POSITIVE CAMPAIGN THAT HAS IDEAS, ACCOMPLISHMENTS AND GOALS. UH, THAT IS WHY I THINK I’M THE BEST CANDIDATE I’D LIKE TO CONTINUE. I HAVE PEOPLE COME UP TO ME ALL. THE TIME AND TAP ME ON THE SHOULDER IN THE GROCERY STORE AND SAY, THANK YOU. THANK YOU FOR COMMUNICATING. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING. MY OPPONENT, UH, IS FOR NOTHING. AND AGAINST ALL OF THESE INVESTMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE HAVE DONE, UM, HE’S A ONE ISSUE CANDIDATE. AND I LISTEN AND AND HAVE MOVED THE CITY FORWARD ON A VARIETY OF ISSUES, INCLUDING TRAFFIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS, PUBLIC SAFETY, WHICH IS THE MOST IMPORTANT, UH, BEAUTIFUL LOCATION, RECREATION. THESE ARE THINGS THAT PEOPLE HAVE ASKED FOR AND WE HAVE LISTENED. AND SO I CONTINUE TO PLAN TO MOVE THE CITY FORWARD IN THE NEXT FOUR YEARS. AND I’M CLAY MADDEN. THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THE INCUMBENT MAYOR CLAY MADDEN AND MR. JEFF LYONS AND MR. BILLY ROSENTHAL, ALL THREE CANDIDATES REPUBLICANS MR. ROSENTHAL UNFORTUNATELY COULD NOT MAKE IT BECAUSE HE’S BATTLING A COLD. BUT YOU CAN GO ONLINE TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT ALL THREE CANDIDATES. AND YOU CAN GO TO OUR WEBSITE, WDSU.COM TO FIND MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THIS HOT SEAT AND OTHER DEBATE