CANDIDATES FOR BRENHAM MAYOR, BLINN BOARD TAKE CENTER STAGE AT FORUM
Planning for incoming growth was a central issue taken up Thursday night at KWHI’s Candidates Forum for the contenders in the Brenham mayor’s race and the election for the Blinn Board of Trustees.
Each of the candidates for mayor and the Blinn Board answered questions from the audience, KWHI listeners and the news media with a large crowd present at Brenham National Bank.
Infrastructure was frequently addressed by the mayoral candidates as they discussed options for expanding the city’s water sources, its economy and housing, and public safety.
Discussing downtown, both candidates agreed that the city’s permitting process could be streamlined, with Atwood Kenjura saying he hopes to have those conversations soon with local business owners.
The two also agreed that industry is and should continue to be a key driver in Brenham. Keith Hofmann said national retailers are not the long-term answer for building upon the local tax base and economy.
For the Blinn Board of Trustees candidates, discussion focused on how they intend to get students back into the classroom after COVID-19, the College’s athletic department, and Blinn’s relationships with surrounding universities and communities.
Diane Kettler spoke on the need to emphasize returning students to in-person learning for better engagement.
Andrea Liner said Blinn College cannot be stagnant as the community around it continues to expand and evolve.
Early voting begins on April 24th and runs through May 2nd. Election Day is May 6th.
Thursday’s forum can be viewed on KWHI’s Facebook page. Another forum for the candidates in the Brenham School Board will be held on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. at the bank.
The entire forum can be viewed in this video: https://fb.watch/jVjlObYJpe/