The Hartselle Enquirer sat down with mayoral candidate Johnnie Howell in a question and answer session last week.

The election will be held on Tues., Oct. 9. Here are his responses:

Q: Why did you decide to run for mayor?

I have always been involved with the city, whether it has been with the planning commission and a member of the Washington delegation. I have also been past presidents of the chamber, Rotary Club and have served on the Boy Scouts executive committee.

Q: What is Hartselle’s challenge in the next four years?

Hartselle needs to diversfy its income, We’ve lost 1,000 payroll jobs in the last year. We need to replace or subsidize that revenue that we’ve lost.

Q: What can be done to protect and expand Hart-selle’s current tax base?

We need to create a business council that will help create interation between the city and buisness leaders. We must protect the businesses we already have while trying to attact new businesses to our area.

Q: What will you plan to do to help attract jobs to our area?

We need to make sure that everyone knows that Hartselle is open for business. We need to be looking under every rock or stone to find those businesses. We don’t need to wait on them to come to us. We need to actively seek them.

Q: What is Hartselle’s biggest asset?

Our schools are our biggest asset. It’s a source of pride for our community. It’s attibuted to the our leadership as well as parental and volunteer support.

Q: What type of facility would you like to see at HMC?

I would like to see a critical care or emergency room along with the business leaders. We must protect the businesses we already have while trying to attract new businesses to our area.

Q: What will you plan to do to help attract jobs to our area?

We need to make sure that everyone knows that Hartselle is open for business. We need to be looking under every rock or stone to find those businesses. We don’t need to wait on them to come to us. We need to actively seek them.

Q: What is Hartselle’s biggest asset?

Our schools are our biggest asset. It’s a source of pride for our community. It’s attributed to the our leadership as well as parental and volunteer support.

Q: What type of facility would you like to see at HMC?

I would like to see a critical care or emergency room along with the ancillary facilities that our local doctors need. I would like to create a medical council that can work with Huntsville Hospital to determine what our needs are and how we can make it economical to them.

Q: If Huntsville Hospital doesn’t put a medical facility in HMC, what should be done with the property and building?

First of all, I believe Huntsville Hospital is a well-respective organization in the community. I think they will be an excellent corporate citizen. If they don’t put a facility here, then I will work with the medical council to find someone who would be the right fit for the facility.

Q: What do you hope Hartselle looks like in four years?

All of the issues with the new high school, junior high and intermediate school. I would also like to see Hartselle be more financially diversified. To me the loss of revenue is the scariest part of this. We need to make sure that we protect our revenue and find ways to expand.

Q: Why should voters elect you as mayor?

With my successes in business development, I feel that I have the leadership to lead our community.