Tonight, Provo mayoral candidates Steve Clark and John Curtis square off again, just four days before the election. After them, the six Municipal Council candidates get one of their only opportunities to sit across from their opponents and verbally spar about the issues affecting Provo, its neighborhoods and its residents. The debate, sponsored by the Student-Provo City Alliance, is at 7 p.m. today in the Provo High School Commons at 1125 N. University Ave. Submit questions to provodebate@gmail.com.

District 2

David Acheson

• Web site: www.davidacheson.com

• Education: Bachelor's in English, BYU; J.D., Seattle University School of Law; LL.M. in international law, Edinburgh University

• Occupation: Software company director

David Acheson wants people to know that he has only one special interest -- residents of District 2.

The appointed citywide councilman is running in his own district because people in the district asked him to represent them. He's doing so with a vision of Provo that he wants to help bring about.

Much of that is in the downtown area. Acheson sees one of the city's roles as developing areas that private industry won't, and he believes when the city moves forward on the ideas for downtown and considers a few other options -- he envisions water fountains shooting out of the sidewalk, akin to the Gateway in Salt Lake -- the downtown will attract developers, businesses and shoppers alike.

"The key there is to make Provo and to make downtown Provo a destination," he said. "If it's not a destination, people will not come. People have to have a reason to come."

He would also like to implement some form of open meeting where residents can talk to the Municipal council and ask questions, get feedback and share their needs. No decisions would be made at these meetings, but he believes that would open up communication.

Same with the mayor's office. Acheson would like some meetings with the new mayor to be agenda-less and informal, and the elected officials of the city, who are responsible for making and administering policy, can brainstorm and collaborate and share ideas.

"I'd like to see an opportunity where things can come up for the first time and there can be first-time discussions," he said.

Rick Healey

• Education: BYU, FBI National Academy

• Occupation: Retired after 26 years in Provo Police Department

Rick Healey isn't upset about the direction the city is going. Actually, he thinks Provo is great. That, he said, is why he wants to be on the Municipal Council; he thinks his commitment and knowledge of city happenings can help the city continue moving forward.

Healey's background in the city gives him additional insight that will help in navigating through government issues. He also has lived in many areas of the city and has worked with the business community as well as city leaders and employees.

The city needs to attract wise development while at the same time protecting residents and the future of Provo from bad development, he said. Figuring out how to encourage development will be a key issue for the council, he said.

"It really is important to understand that there are issues with Provo city and some things that we need as a city to learn how to be helpful, how to streamline some of the things that we're doing, and how to make sure, absolutely sure, that we are smart about the things we plan for our future," he said.

Healey has the time to spend learning about all the questions being raised, he said. He and his wife recently finished a service mission for the LDS Church, which puts him in a position focus his energies on city matters. He'll be able to sit down with department heads, put committees together to discusses issues and to consider the system, find ways it can be improved and develop those ways.

He also advocated working not only with the mayor but with anyone who comes to speak to the council. Listening carefully and moving forward carefully in all issues will help to ensure they "don't make more damage than we are trying to keep away from," he said.

District 5

Sterling Beck

• Web site: www.sterlingbeck.com

• Education: Bachelor's in information technology from BYU

• Occupation: Director of marketing for a technology firm

Residents of the Dixon neighborhood in Provo are concerned about the Municipal Council's stance on accessory apartments. Residents of the Maeser neighborhood want to know why their area gets 3 percent of available Neighborhood Housing Services funding while the Franklin neighborhood gets 70 percent. Joaquin residents feel like the council acts without getting input from residents.

Sterling Beck wants to represent all of those different interests.

"I think a lot of people in our neighborhood feel upset at the Municipal Council and feel like they haven't been listened to," Beck said.

Some of the neighborhood issues would be resolved by better planning for development, he said; Beck believes the city is lacking a sense of what it wants to be, and the general plan is insufficient to answer those questions. Provo is full of developments done in the wrong place or in the wrong way because no plan existed to guide development.

The development that was supposed to be built on the Joaquin School property, that now is in bankruptcy and may not be built and has sent a controversial parking permit program in the area into limbo, is a good example of the results of not planning, he said.

"If we have a clearer plan in place, developers will come before the city understanding what needs to be done," he said.

In working with the mayor's office, Beck said a certain amount of conflict was good because it inspired better discussion, but then both parties needed to get behind the best solution. The infighting he sees now doesn't help make progress or encourage residents that their government is moving the city forward.

Cindy Richards

• Web site: www.votecindy.com

• Education: Bachelor's degree in sociology, secondary teaching certificate

• Occupation: Municipal Council member

Cindy Richards has been working for years for Provo, and she believes her insight, experience and relationships are just what the city needs as big changes like commuter rail, downtown revitalization, a new freeway and a new mayor come into town. Her passion and advocacy for the neighborhoods equip her for a fourth term, she said.

"We're at this apex of realizing things we've been working on for a decade, and that's what makes the stakes high," she said.

Many of those issues relate to growth and development in the city. Richards supports smart development, she said, which will happen as the council is open to ideas, willing to remove barriers to development and investing in ways that make good economic sense. She wants to keep neighborhoods focused on families and put higher-density and transit-oriented development in the appropriate parts of the city.

The city government particularly needs to work with businesses to learn what now is in the way of development and what's helpful. Progress isn't going to happen otherwise, she said.

"We need to be agile, we need to adapt," Richards said. "We need to learn how to capitalize on them. We need to be a good strong partner."

In working with the mayor, she said the council members need to build good relationships, they need to talk with each other frequently and keep their commitments to each other. Trust and honesty are necessary.

"So I think it's vital that the mayor and the council communicate often and well, share their visions and build strong, healthy relationships," she said.

Citywide

Coy Porter

• Web site: www.coyforcouncil.com

• Education: Bachelor's in emergency services management from UVU

• Occupation: Assistant director of training, Utah Fire and Rescue Academy

Coy Porter worked as a firefighter for Provo for 30 years, with the last five years as chief. He supervised dozens of employees, prepared budgets and worked with the community and the rest of the city. He'll bring that experience to the Municipal Council to help with budgets, planning and other city issues.

"It just seemed like there were often questions from the council when I was a department director that there were difficult to share with them if I only had 20 minutes," he said.

His 18 months on the planning commission have highlighted the need to simplify the development process; he would like to see the council meet with the planning commission, the design review committee and other groups that make development decisions so all have the same vision.

"I think having some of those discussions, what the vision is, how we'd like to see that develop, would set the pace so we don't end up with situations where development comes through and gets through everything, only to find out the council doesn't like it, and the developer has no idea where to go," Porter said.

He also wants to look at how the city helps businesses; incoming businesses often get tax breaks or other incentives to move to Provo, and he wants existing businesses to get support as well.

Porter said he wants to avoid strained relationships between the council and mayor and between different council members and believes the new mayor represents a chance for all parties to start over. All the officials need to have open discussion to focus on a united direction and vision for the city.

Laura Cabanilla

• Web site: www.laura4provo.com

• Education: Bachelor's in English, J.D. from BYU

• Occupation: Attorney

Laura Cabanilla joined the U.S. Army Reserves when she was 21. Almost 30 years later, she's moved up the ranks to Lt. Col. and just signed on daughter up and gave her the oath. She values service, she said, which is why she's seeking the opportunity to serve on the Municipal council. She wants to make Provo better.

Much of that will happen through good development. Cabanilla said economic corridors, especially on Center Street close to the freeway, S. State Street and University Avenue need attention to make sure they become thriving retail centers. She would like to see the city proactively zone some of these areas so developers know more specifically what the city wants and can then build it. Center Street particularly needs to be well-designed so it can keep its historic feeling but be refurbished and become an inviting gateway into the city.

She also wants to focus on the west side, both in commercial and residential; that's where most of the open land is to develop and yet the area doesn't have a grocery store. The council will need to balance the desires of businesses and development that are in place with the needs of future development and work together on issues like density, open space and the view.

Economic development citywide is key for the city's revenues as well; Cabanilla said she believes the focus should be on encouraging retail sales and small businesses.

"Eighty percent of business is small business, and it's the backbone of our economy," she said.

All of that will start coming together as the mayor and council jointly come up with plans for the future and don't try to undermine each other.

"I think that I will be able to work with whoever is the new mayor and whoever else is on the new council," she said.

Related

• Council candidates face off in debate
• Curtis wins Provo mayoral election