Columbia City Council Ward 4 candidate interview: Sharon Jones
Olivia Hayes
ABC 17 News is interviewing candidates heading into the Aug. 4 election. On the ballot for Columbia’s Ward 4 seat is Ryan King, Dave Sorrell and Sharon Jones.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
OLIVIA HAYES: We’re here with Ward 4 city council candidate Sharon Jones. Sharon, thank you for joining me today.
SHARON JONES: Thank you, it’s a pleasure.
HAYES: So we’ll start with, what is your history with Columbia? Tell me about that.
JONES: I moved here from Springfield, Missouri, when I went to college in, uh, Fayette, Missouri, which is just north of here, Central Methodist University, and as I was graduating out of there, my then boyfriend and now husband and I moved here to Columbia. So we’ve been here in Columbia full-time since about 2000.
HAYES: And what made you decide to run for this seat?
JONES: I have been on planning and zoning for about 6 years. I got interested in the planning and development because I watched Columbia grow up, and since Nick Foster was leaving, I had some people reach out to me and say, ‘Hey, you’re chair of planning and zoning. Would you like to be on city council? We’d love to support you.’ So I thought it sounded like a great way to continue my service to the community.
HAYES: When we spoke to Nick Foster shortly after his resignation announcement, he said that whoever took over the seat, he wanted them to match the same ideals that he had. Is there anything that you plan to pick up where Nick Foster left off and keep the ball rolling on?
JONES: We’ve talked a lot over the years, Nick and I, about the short-term rental ordinances and the long-range planning documents that the city is getting ready to do, and I hope that I can take some of what I’ve learned from him and the collaboration we’ve done and move that forward in my own way, uh, as we do these long-range plans.
HAYES: What do you think is the biggest challenge currently facing Ward 4?
JONES: I think the biggest challenge we have in Ward 4, because it moves all the way out to the west, almost into the county, or frankly into the county, I think our biggest challenge is that sort of western edge of the community and getting services out there. Getting utilities out there, getting infrastructure, like good quality roads all the way out as we sprawl that way.
HAYES: And you previously shared that you plan to continue your work life as a lobbyist. How do you plan to balance those responsibilities with the work for responsibilities that you would kind of take under your belt if you were to be elected?
JONES: Yes, so being a lobbyist or really it’s advocacy that I do is very interesting because it’s all sort of concentrated while the legislature is in session, and then when they’re not in session I have a lot more flexibility to work from home or from Goldie’s, which has become a habit of mine, or you know, take a day off and go and have meetings so I think it’s going to work really well. I also have a great team of employees in both of the businesses that I own who can manage things day to day if I need to step back, so I can do more city council work.
HAYES: Definitely, it’s good to have a support system behind you. Is there anything else that you want the ward for voters to know about you?
JONES: I think it’s really important to know that I come at everything from the same frame that I come at my work from, which is I am here to make sure that everyone is treated with respect and dignity. That they have a workplace where they can feel safe and respected, that they have a home where they can feel safe and proud of their community that they live in, so I really want to make sure that I’m making Columbia work for everyone.
HAYES: Alright, well thank you so much for sharing that with us and thank you for joining us. Again, we have Ward 4 city council candidate Sharon Jones.