Q&A with Michael Walker, Church Hill alderman candidate

Michael Walker is running for reelection as a Church Hill alderman, for a four-year term. There are three open seats and seven candidates. In addition to Walker, they are Ralph Little, Marc Bass, Ken Luster, James Marsh, Keith Bruner and Tim Lingerfelt. Q: What inspired you to run for this position? A: I grew up on the hill above City Hall, riding my bike down Main Street after parades to pick up the leftover candy. Church Hill has always been more than where I live. It's home. Now, raising my own children here, I want to help protect what makes this community special while preparing it for their future. Q: What experiences have prepared or qualified you for this position? A: I am invested in Church Hill through public service, the businesses I operate and the homes I own here. Owning local businesses has given me experience managing people, budgets, projects and difficult decisions, while serving as alderman has given me firsthand experience putting those skills to work for our city. Q: What are your top goals and priorities, if elected? A: My priorities include building on the recent work to bring greater clarity and fairness to employee pay, while continuing to strengthen roles, expectations and accountability throughout the city. I want to work cooperatively with fellow board members and our employees to build stronger morale and a healthier culture. When our people understand their roles, feel valued and work well together, I believe our entire community benefits. Q: What do you believe are the strengths and weaknesses of your town's Board of Mayor and Aldermen? What does this governing body do well, and how could it improve? A: I believe many of the challenges a board faces can be traced back to a lack of communication. We need to communicate consistently with one another and with the employees who serve our community, not just once a month. Our focus should remain on the people of Church Hill and the employees who support them, not individual agendas. If we intentionally build a culture of communication, respect and teamwork, everything else becomes easier to improve. Q: What issues do you feel are most important to residents, and how do you plan to connect with constituents and address their concerns? A: I want to see Church Hill continue investing in the things that bring our community together. That means more community events, clean and updated parks and facilities for our children and families, and modern tools that make city services easier to access. Something as simple as an app to schedule brush or large item pickup, report maintenance needs or receive city updates could make interacting with the city more convenient and connected.