Why are you the best candidate for this position?
I feel that being a lifelong resident of the town gives me a better perspective on what the community wants and how to communicate with the community.
What is the most pressing issue facing Fortville?
Infrastructure. This is true with most small towns that are experiencing growth like us. We need to address these issues before more development begins.
Controlling and guiding the correct growth for our community is a pressing issue. Bringing developers and community residents together to negotiate and be a part of the decision process is a key to making it work.
Having 100 percent transparency between the council and the community is another pressing issue. Without that trust and clarity, you lose the ability to negotiate and accomplish goals that are necessary to move forward with the bigger plan.
What is your stance on the changes proposed for Main Street?
A lot of the proposed changes to Main Street are very good. What’s unfortunate is that they neglected to fix the current parking issue first. I hear from several council members that this is not an issue. But I have talked to people coming into town to frequent our local businesses, and they would disagree. We need to realize that most of the new traffic is coming from other areas, not our community, and they are driving here, not walking. If there is no parking, they move on. Our town has always been pedestrian-friendly; this has never changed.
How does the town responsibly manage the rapid growth it’s experiencing?
Communication between the town and community is a must in order for us to keep our small-town feel. Making decisions based on what is best for the town and its residents and not on what other towns are doing.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Tonya Drake Davis” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Name: Tonya Drake Davis
Age: 55
Party: Republican
Office sought: Fortville Town Council District 1
Occupation: Operations manager, Shade By Design
Political experience: None
Family: Husband, Kent
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