Council candidate forum notes: The 4th Ward contest

The 4th Ward race features incumbent Fred Shorett and Joe Arnett.

The race is something of a sequel to the March special election. Shorett defeated Arnett and two others in that contest to fill out the remainder of former Councilman Neil Derry's term. Derry is now a member of the San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors.

Arnett got the race off to an early start in July when Arnett formally announced that he would challenge Shorett. One of the key themes that Arnett introduced into the campaign at that time - Fire Department staffing - was repeated during Tuesday's debate.

Arnett and Shorett are both presenting themselves to voters as fiscally-saavy, pro-business candidates who will support public safety efforts, and the Fire Department issue is one of the wider rifts between the two.

Tuesday, Arnett repeated his claim that Shorett reneged on a promise to support public safety when he voted earlier this year to accept budget cuts to the Fire Department. The cuts did not result in any firefighter layoffs, but eliminated positions that had been filled with firefighters working overtime.

The end result was that some engine companies that had been staffed with four crew members ended up having three firefighters attached. The difference means that three-person crews have to wait for backup before entering a burning building unless its obvious that someone needs to be rescued.

Arnett further criticized Shorett for supporting the creation of a city spokesperson's position. The position is not set up to be financed through the general fund, but the move to create a highly-paid communications job while cutting back on payroll was and remains controversial.

"Putting PR ahead of public safety just is not business saavy," Arnett said Tuesday.

Shorett responded, as he has before, that the city's budget situation left no other options regarding Fire Department staffing.

"I voted fiscally responsible to support a level of public safety that can get the job done," Shorett said, adding that the PR job is a way to solve San Bernardino's image problem, an issue that all candidates said needs to be addressed.

Fire Chief Mike Conrad has said that firefighters can protect residents with three-person crews, but he has never objected to four-person crews if the money can be found.

The decision to cut the firefighting budget was made before Shorett joined the council. Shorett acted to affirm the cuts after Councilman Chas Kelley, who initially voted for the cuts, decided the cuts were a mistake and sought to reverse course.

Kelley has made three efforts to fund four-person engine companies. The first two were denied through procedural tactics and the third was rejected via and up-and-down vote.

Also on Tuesday, Shorett made repeated assertions that the currently-divided City Council, which often votes in 4 to 3 blocs on major issues, is an obstacle to new development in the city.

"Capital follows certainty," he said.

Arnett also restated his view that San Bernardino has potential to market itself as place for green technology start-ups can find a home. He sees a lot of potential, for example, in the idea of using algae to produce fuel.