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Position One candidates clash over police outsourcing, traffic and vendor influence
Summary
At a Community Impact forum, Ernest M. Sumrall and Gary Henson debated traffic, the stalled David Memorial Drive project, and competing accusations about a city official's online statement about policing. Both emphasized public safety and better communication with residents.
Gary Henson, a candidate for Shenandoah City Council Position One, used his opening and closing remarks at a March forum to frame his campaign around restoring resident voice and rooting out what he called "vendor influence" in local elections. "Why are city vendors involved in our elections at all?" Henson asked, saying residents deserve independence and greater transparency.
Ernest M. Sumrall, his opponent, pushed back directly. Sumrall said a "video on [a city official's] website" advocates dismantling local policing and described that online posting as a factual basis for concern about public-safety direction. "It is an actual fact that this is on the website," Sumrall said, urging voters to prioritize public safety and fiscal stewardship.
Both candidates identified traffic and safety as top priorities. Henson called for an engineering-led review of entry and exit points to improve safety and reduce congestion; Sumrall supported extending Shenandoah police jurisdiction into Grogan's Mill to maintain local presence and said the stalled David Memorial Drive work has left residents unsure why progress has lagged.
On fiscal questions, Sumrall proposed using technology and artificial-intelligence-focused business recruitment to broaden the city's tax base and avoid future hikes. He also said he supports a line-by-line review of professional-services and consulting contracts and would not seek savings by cutting public-safety staffing. Henson repeatedly emphasized stronger communication—regular town halls and open access to council—to rebuild trust and said he would prioritize completing unfinished projects.
Both men answered questions about constituent outreach. Sumrall said he would publish a clear contact path on his campaign website and be available by phone and email; Henson recommended scheduled town halls and more frequent opportunities for residents to speak directly to council members.
The candidates clashed over tone as well as substance: Henson accused insiders of using misleading claims about police outsourcing; Sumrall called that charge "disingenuous" and urged voters to engage at council meetings. Closing statements focused on accountability (Henson) and service and public-safety commitments (Sumrall).
The forum did not produce any formal actions or commitments; it served as a public opportunity for voters to compare the candidates' priorities on traffic, policing and the budget. Early voting for Shenandoah's election was reminded to attendees during the forum.
