Bristol, Tenn. City Council Candidate: David K. Shumaker

David K. Shumaker

Age:   55

Address:   1126 Columbia Rd., Bristol, Tenn., 37620

Daytime telephone number: 423-366-0979

Evening phone number:   423-968-2501

Cell phone number: 423-366-0979

E-mail address:  

Party affiliation:   Democrat

Office you are seeking:   Bristol Tennessee City Council (west district)

Please answer the following questions about your background:

What is your educational background, including the highest degree you
attained (high school, college, advanced degree) and the year it was
attained?

Tennessee High School, Bristol, Tenn., 1972
Bachelor of science, East Tennessee State University, 1977
Masters of education, ETSU, 1993

What is your professional background, including your present employer
and job description? What other positions have you held in the past? If
you are retired, please describe your most recent employment.

My early years were spent as a social studies teacher in Washington County, Tenn., and as a driver’s education teacher at the Blue Ridge Job Corps in Marion, Va., I later moved into special education, teaching for Sullivan County and the Tennessee Department of Youth Development. For the past five years I’ve been self-employed as a nationally certified home inspector. I am licensed to provide services in Tennessee and Virginia.

Are you married? If so, please list your spouse’s name, occupation and
any elected offices they hold or have held in the past.

I met my wife, Anne, as a college student. We married in August 1977. She has been with Virginia Intermont College for 20 years and currently serves as the provost and academic dean. Anne has never held public office.

Do you have children? If so, how many and what are their ages?

Anne and I have raised our nephew, Josh, since he was in middle school. Josh will graduate from Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C.  this spring. We also share our home with my mother, who suffered a stroke last summer.

Do you presently hold an elected or appointed office or have you held
one in the past? Please list all elected or appointed posts and the
years you were in office.

I have been a member of the Bristol Tennessee City Council since 1998. I’ve served two terms as vice-mayor and two terms as mayor.

Have you ever been an officer in a political party, worked in a campaign
or been a delegate to a political convention? If yes, please provide
details and names of the candidates for whom you worked.

I’ve had an interest in local government as the political process since turning 18 in 1972, the year the voting age was lowered to 18. While I have campaigned for and supported various candidates, both locally and nationally, I have never held office in a political party or held any formal or paid position. I’ve put signs in my yard, worn buttons and handed out materials at the polls.

How long have you lived in the area? If you have lived elsewhere, where
have you lived and for how long?

I was born in Bristol and have lived in the area my entire life. With the exception of the time I lived in Johnson City, Tenn., while attending college, and the first year of marriage in Jonesborough, I have always lived in Bristol.

Who are your three biggest campaign contributors? How much money have
you raised in your campaign? Have you taken any special interest or PAC
money? How much money do you expect to spend in your campaign?

I have been blessed with friends and supporters who have made unsolicited contributions to my campaigns. For this campaign, I have received contributions from four individuals to date in the amounts of $50, $100, $100 and $100. I have never accepted any funds from PACs or special interest groups. I expect to spend less than $1,000 in this campaign.
Do you volunteer your time or give money to local causes? If so, please list them.

I am a member and past president of Twin City Civitan Club, a member of the Rhythm & Roots Board of Directors and the Music Committee of R&R, a member of the Virginia Intermont Board of Fellows, and I serve on the Tourism Advisory Board for Virginia Intermont College. I also serve on several boards as a member of the city council: Networks, Bristol Transition Board, Believe in Bristol, First Tennessee Development District, the Home Consortium and BTES Board of Directors.
Have you ever been convicted of a misdemeanor or felony crime as an
adult? If yes, please give jurisdiction and details.

No.

Have you ever filed bankruptcy? If yes, please explain.

No.

Have you ever served in the military? If yes, please provide details,
including branch of service, highest rank, years of service and date and
terms of discharge.

No.

Have you or your business ever been the subject of a lawsuit, lien or
foreclosure? If yes, please explain.

No.

What ties do you have to any business or organization that could profit
from action as a city council member? Please explain your plan to avoid
even the appearance of conflict of interest.

I have no ties to any business other than my own. In the few votes during my tenure where I might have been perceived as having a personal business interest, I have always explained any connection I may have with issues or individuals and have recused myself from the vote. I will certainly continue to do so.

Do you have personal or business relationships with other council
members that might cause a conflict of interest?

No.

Please answer the following questions about issues facing the city.

What makes you the best candidate for city council?

My love for and commitment to this city and her citizens has been the centerpiece of my service to Bristol. As a fifth-generation Bristolian, I consider this community my extended family and treat it as such. I have worked very hard for the betterment of Bristol, and have a record of accomplishments that I would compare with that of anyone who has ever served on our city council. I don not plan to slow down during my next term!

What is the best thing about Bristol , Tenn. ? What is the worst thing?

Best: Our quality of life, people and location.
Worst: Often losing our best and brightest youth to other areas for employment.

Bristol Exide is cutting its workforce by 567 people and other large
employers have had large layoffs. What will you do as a council member
to attract more employers to Bristol that will bring better paying jobs?

The years that the NETWORKS Sullivan County Partnership was formed, I was mayor and I worked with the mayors of Sullivan County and Bluff City to create an economic partnership to benefit the entire county. As a member of NETWORKS and the BTES Board, I continue to work in recruiting new jobs and industry to our community, as well as to facilitate growth in our present industries.

Touchstone Wireless is a perfect example of the type of business that we need more of in Bristol. Technology, pharmaceuticals and distribution centers are a natural fit for us here. With the renewed interest in “green” industries, the fact that we are only one day’s drive from 75 percent of the U.S. population puts us n a location that we must promote.

Bristol , Tenn. , has had two property tax increases to fund school
construction and is considering another 8 cent increase. This would be
the third increase in three years. Should the city make other budget
cuts to offset these increases? If so, what should they include?

We have cut everything that we can possibly cut without affecting services for our citizens. For the first time since I’ve been on the council, city employees will not receive a raise this year. I would hate to see us add to the unemployment problems y laying off city workers, which would also affect services provided to city residents.

When I took office 11 years ago, I saw out downtown in a sad condition. Many buildings were boarded up and businesses were leaving the community. We had lost Raytheon and Sperry-Univac and we had developed a defeatist attitude. I have been involved in nearly every aspect of the downtown revitalization and growth in our tourism industry. I helped
found the Rhythm & Roots Reunion Festival, start the Farmer’s Market, restore the train station, create loft living downtown, and build the new library. We now have a downtown area we’re proud of and a renewed sense of pride across Bristol – pride in where we live and who we are as a people. This translates into a community where people want to start or relocate a business. This is economic development at its most basic level, and a vital part of recruiting new jobs to the area.

Aside from school construction, what other capital improvement projects in the city are important to you and how will you fund them?

I would like to see redevelopment of the property at the corner of Anderson Street and the Volunteer Parkway, the Cheers site and the old Southside shopping center. These are all privately owned and the city can only facilitate with some infrastructure improvements, but we should do so. I’d also like to see better use of the property at Melrose Street and Volunteer Parkway.

The old Cortrim site sits in the middle of a residential area, and the city can play a significant role in developing this into affordable single-family housing for young families and retirees. I believe that there are HUD and other redevelopment funds that we could use for this project, which would improve the entire area and provide for housing needs that area not currently being met.