Interview: Don Day, candidate for McKinney City Council, District 1

by Staff of McKinneyNews.net

McKinneyNews.net booked time with District 1 candidates this week in an attempt to shed light on the "issues," the time-honored political concerns that are trotted out every so often (say, every election cycle) that should by now be familiar to anyone in McKinney with half a pulse -- water, transportation, infrastructure improvements, East side neglect, etc. As usual, great lengths were taken to craft several questions designed to potentially catch the candidates unawares and, hopefully, at their least-prepared -- and unscripted -- best. First up: Don Day, a 69-year-old downtown renovator of some 13 years.

McKinneyNews.net: What’s your campaign slogan and how would that slogan turn into something of substance if you’re elected?

Day: I don’t have a formal one, but if I did, it would be, “Let’s make McKinney the best it can be.” Realize I’m running for District 1. We need to bring more jobs, upgrade the District’s infrastructure and improve quality of life. My perception over the next decade -- District 1 is one of the most important in the city of McKinney. The commuter rail will eventually be coming here and when it comes it will transform this District like probably nothing else will. It’ll give us a one-time opportunity to upgrade water, sewer, streetlights, sidewalks. Currently as a city, we’re studying how we upgrade Highway 5; it’s time for us to look at how we bring that back because we need to attract more business in McKinney and Highway 5 is one place we have the room. We need to create high traffic corners in the Airport Blvd.—Highway 5 area. East McKinney isn’t going to get retail like Walgreen’s or grocery stores until we get higher traffic counts.

McKinneyNews.net: Might someone legitimately argue that Highways 5 and 380 are eyesores?

Day: Yes. Absolutely.

McKinneyNews.net: Any suggestions as to how these areas might be spruced up a bit?

Day: For Highway 5, the suggestion I would have is take out the center lane and turn it into a blvd with plants and streetlights. That’s one relatively easy step. The second step would be to come along 5 and see if we can’t partner with businesses to expand to three lanes both ways to give us the higher traffic count we need. I know a lot of business owners along there would welcome it; it would help their bottom line. Those are the areas I would start looking at. The Old Cotton Mill, we could help that owner, provide incentives to help with maybe condominiums and retail. Right now, the city of McKinney doesn’t have high-traffic Internet connections as you find as you get closer to Dallas, fiber optics that can deliver maximum Internet speeds. There are high tech companies that won’t locate here because we don’t have the speed. If the Cotton Mill had these high tech connections maybe we could generate some further commercial interest.

McKinneyNews.net: If you were trying to find dirt on you, a place where at least the potential for impropriety might lie, where would you look?

Day: Hopefully there is no dirt on me. I’m not aware of any.

McKinneyNews.net: Don Day. It’s a name that apparently many – or at least a couple -- love to hate. Comments?

Day: I’ve been downtown thirteen years and have been very active. I think I’ve made a major contribution to the changes that have occurred in downtown McKinney. I think you’ll find the vast majority of people think they’re positive changes, but you always have a few folks who liked it the way it was. They are not happy with me and I’m sorry about that, but I disagree with them.

McKinneyNews.net: Downtown McKinney is a significant part of District 1. What future aspirations or goals do you have in mind for downtown?

Day: Three things are on my radar. First is parking. Second, we need more living units close to downtown. I get a call or two weekly from people who would like to be within walking distance downtown. They like the activity and the energy and want to be here and we have very little to offer them. I’m going to be looking at how we can develop condominiums downtown that serve that need. Third, I would like to see some changes in MPAC. I’m currently involved in eight business in downtown McKinney and if MPAC closed it’s doors, we wouldn’t notice it – it doesn’t help or hurt us; but it cost taxpayers $600,000 a year. MPAC’s ground floor is premium real estate that sits vacant 99 percent of time. I would like to see an entity that uses the ground floor seven days a week during business hours. One suggestion is a community art gallery. If you did that, you would then have an entity that is an attraction to downtown and that should be self-sustaining at no cost to the taxpayer. I would suggest the city lease that building to a for-profit entity that will develop both the visual and performing arts.

McKinneyNews.net: You mention parking. Any specifics?

Day: It could be series of garages. We’re short about 500-700 spaces. Anything – 200 spaces – would be an improvement. We’ll take anything we can get.

McKinneyNews.net: Where?

Day: The City owns at least four lots in close proximity to downtown.

McKinneyNews.net: Who is your least favorite politician – and why?

Day: I would say Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader. He is one of the most negative individuals I’ve ever had to watch. He’s always opposed to any and everything and it’s always somebody else’s fault.

McKinneyNews.net: What have you done in your life that you’re least proud of?

Day: When I look back, I did a pretty good job with my kids, but I could have done a better job. When you’re young and have a family, you’re focused on how you’re going to provide for them and you don’t pay as much attention to them as you should.

McKinneyNews.net: What are you most proud of?

Day: Two things: my kids and downtown McKinney.

McKinneyNews.net: What distinguishes you from the other candidates – your rivals?

Day: Experience. I have been a builder for 45 years – built just about anything you can think of – hospitals, hotels, roads. And when you look at McKinney today, whether we like it or not, we’re in the construction business. We’re building a city hall, fire stations, libraries, roads -- those are things that I have a lot of experience doing. I’ve served on eight city boards and I have the experience to help McKinney and District 1 be the best they can be. I think the other candidates are nice people. They‘re sincere. But I don’t’ think most of my opponents have any understanding of what the job requires.

McKinneyNews.net: At least a couple people in McKinney are involved enough in the political process to be concerned about city council member conflict of interest issues. Do you think there’s a potential conflict of interest issue with your running for District 1?

Day: First off, I think it’s more a problem of perception than reality. I was on the planning and zoning commission for six years. During that time, there were three cases that involved my company. So I stepped down three times in six years. We heard about a thousand cases. State law has an ethics policy that dictates fairly clearly that if there’s a conflict of interest, you don’t vote.

McKinneyNews.net: What’s the most important lesson Life has taught you?

Day: To sleep on an issue before I respond.

McKinneyNews.net: Bonus opportunity: Anything you’re just dying to add?

Day: In McKinney we have about half the number of businesses that ideally you would like in a city of our size – which means half number of jobs. And as the roads going south become more congested and gas becomes more expensive, people are going to move to where the jobs are. If the jobs aren’t in McKinney, the good times are going to go away. Water is a concern. We ration water now and we’re at 125,000. What are we going to do when we hit 350,000? Lastly, we’ve got to address transportation issues. We need to look at investing in a commuter rail, more roads and the airport.