Improving cooperation between the Town of Fountain Hills and the business community dominated responses from the seven Town Council candidates at a Chamber of Commerce-sponsored forum.

Speaking at the Jan. 19 event at SunRidge Golf Club were Nick DePorter, Cecil Yates, Dennis Brown, Nancy Ordowski, Cassie Hansen, Mary J. Nickum and Dennis Contino.

Three council representatives will be elected among the field of seven. Incumbents are Hansen, Brown and Contino.

During the 80 minutes, the candidates responded to five questions about their short-term and long-term economic development goals, proposed town action to help struggling businesses, the role businesses should take in motivating economic development, ideas to increase tourism and improving town roads.

The candidates’ opinions on random business topics:

* Nick DePorter: The town should explore health care, scientific and technology areas. Listen to the needs of existing businesses. Tap into resources available in the Valley. Capitalize on Fountain Park to attract tourists. Ask the community what it wants in terms of road improvements. Involve Arizona State University in town and Chamber endeavors.

* Cecil Yates: Convince Valley Metro to extend a regular bus line to town. Open branch campus of a community college. Strengthen partnerships with nearby communities and Fort McDowell. Create more hometown events to bring people who will spend money in town. Apply for economic development grants. Ask citizens what type of retail they want. Work with promoters to bring events to town. And strengthen partnerships.

* Dennis Brown: Support the town’s Strategic Plan, a “road map” for the town. Encourage business owners to bring ideas and proposals to the council. Bring together the Chamber and town to put the “best foot forward” for the community. Introduce a smaller and more specific bond issue to repair roads.

*Nancy Ordowski: Cut governmental regulations to help existing businesses survive. Focus on encouraging new business that will generate jobs, specifically in medical and technology fields. Eliminate excessive taxes. Stage more events in months other than November and February to bring visitors into the community. Unite businesses and town.  Improve visibility of business signage. Reduce the amount of the road referendum by seeking funds from other than taxpayers.

* Cassie Hansen: Implement Swaback Vision Plan by making Saguaro Boulevard more pedestrian friendly. Schedule a business/Town Council retreat to learn about business owners’ concerns. Reach out to businesses to identify challenges. Design better signage along Shea to direct motorists to downtown, especially Thursdays for Farmers’ Market and Art on the Avenue. Encourage partnerships, not competition. Support tourism by increasing Tourist Bureau funding. Ask voters why the road repair bond issue failed and learn what they would support.

* Mary J. Nickum: Ask residents why they leave town to shop. Find out why businesses failed. Eliminate excessive taxes. Bring community events to town. Involve all business groups to find solutions to problems. Find out what works in other towns. Support higher education facility that would spin off lectures, concerts and activities to bring in people. Reduce the scope of the road bond issue and stress the importance of taking corrective action.

*Dennis Contino: Reduce frills and glitz from proposed road project and introduce a less expensive bond issue. Work with businesses by knowing how the town can help them. Encourage the return of tourist day buses. Promote an atmosphere of caring for business.