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George Daye, the incumbent candidate for the Henderson City Council’s 4th Ward At-Large seat, was the guest of honor on Thursday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk.

Daye is running against Jason A. Spriggs in the October 8, 2019, City of Henderson election.

Also serving on the Human Resources, Public Safety and Regional Transportation Committees for the City of Henderson, Daye said he would like to continue to seek affordable housing opportunities for residents should he be reelected to the City Council.

“It would help the community a lot if we had decent housing,” said Daye. “The City is doing a good job. When you have a complaint, [the solution] doesn’t just happen the next day. It takes time to get things resolved, but we’ve seen progress.”

Promoting additional rent-to-own opportunities to help residents achieve the pride that comes with homeownership is one way Daye said the City can help with the housing situation.

Daye, a resident of N. Pinkston Street, said he was “blessed” to achieve homeownership through a similar rent-to-own opportunity.

Another area of concern, according to Daye, is Henderson’s high crime and drug rate. “We need to somehow get control of our young people because what they are doing is killing our city.”

To accomplish that, Daye, who is also the president of Raemac Transportation, suggested working closely with law enforcement and local churches.

“I do think we have people in place that are willing to see Henderson go forward. People in [influential] positions should be willing to work with the community to see a better Henderson. We need to do everything we can to work with the Henderson Police Department to downgrade these things that are going on.”

“Then we need to carry the message forth to our churches. To me, the church should be the backbone of seeing that other people are living the best that they can. Many of us get in our churches and do our own thing and that is as far as we are going. I look at the need and the cry of the people that ride with me every day and there are some issues that we can help solve.”

Despite the issues, Daye said that he loves the city that he has called home for the majority of his life, “Henderson is a fine place to live; I’ve been here 76 years.”

Acknowledging his age, Daye said he has served in a mentoring capacity to current opponent Spriggs in the past, and initially questioned running for reelection because he was “looking for a younger person to take the position.”

Believing he has at least one more term left in him, Daye said he decided to file but will “support Jason all the way” if Spriggs is elected.

“As the time drew nigh, I said ‘well, if I win this election I’ll be 80-years-old when I get out of here. So, I refiled and if I win, I’ll give it my best shot.’”

(This is not a paid political advertisement. Jason Spriggs participated in a similar Town Talk interview with WIZS on July 24, 2019.)

To hear Daye’s Town Talk interview in its entirety, including discussion on a replacement for retiring Henderson City Manager Frank Frazier, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.