One of the contested races for Aberdeen City Council pits Joshua Francy against Riley Carter, who are campaigning for the city’s Ward 5 Position 9 seat.

With just a couple weeks before the Nov. 7 General Election, here’s what the candidates had to say about their qualifications.

Joshua Francy — Ward 5 Position 9

What makes you the best option for city council? Why?

“I am a long-term resident of Aberdeen so I have experience with the overall goals and challenges that the city faces,” Francy said. “I am finishing up a college degree that has helped me get a good understanding about what could help improve our city. My last class is about drug use in society and what drives people to use illicit drugs, and how to help people make better choices.”

Francy said he’s read and understands the Washington State Constitution and the U.S. Constitution, and he understands “a lot of our Founding Fathers’ writing and common sense.” Francy also said he understands and can follow parliamentary process and Robert’s Rule of Order — the order city council uses for meetings.

Francy also touted how he is “not beholden to a political party so I am a nonpartisan representative that just wants to help improve our city,” Francy said.

How specifically do you think your past experience will help you on Aberdeen City Council?

Francy spoke about how he’s lived in Aberdeen for decades and how he just finished his fourth year on Aberdeen City Council. And then he threw in what he’s done outside of that.

“I have spent a decade doing clean-ups in our local watershed as well as voluntarily cleaning up litter from around town,” Francy said. “I have coordinated over 300 clean-ups in our area and thanks to getting a lot of help over the years we have removed tons of garbage, a literal ton of recycling and over a thousand hypodermic needles from our local area, as well as participating in local clean-ups with the Conservation District and Stream Team.”

Francy mentioned his involvement with the River Street encampment from years ago and how it gave him “first-hand experience with the mess that can arise if there isn’t a place for people without a home to go and get help getting into housing.”

What are two issues you aim to work on should you join the city council?

Francy’s main issues are improving the health of the residents and the town’s sanitation.

“One of my goals that will affect both of those issues is getting a public bathroom put in downtown Aberdeen,” Francy said. “A Portland Loo looks to be the best plan to reduce the amount of human waste downtown. That would improve the likelihood of people wanting to shop downtown as well as improve the sanitation downtown and health of our residents. One of the other ideas that I believe will help our local area is to have a real dock downtown so that people can have easier access to our local waterways.”

Riley Carter — Ward 5 Position 9

Carter did not respond in time despite multiple efforts by The Daily World. Here was what he said, according to the Washington State 2023 Voter’s Guide.

What makes you the best option for city council?

“Family safety, small business security and self-sufficiency for the city are my main focus,” Carter said in the voter’s guide. “We cannot be scared to address the big, scary issues. It is the only way we can find a solution and move forward in a positive way. Safety should never be in question, people should not hope to get through our town as fast as possible, accountability should not be a bad word and hard working adults should never wonder if they can afford minimal lives. Our town was built on hope, small businesses, hard work and culture. It is time to clean our streets so they have enough room to breathe and let it all back in again. Establishing proper resource networks for the displaced, dishonest and disgruntled is a priority. Time to stop thinking that addressing the symptoms will eradicate the cause. Our city is standalone and needs to be responsible for itself without the influence of cities that are not doing any better. If the working class will continue to carry the weight, they deserve the most respect with a healthy environment in their own city.”

Carter included a quote with his statement in the voter’s guide: “Evil prevails when good men and women stand by and do nothing.”

How specifically do you think your past experience will help you on Aberdeen City Council?

“While I have no first-hand elected experience, I’m excited to bring my real world experience to help serve our city,” Carter said.

Carter touted his history in the military.

“I’ve served my country as a (U.S. Air Force) Iraqi War veteran,” Carter said. “Then I have focused my time to build my career in the trades. I have done everything related to construction, plumbing, roofing, HVAC and propane services.”

Carter also mentioned his commitment to community service.

“I have started a community watch group that has obtained over 1,600 members to date,” Carter said.

Contact Reporter Matthew N. Wells at matthew.wells@thedailyworld.com.