Five candidates are vying for a spot on the Cloverdale City Council this year. Two seats, currently held by Melanie Bagby and Mary Ann Brigham, are up for election in November. In the coming days, we’re going to feature Q&As with the council candidates — Bagby, Brigham, Jenny Candelaria-Orr, Nicole Garcia-Hinchliffe and Todd Lands.
All candidates were asked the same questions. Responses were edited for style and in some cases, length.
Tell us a little bit about yourself — what should longtime and new Cloverdalians know about you? What is one thing that folks who see you around town may not know about you?
My name is Nicole Garcia-Hinchliffe. I am a wife to my husband Isaac and together we have our son, Jedidiah. I am an Air Force veteran and have used my GI Bill to study agricultural business. My family and I absolutely adore Cloverdale and our roots are planted here.
One thing you may not know about me is that I love to play guitar. I started playing guitar when I was 12 years old and I joined my church’s worship team as a teenager and began to write songs. Since then, strumming my Fender is so therapeutic and definitely a big part of my life.
Should you be elected, how do you plan to stay engaged with the Cloverdale community?
Staying engaged in our community will not be a difficult task. If elected to city council, I plan to host discussions, focus groups, social nights with the chamber and actively participate in as many community events as possible. I am more than happy to be available to our town and to relay pertinent information.
Current city council members serve on a handful of other boards and subcommittees both across the county and in the city. Do you plan on representing the community on a similar scale? If so, how?
Absolutely. Our town needs solid representation and I will be that for Cloverdale. I have the availability to create working relationships, strong strategies and apply innovation to see success within the committee that need necessary representation.
As cities, counties and states are wrestling with the current and future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, what do you see as the city’s role in helping combat the impact of the pandemic and resulting shelter-in-place orders?
Combatting the impacts of the pandemic have absolutely taken a community effort. Continuation of encouraging the guidelines from our county experts to lessen the spread has been vital and our community has been doing a fine job at heeding to those instructions.
Our town really cares about their neighbors. The Citrus Fair has been hosting routine check ins for free COVID-19 testing as well. This has been vital for folks who need to return to work, new employees and business owners to continue to serve our community without spreading. Also, keeping business services hyper-local has been a benefit from the virus. I can attest to this, as my family shops locally for all of our needs. Staying resilient and proactive keeps our community at hopes bay and we can conquer without hesitation.
What are the top three issues you see the city having to address in the next year? In the next four years?
I see our community’s health being a priority. This umbrella also means our children’s mental health, suicide prevention and community wellness.
If schools do not open up before the winter, our community needs resources and efforts to combat mental health among our youth and among parents and caregivers who essentially have no outlet. We have to take this matter with a strategic and sensitive approach. I also see that Cloverdale deserves a beautification committee to be attentive to the cities needs and efforts. Taking our “clean team” beyond the river and to the streets with a “love the ’dale” representation that supports neighborhood watch programs, volunteer deputy programs with the police station for young adults and park and neighborhood cleanup days. This attracts tourism, more business, proud residents and a love for our small town. I’d also like to focus on giving our youth places to function. Our community garden is a great space to host gardening classes, garden parties, and volunteer opportunities. We need a safe haven for our young adults, especially. I plan to implement and support consistent, long-term options for young families of our community.
What do you think makes you a good fit for Cloverdale City Council?
I am a viable candidate for Cloverdale’s City Council because I am available to our community. As a wife, mother and veteran, I plan to utilize my problem-solving skills to address Cloverdale’s needs and concerns with an approach that is relative to our community. Cloverdale deserves a city council member that they can relate to and has the agenda to serve our community. I am answering the call to reach our city.
Is there anything else you believe readers should know about you or your platform?
If elected, I will support the quality of life Cloverdale deserves. We are a hard-working community with a diverse background, and I would be honored to be given the opportunity to serve you.
