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What's on your mind? Voters in District 1 recently shared thoughts about issues in their neighborhoods with News & Record editors at a town meeting. Economic development in the district, gangs and police, and concerns about the homeless topped the list.

With the primary election one week from today, we've asked two of those voters to offer questions to the candidates in District 1. We gave the candidates a chance to write a 100-word response.

Here is how the candidates responded to the voters' questions:

Tee McKinnon, 38, Ole Asheboro neighborhood

"I've got to question the sincerity of the task force on gangs. I don't think it's the ultimate solution. Given the Greensboro Police Department investigation, how can they guarantee us that the funds for the police department will do more than just lock kids up?"

T. Dianne Bellamy-Small: "I have said from the beginning that this problem cannot be addressed with law enforcement alone. The proposal by Chief Bellamy includes intervention, prevention and enforcement. I have developed a parent training component and have been using it for the last two years with the support of Detective Cuthbertson and the HOPE Project. The children belong to families and the community so the 'village' needs to be a part of helping our children with their resources, too. I believe the GPD is keenly aware that this is not a license to just round up children and put them in jail."

James W. Carpenter Jr.: "You should have a checks-and-balances system. With the funds for this gang task force there should be proactive education about gangs and why people join them and, for those that are in gangs, how to get out. When gang prevention and awareness programs are put in place a committee should look at the effectiveness of the programs and the conversion ratio of gang members to reformed gang members each year. This will allow us to see from those who have been 'just locked up' who has changed and started a new life."

Tonya Clinkscale: "It is the city manager's job to ensure the police department spends government funds according to government guidelines. I, too, am concerned that 'just locking youth up' will become all too routine. I have not found any credible research that suggests there is a correlation between the 'reduction' of criminal gang activity as a direct result of implementing police gang units. Kids join gangs so rapidly that for every kid arrested, 50 are being 'jumped-in.' The answer is to blend preventive, intervention and suppression initiatives and to find a common ground for which police, community, families and youth can connect."

Charles Dayton Coffey: "The philosophy of the Lee Street Merchants Association is to bring people together to discuss issues that pertain to the area. Crime is always first, particularly in the prevention area. In the last two years I have met many police officers who are dedicated and extremely hard workers. At the Community Advisory Meeting held Sept. 26, 2007, I posed this question to Chief Bellamy. I heard you ask the same question. He and his staff assured me that they were the best-trained for this task and would handle things properly. I believe them."

Luther T. Falls Jr.: "The only way that you can really do that is to have the input with Chief Bellamy and his team in advance, before funds are received, about how those funds should be allocated. Then you need ongoing contact with the chief and his officers to be interactive with him as the funds are administered and the programs developed. If there are concerns, they should be reviewed through the community relations department."

Art Davis, 64, Benbow Park neighborhood

"What can be done to follow through and deal with landlords in completing rehabilitation and not allowing boarded-up houses to remain for periods of time?"

T. Dianne Bellamy-Small: "Our Community and Housing Development Department have several programs to assist property owners with rehabilitation. Our Minimum Housing Commission has taken a more aggressive position with landlords and has demolished more properties in the past year. But that creates another problem, vacant lots. I believe we should have a policy to give absent property owners a period of time to attempt to have a property for rent or sale. We should encourage an organization like Habitat to take over homes that can be restored and give someone an opportunity to live in them."

James W. Carpenter Jr.: "I believe that we need to set 'concrete' deadlines for the repairs and rehabilitation to be done. And if landlords do not follow set deadlines, take every action necessary immediately to see that the rehabilitation is done, up to seizure of said property."

Tonya Clinkscale: "If they do not comply, condemn and take these homes. Start a 'Home for the Homeless' program. Put some of these able-body homeless or low-income families in a one- to two-year life-and-job skill-based homeownership program and give them a chance at owning something in life besides the streets. Let them live in and work toward buying these homes. Provide grant money to bring these homes up to standard. Even homeless people will invest positively in a neighborhood/community when they can stand on floors that they own."

Charles Dayton Coffey: "I have attended many meetings that have dealt with neighborhood issues. This issue is brought up as well as crime. What I have learned listening to people at these meetings is that the problem is code enforcement. I do not fault the code enforcement department as much as I do the codes themselves. I believe that there are too many loopholes in the codes which allow landlords to 'work the system.' The enforcement department is governed by these codes. If elected, I will form a committee to look at neighborhood codes and amend them."

Luther T. Falls Jr.: "The neighborhood associations have to be proactive with the city inspections department and identify the properties that are of concern. Once those properties are identified, if we don't have enough inspectors, the city needs to consider adding new inspectors who can go out and do these examinations. If they're not in compliance with city regulations, the community residents need to be informed on whether they've been cited, whether the property hasn't been inspected at all or whether the penalties are forthcoming."