Is Eureka a big town or a tiny city? When you’re charting its future, which is the better way to think of it?

— Hank Sims

Responses

Anil Dwivedi

Eureka may be a small city by population, but I believe we should think bigger when it comes to its future.

We should never lose the character that makes Eureka special - the historic neighborhoods, the waterfront, our locally owned businesses, and the sense of community that comes from knowing and caring about our neighbors. But being a small city should never mean having small expectations.

Eureka is the county seat and the economic and cultural heart of Humboldt County. We have a beautiful waterfront, an incredible Old Town, access to some of the most extraordinary natural beauty in the world, and tremendous potential for responsible economic growth.

When I think about Eureka’s future, I see a city that keeps its small-town character while delivering the opportunities and quality of life people expect from a thriving modern city: safer and cleaner streets, strong local businesses, more jobs, better infrastructure, more activities for young people and families, meaningful solutions to homelessness, and a vibrant downtown and waterfront.

So my answer is: Eureka should keep the heart of a town, but have the ambition of a great city.

We do not need to become bigger to become better. We need to make the most of what we already have and stop underestimating what Eureka can become.

Anil Dwivedi
Candidate for Mayor of Eureka

Casey Dresser

I think Eureka is a big small town and should stay that way. In my mind the word city (even if it’s a tiny city) conjures images of people densely packed together, traffic and noise. I do not want that for Eureka. As far as charting the future of Eureka, I would like to keep Eureka as the small (large) town that it currently is. I bristle at the thought of “city life,” sitting in traffic and paving over every open space we have to build more strip malls and condos. No thank you. I believe we can foster growth and become a thriving town without having to sacrifice the things that make Eureka special.

Kim Bergel

Our City is a small city with a small town energy. When I talk to folks, tourists and people who have just moved to the area a common thread I hear is of the friendliness they experience while visiting. This vibe resonates with the small town feel we have here in our City. Speaking with many of the visitors on our most recent cruise ship, the Crystal Symphony and our friends from Taiwan, folks appreciated the locally owned niche shops and friendly community that we are. Also heard was the appreciation of the natural beauty, history and art here in our town. Moving forward it is important we continue to keep this small town vibe while addressing the big city challenges we continue to face. Innovation and creativity in our problem solving of big city problems is a strength we share. As the county seat we are the hub of county services that bring their own challenges. I am proud of the work we continue to address in our small community’s challenges. We have been recognized in the state for our cutting edge work in the areas of policing, homelessness and housing and other areas.

Small city with a beautiful small town vibe. Maintaining our small town vibe is critical! That’s my hometown!

 

Are you a candidate? Log in here.

... or post a press release.