Why should voters vote for you to serve as Pulaski’s mayor?

Robert Bopp: I feel like since I’ve lived in Pulaski, in the county, and I’ve actually lived in town for the past 9 years, I feel that I have a close connection to the town of Pulaski. I also have three kids so I feel like I have a heavy investment in Pulaski for them as well as for me and my wife. I think I can make good, levelheaded decisions and I think people would feel comfortable talking to me about certain issues and I really believe that I could do a good job on the town council.

Rhonda Hodge of Pulaski asks, what will you do to help the economy in Pulaski and bring in more tourism and business?

RB: I know that Pulaski has an enterprise zone and I would work to encourage an enterprise zone in Pulaski and I would work to promote the New River Trail. I think the Council needs to look at what sort of businesses and industries they want to come in Pulaski because not everybody has the same idea of what would be a good fit. But I think we really need to define what we want to have and then promote that and make the town of Pulaski more attractive to the types of businesses we want.

What do you see your role as mayor being, asks town resident Jennifer White.

RB: I think a council member should definitely represent the people of the town first and foremost, and I think be approachable. I really think they should work for the people who elected them, and I think the Town Council is more of a voice of the people than your larger offices and I really think they just really need to represent the people well.

Kathy Denny of Pulaski wants to know: How do you plan to work with nonprofits to combat the drug and alcohol problem in the community?

RB: Education is really the key. If you give the youth something else worthwhile to do, I think that that would give them another recreational outlet besides drugs and alcohol. But really, I think it really starts with education, so as a council member I would try to encourage more educational programs in the schools and if a non-profit wanted to help and had some good ideas, I’d certainly be more than willing to work with them in any way that I could.