Joe Denning is a current city commissioner running for reelection on Nov. 3. He has been a city commissioner for 25 years while serving as mayor from February to November 2011.

Affordable Housing

In an interview withWBKO, Denning has stated Bowling Green is “not in the building business” when it comes to creating city-funded construction projects. He has emphasized the need to find contractors who will be willing to build affordable homes.

“One has to keep in mind, they [contractors] have to make a profit,” Denning said. “So we don’t have individuals out there that are interested in building what is termed by some, affordable house.”

Denning said we already have an organization in the city called the Housing Authority, which builds affordable homes but often stays underfunded.

“We have had in the community is the Housing Authority building affordable housing, and a couple of agencies that have built affordable houses,” Denning said. “Those individuals must have the funds or some guarantees that they can do that.”

Fairness Ordinance

Denning voted against ratifying the Fairness Ordinance, which bars discrimination in the workforce and in housing for LGBTQ individuals. In the same WBKO interview, he said this issue should be addressed at the state level.

“My votes in the past have been and will continue to be a no,” Denning said.

Black Lives Matter

As a former Kentucky state trooper and Bowling Green Police Department officer, Denning has expressed support for peaceful protests and their ability to bring reform.

“Peaceful demonstrations are a right that we have,” Denning said in another interview withWBKO. “But when one starts to looting and damaging other people’s property, then I think law enforcement has to take a position of not letting that happen.”

He also supported prosecuting the officers in the George Floyd case. 

“The charges against those individuals are the correct charges, they should be disciplined,” Denning said.

Infrastructure

While Denning has been on the commission, reforms to infrastructure in the city, specifically with roundabouts and pavement projects, have been implemented.

In an interview with WBKO, Denning has also said the city needs to work with private developers to expand broadband access.

“That’s another thing to where you have to have some outsiders involved,” Denning said. “One of the things people get confused with is the fact that we as a city are builders, we’re developers, and we’re not.”

Easton Reynolds can be reached at [email protected] Follow him on Twitter @epdogg5000.