Nederland is a great city, and I believe it has great potential. It has the basic building blocks of location and access to the tools of the future economy. It has a highly trained and educated workforce. It has the intangibles that make it special; history, passionate high school sports fans and teams, and a diverse population.
However, I believe that in order to continue to be a great city and to improve, we need to address some of the problems that our city historically has had and presently continues to struggle with. These issues are economic development, improved response time of first responders and rewarding city employees with equal benefits. In my experience dealing with city government these issues are only being given little attention, if any at all.
City government are in large part “reactive”. While that certainly is part of their function, I believe an exemplary government is proactive. I would like to take a look at major issues facing the city and help garner the forces and the knowledge necessary to put us on a path for continued and increased prosperity. I think that unfortunately we often get sidetracked and we don't concentrate on locally important issues of producing enough housing to attract and retain vital workers, creating good paying quality jobs needed for the workforce of tomorrow, and making sure that government works in a professional, transparent manner that treats all of its citizens equally.
My general experience with city employees I meet face to face in Nederland are wonderful quality people, concerned with doing a good job, and representing the city in a positive manner. However, they and we have been let down by a structure without clear goals and direction, in which different departments do conflicting things and where there is lack of communication between departments. In my opinion, that which is most disheartening, is seeing rules being bent, ignored or changed when an “A-List” company or person wants something done. This is not good in the short term because it fosters a path of getting things done in a manner outside the rules, and it is not good in the long run because businesses and people are not attracted to an area without a defined, level playing field.
I am running for City Council because I don't believe city government is addressing the big picture facing the city now and in the future. I'm running so that people all around the city will feel they have an elected official they can call who will give them a straightforward answer to their questions, and whom they can call if they have ideas for improving the city. I am running so that citizens know they have an elected official who is not tied to any organizations and who can not be bought.
I am running to try to work with others in setting up the mechanisms that will maintain and propel Nederland.
You will read on my website many ideas I have on how to make city government work for its citizens in an honest, professional and transparent manner. By no means do I believe I have all of the answers, but I am willing to address the issues and ask questions and work with others to seek the paths that will make this city even more prosperous.
I would be honored to be part of making that potential a reality in the City of Nederland!
I hope you'll join me on this journey. Together we can make a difference!
2 comments:
sounds like we have a REAL Candidate this coming election season!
: )
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