Why am I running for Mayor? What is my motivation?
These are excellent questions to ask anyone running
for public office. In response, you will get a mixture of answers. Some want to
spearhead a change, some believe another person is doing something wrong and
they’re running in spite, some just want the power and name of the position,
and some truly have no alternate agenda beyond the need to contribute to their
community. The biggest negative to me in an elected official is when the
individual is only doing it for their own legacy or to fulfill their own
narcissistic nature. I prefer an individual to run that has no agenda, but has
the sole intention to do what is right for their community/country, regardless
of their own benefit or loss from the decisions made. They should be selfless.
That is what I strive for, in life and as an elected
official. I have a need to help people and my community wherever I can. Serving
the community as a parks and recreation employee while in high school from 2003
– 2007 was my first experience with the fulfillment that comes from helping
others. Seeing the difference we can make in the community as a city from this
perspective at an early age allowed me to gain insight only learned from
experience. My next venture of serving the country through employment with my
company, Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technology, opened my eyes to the
difference one can make for the country as a whole through giving the best of
yourself. Constantly seeking a new niche for adding value led me to serve the
community over the years as a little league football coach,
Pleasant Hill Park Board member and president, little league soccer coach, and
more. Being a public servant is the avenue through which I choose to serve my
community today and – ultimately – why I am running for Mayor.
When I walk into City Hall, I strive to do what I
can to assist those around me so they can do the best job possible for the
citizens of our community. I believe strongly that the Mayor and Council’s job,
per our Charter, is not to insert themselves into the day-to-day operations of
our City unnecessarily. There are occasions when we as a Council have to step
in and assist with specific citizen issues or help hire specific employees, but
typically that should all be handled by the trusted City Administrator and City
Hall staff. If they cannot be trusted to do the best job for our community,
then the council and mayor should ensure the position is filled by someone who
can. That first Council I served on when first elected to the City Council in
2011 with Terry Wilson, Larry Rosanbalm, Steve Long, and Paul Beason truly set
me up to learn how to be a quality public servant. These individuals helped to
instill in me the importance of doing things above yourself. They taught me the
need to educate myself on every issue, consider the background to those issues,
and to understand how those issues and decisions will affect individuals
outside of the obvious spectrum.
I am seeking reelection because of the people. It is
not only the great citizens of our community that make me proud to serve them,
but also the staff that run our City. The top-notch City Council leaders we
have, our city hall staff, police, public works, parks and recreation,
community development – they’re all phenomenal. From those in City Hall
answering the phone, listening and assisting each of you daily to each one of
our brave police officers who choose to put their lives at risk so that we can
sleep easy at night, it is my privilege to serve the community with them. We
have public works guys that will work all hours of the night in -3 degree
weather on a holiday, sacrificing time away from their own families to make
sure our water works when we wake up after a water leak or pushing snow to
clean our roads. This year, we have had a few new staff members come into City
Hall. Along with the new came learning opportunities; but, overall those
learning opportunities made way for improvement in the way we do things instead
of just doing business the “way it has always been done.” It is truly an honor
to serve you citizens and to serve with our local government employees.
I don’t like to leave unfinished business. My first
two years were filled with a lot of opportunity. My next two blogs will go
through what we as a Council/staff have accomplished so far, and what we plan
to accomplish if given the opportunity to serve another term.
Pleasant Hill has been fortunate over the last
couple decades in that many of our problems have been minor issues that could
easily be resolved through common cooperation. We do not have many of the major
issues other towns have because we have always had good people in positions to
continue to propel our community forward. I would like to think our
community is in better standing than it was two years ago, when I first became
Mayor. I ask you to let me continue the progress we have made, and keep us
moving forward for the next two years.
Once again, I would greatly appreciate your support
on April 3rd as I seek reelection for Mayor of Pleasant Hill.
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