Committed to Community
I will continue to bring my values that reflect our community to decision-making, to be responsive to constituents, to tackle our financial situation, and to respond to new issues as they arise.
There are also a few key areas in which I believe I am uniquely positioned to offer positive change, in the areas of community vitality, environmental sustainability, and good governance.
I am committed to community vitality.
*The City of Newark has started its first ever traffic calming committee to look at physical ways (not speedbumps) to slow traffic on Country Club Drive. I am committed to seeing this through to implementation.
*Fees were raised last year for all Parks & Recreation programs and activities, one of the reasons that attendance in these programs has declined. Our Parks & Recreation Department is an essential part of what defines the Newark community and its activities cover their expenses. Unfortunately the fee increases were not a one-time increase; it was a vote to continually increase fees over the next handful of years. I am committed to preserving our Parks & Recreation programs by stopping fees from continuing to increase in future years.
*I am committed to community vitality through the development of a community calendar. Not only would this be an engine for local economic development, it would promote Newark’s sense of place, help organizations promote their events, bridge communities together, and help ensure Newark is a happening place.
*I am committed to forging partnerships and bridging diversity in Newark. In a civic health study I completed, there were very mixed results regarding how Newark is doing as it relates to diversity. Forming a Human Relations Commission to proactively work on diversity issues in Newark would help us to grow as an inclusive community. I am also interested in continuing to form partnerships between the university and the rest of the community. One program I will work to develop is an Experimental College, in which university and non-university members can both take and teach courses on subjects in which they have expertise. Finally, I want to bring our nonprofits together for conversations about what the city can do to maintain and increase the health and visibility of our nonprofits in the Newark community.
I am committed to environmental sustainability.
*I am committed to expanding our recycling program, including seeing through the implementation of a downtown recycling pilot program and beginning recycling for apartments and businesses.
*I am committed to ensuring Newark meets or exceeds the state’s renewable portfolio standards for renewable energy.
*I am committed to utilizing the results of this year’s rate study to implement inclining blocks rates for our electric and water fees, making them conservation-oriented so that if you use less you pay less and if you use more you pay more.
*Later this month Newark may take the right step and become a “Cool City” by signing onto the U.S. Mayors’ Climate Protection Agreement. I am committed to Newark implementing this agreement and staying true to its values on environmental sustainability throughout its operations.
I am committed to good governance.
*I am committed to Newark having a community vision. In my civic health study many people were not aware of what our vision is. I believe we should come together as a community to set clear goals and a clear framework for what is unique about Newark, what we want to preserve about our town, and where we want our future to take us. I believe this is essential for us to have both for our future and for the day-to-day plans and actions we make.
*I am committed to transparency and communication being part of our city’s values and goals. Increasing ease of access to information for citizens and ensuring that citizens are informed about what is happening in our community is a vital part of a local government that is for the people. I am committed to responsive representation as your council representative.
*I am committed to a shift in our local government towards democratic governance in which citizens are integrally involved in decision making. This means that as a city we need to build leadership in our citizens and I am committed to seeing the implementation of our new Citizens Academy program. We also need to provide support for our local civic and neighborhood associations and our government should encourage involvement in the public process and in our communities.
I appreciate the opportunity I have had to serve our community and demonstrate my commitment to community. I am running for re-election to preserve what I love about our community by working hard for positive change.
