ISSUE: Priorities
Rate these in order of your priorities (and add your own priorities or knock any of these off the list that aren’t a priority) without explanation:
• “Virtual gate” technology for security
•Flood control/mitigation projects
•Seniors’ assistance, including re-evaluation of the amount of the senior exemption on property taxes
•Holding the line on the property taxes
•Communication with residents
•Youth sports
•Additional parkland/greenspace
•Recycling/environmental programs
•Emergency response support
Publisher’s Note: In light of two candidates’ refusal to answer this question, this is an important reminder of its relevance: The new mayor and council will be sworn in at the start of June, and historically, the new group’s first substantive act is to meet for 6-8 hours on a Saturday that month to set priorities in a numbered order. At that meeting, each member is individually asked to list his/her priorities, and then they work together to create a consensus-ordered list.
Kevin Trautner
• “Virtual gate” technology for security & full-strength police force
•Flood control/mitigation projects
•Seniors’ assistance, including re-evaluation of the amount of the senior exemption on property taxes & Holding the line on the property taxes for all homeowners
•Youth sports
•Communication with residents & Emergency response support
•Recycling/environmental programs
•Additional parkland/greenspace
Susan Sample
• “Virtual gate” technology for security
•Flood control/mitigation projects
•Seniors’ assistance, including re-evaluation of the amount of the senior exemption on property taxes
•Holding the line on the property taxes
•Communication with residents
•Youth sports
•Additional parkland/greenspace
•Recycling/environmental programs
•Emergency response support
John Montgomery
This candidate declined to rank his priorities.
Sam Parikh
• Communicate with the residents first to get their priorities on the issues
•Flood control/mitigation projects
•Security
•Preserve greenspace
•All the rest with citizen input on prioritization
Ed Sobash
•Holding the line on the property taxes
•Strict fiscal discipline of debt and AAA rating
•Maintain best-in-class Public Safety services (Police, Fire, EMS)
•Flood control/mitigation projects
•Communication with residents
•“Virtual gate” technology for security
•Seniors’ assistance, including re-evaluation of the amount of the senior exemption on property taxes
•Additional parkland/greenspace
•Recycling/environmental programs
•Youth sports
Mardi Turner
•Emergency response support
•Communication with residents
• “Virtual gate” technology for security
•Flood control/mitigation projects
•Holding the line on the property taxes
•Recycling/environmental programs
•Climate change awareness-reduction of greenhouse gas emissions
•Seniors’ assistance, including re-evaluation of the amount of the senior exemption on property taxes
•Youth sports
•Additional parkland/greenspace
John Barnes
•Effective and timely communication with residents about City services, projects, events and emergency situations.
•Sound fiscal management of taxpayers’ money (including, but not limited to, making sure that expenditures actually benefit taxpayers and lowering the effective tax rate where possible) •Maintaining the high quality of City services and amenities available to residents of all ages (e.g., youth sports, parks and senior services).
•Increasing residents’ security and safety through implementation of the Virtual Gate, improved traffic safety measures, and enhancements to our police, fire and emergency services.
•Protecting residents’ investment in their property through drainage and road improvements.
•Continuing our commitment to environmental stewardship, including recycling and the preservation of our trees and greenspaces.
•Exploring additional opportunities for mutually beneficial public-private partnerships to expand the range of services and amenities available to residents without increasing their tax burden.
Rich Beck
•Resiliency/emergency readiness and response •Infrastructure-water capacity/quality, flood mitigation, roads and sidewalks
•Efficiency and Effectiveness-best practices, continuous improvement, report card/metrics, Smart Cities
•Communications-from and to citizens, no surprises
•Quality of life-city services, infrastructure, safety/security, recreation, sports
•Environmental impact/footprint.
Melanie Bell
•Recycling/composting/environmental programs •Safer streets for bicycles
•Youth sports
•Flood control/mitigation projects
•Senior services and assistance
•Emergency response support
•Keeping property taxes in line with inflation and community needs
•Communication with residents
•“Virtual gate” technology for security
Shannon Carroll
This candidate declined to rank her priorities, apart from “safety.”
Lauri Lankford
•Full staffing in public safety positions
•Citywide communication and alerts
•Citywide street and drainage improvements
•Tax dollar stewardship
•Senior needs/aging in place
And finally, personal insight
Question: What has personally helped you through this first year of the COVID-19 pandemic — from what have you drawn inspiration?
Susan Sample
Having my family close has been essential. Being able to be nimble with technology to help work smoothly and keep in touch with others who may not have close family or other human contact has also been key to making through this challenging year.
Kevin Trautner
Being accessible for residents and maintaining community, safety and service during uncertain times; the pandemic underscored the necessity of city communications in a time of crisis; the pandemic focused me even more on the importance of security for our residents as children and seniors spent more time at home.
Sam Parikh
Everyone has had a challenging year and is just trying to do the best they can. Wisdom is found in our understanding and conversations. Be nice, listen to people, and try to help wherever you can. We are a community; this is our strength.
Ed Sobash
Life has changed. Our world’s been turned upside down. Working from home is the new normal for many. Setting up a workspace has helped me make the most of remote working. I’m most encouraged by my daughters who missed out on so much, but find ways to adapt and thrive.
Mardi Turner
I spent a lot of time gardening and raising monarch butterflies. I continued to work with the Good Neighbor Team in a more administrative capacity since I couldn’t make deliveries to our seniors. I tutored a kinder kid in math during remote learning. And I got vaccinated!
John Barnes
I have been inspired by our City’s incredible staff, including, but not limited to, our frontline workers, and our dedicated resident volunteers. Their indefatigable commitment to serving our community is why West U continues to be a great place to live, in spite of freeze, flood, power outage or pandemic.
Rich Beck
A belief in science, the cooperation of residents with Covid guidelines, and direct knowledge of how dedicated our local front line health care providers have been has helped me. I’ve been inspired by those healthcare workers, locally and nationally, who knowingly risked and often gave their lives for others.
Melanie Bell
Living in Angola in 2005 during a Marburg hemorrhagic fever outbreak gave perspective. Continuing healthy eating and exercise allowed optimal personal health. Following research gave me the understanding of risk issues based on science. Volunteering at the HFB helped those in need.
Shannon Carroll
As a full-time working mom of three, this year has been full of love! My favorite days have been filled with bike rides, slip-n- slides, and backyard camping. We beat covid, wore favorite t-shirts every day, and made sushi at home. I’ve been inspired appreciating what is in front of me!
Lauri Lankford
Helping lead West U through its response to the pandemic and keep moving forward on its strategic plan, vision and goals during such an unusual time. My inspiration has been all the West U employees that kept showing up for work during COVID and Snovid. Also: great online exercise classes!!
John Montgomery
My son was born in January 2020, on the eve of the pandemic. While an infant and two, twin toddlers don’t make for an ideal home office environment, the extra time spent with my family reminded me daily that they are what matters most.
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