My 33 years of military service gave me the ability to negotiate, debate, and accomplish short- and long-term plans for missions. Good negotiation skills can help me as a council member to collaborate with the community and government officials.
With the same experience, it sharpens my skills to review policies that were in place affecting missions and overall daily duties. I am familiar with neighborhoods, roads, and geographical features. I believe this will help me with zoning, drafting fair laws and connecting with citizens.
I understand the laws that govern public safety and how those affect public safety in our community. This knowledge will help me recommend laws that keep everyone safe and create a cleaner, more secure community.
Public Safety: Starting with a stronger neighborhood watch, neighbors looking after each other. A five-year plan expanding the police and first responder’s departments to accommodate the growing population of Oakdale.
Fiscally responsible: Be a good custodian of the city budget, and responsible for the effectiveness of programs already in place for the community.
Representation of residents: represent concerns with matters close to our homes, such as increased taxes, and building regulations.
My top two priorities above are influenced by the State economy and affects everyone in our community. My recommendation to the city council is to bring back small townhall meetings or gatherings throughout the year in areas close to the residents. This will promote communications between our local government and the community.
I truly believe that communicating in person is the best way to keep us accountable and transparent for what we vote for in our council. Granted I will also utilize social media to distribute information affecting our residents.
I am running for Oakdale City Council because I love living here and want to be a positive force working hard to protect our high quality of life. I am currently a Parks and Recreation Commissioner, and I will bring what I learned in that experience to the City Council.
While I have issues that interest and concern me, I don't have significant grievances. I simply want to be involved, be positive, and be a good steward of our city's resources for our city's residents.
I think it's important to not only participate in city governance, but to also invite others to do the same; I want to be the one that invites them.
I'm the best candidate for Oakdale City Council because I am positive, curious, helpful, and ready to listen.
After listening to our Chief of Police speak recently, I am committed to working with him to accomplish their recruitment and retention goals that will help keep Oakdale safe.
Oakdale is currently undergoing a Parks Plan Update, and I am committed to using the public comments to bring updated concepts to fruition.
Finally, I really want to help the residents around Tanners Lake find solutions to the issues about safety, noise, and park misuse that they've raised recently.
It's important to meet people where they are, so reaching out to community leaders to introduce myself is a critical first step. I want everyone to know that City Hall is accessible to them. Oakdale already has terrific public-reaching infrastructure, including the annual Unite the Night, the triannual Oakdale Update, and the weekly Mayor's Monday Morning Minute. I would start with these efforts to reach all members of our diverse community.
We have to have a way for people to engage with city leaders and to be able to see progress and get answers. Oakdale's new see-click-fix program is a great step because submitted information and requests receive feedback from the city. But more than that, I think it's important to invite the community to city council workshops and meetings, for me to be present and active on social media, and to share the links to official meetings.
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I have been an Oakdale resident for many years and raised my family here. I would like to see Oakdale continue to be an affordable, safe, well-maintained community to raise a family. I have many years of experience working with local government entities and I understand the issues and difficulties that they face. I currently serve on the Oakdale Economic Development Commission and the Washington County Parks and Open Space Commission and have worked with the Endowment Fund and other leadership positions at my church. It is important to me that we all work together, despite our differences, to make Oakdale a great place to live, work and operate a business.
My top priorities would be:
1. Affordability and the prudent use of taxpayer dollars
2. Strong support for law enforcement and public safety
3. Focus on traditional local government functions such as infrastructure, parks, law enforcement and a friendly business environment, not social issues such as minimum wage or childcare subsidies that are better addressed at the state or federal level.
I am open to comments and suggestions from all members of our community. It is important that we take the best ideas from all segments of the community and is necessary to hear all voices in order to operate a city that is responsive to all.
The city of Oakdale has methods on place for the public to reach out to their elected officials and makes time available at all meetings for public comment. State open meeting law requires that all meetings be open and accessible. I would strive to ensure that all City Council actions are transparent and that all city procedures and state laws in regard to transparency are followed.
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