These are the points I believe in and will strive to uphold in the City Council.
Ward meetings
Ward 1 should have regularly scheduled ward meetings each month. The purpose of this is to let the people know what is going on within their neighborhoods and give them an opportunity to talk with their aldermen in a comfortable setting, unlike the council chambers where the only way they can make a point is in front of the whole council, mayor and cameras. The average citizen should feel they can be a part of the decisions within the city.
Social Services
Fayetteville needs to keep funding social programs and increase assistance where possible. These programs are important to the people who have the least in our city. People utilize these services and they are not a waste of our taxpayer funds. We need to bring back the fireworks, support the arts, keep the Lights of the Ozarks and help the animal shelter to name a few. The Chamber of Commerce can help by getting sponsors for some of these events and services and by guiding the philanthropic to place their money where it will do the most good.
City services
The police and fire departments of Fayetteville are first rate. The people who clean up the parks, report information to the FCON members, pick up your garbage, work the recycle center, repair streets and sewers are all an integral part of Fayetteville. On an unpopular note we need to do whatever it takes to keep their pay rates and cost of living up to standards. If this entails millage increases, that's what has to be. If the money can be obtained by trimming the city administration that may have to be done. I would like to expand the scope of the Fayetteville Council Of Neighborhoods, make FCON have more input into the city process.
Hillside Hillslope ordinance
On the hillside hillslope ordinance I would like to revise or amend this ordinance. I attended dozens of meetings to develop rules for development on the hillside, hillslope and plateaus in the city. Through a lot of discussion and interaction between citizens and developers we had come up with a suitable set of rules to present to the city council and mayor. Brenda Thiele was the chair of the committee and Don Marr was the other council represenative. Between the time the ordinance went through the ordinance review committee, mayor and city attorney, you could hardly tell what it was. This ordinance need to have the teeth put back.
Infrastructure
I am a proponent of repairing and improving our infrastructure, fixing 100 year old sewers, waterlines and othere utilities. Repairing and upgrading our streets, not just adding curbs and gutters but using bioswales and natural absorbtion fields to handle storm water runoff. Trying to use permeable pavement for parking areas and using hard based grass for walking and sidewalks is another infrastructure upgrade.
Ward meetings
Ward 1 should have regularly scheduled ward meetings each month. The purpose of this is to let the people know what is going on within their neighborhoods and give them an opportunity to talk with their aldermen in a comfortable setting, unlike the council chambers where the only way they can make a point is in front of the whole council, mayor and cameras. The average citizen should feel they can be a part of the decisions within the city.
Social Services
Fayetteville needs to keep funding social programs and increase assistance where possible. These programs are important to the people who have the least in our city. People utilize these services and they are not a waste of our taxpayer funds. We need to bring back the fireworks, support the arts, keep the Lights of the Ozarks and help the animal shelter to name a few. The Chamber of Commerce can help by getting sponsors for some of these events and services and by guiding the philanthropic to place their money where it will do the most good.
City services
The police and fire departments of Fayetteville are first rate. The people who clean up the parks, report information to the FCON members, pick up your garbage, work the recycle center, repair streets and sewers are all an integral part of Fayetteville. On an unpopular note we need to do whatever it takes to keep their pay rates and cost of living up to standards. If this entails millage increases, that's what has to be. If the money can be obtained by trimming the city administration that may have to be done. I would like to expand the scope of the Fayetteville Council Of Neighborhoods, make FCON have more input into the city process.
Hillside Hillslope ordinance
On the hillside hillslope ordinance I would like to revise or amend this ordinance. I attended dozens of meetings to develop rules for development on the hillside, hillslope and plateaus in the city. Through a lot of discussion and interaction between citizens and developers we had come up with a suitable set of rules to present to the city council and mayor. Brenda Thiele was the chair of the committee and Don Marr was the other council represenative. Between the time the ordinance went through the ordinance review committee, mayor and city attorney, you could hardly tell what it was. This ordinance need to have the teeth put back.
Infrastructure
I am a proponent of repairing and improving our infrastructure, fixing 100 year old sewers, waterlines and othere utilities. Repairing and upgrading our streets, not just adding curbs and gutters but using bioswales and natural absorbtion fields to handle storm water runoff. Trying to use permeable pavement for parking areas and using hard based grass for walking and sidewalks is another infrastructure upgrade.
