Changes Needed

1. One of the main things I’m going to try is steering the City Council toward something closer to the effective tax rate for the 2021 - 2022 budget year.  During the 2017 – 2018 and 2018 - 2019 budget processes, three of OUR City Council Members were for dropping the tax rate to the low 0.60’s, while the other three were for something near the 0.70’s; in my opinion, neither idea was fiscally responsible.  As the deciding vote, I was able to bring the extremes to the mid-0.60’s.  By the way, after I was no longer on the City Council, the tax rate was increased by .01276 for 2019 – 2020.

2. Work to make OUR City more business-friendly.  The more upscale businesses we can attract, and/or retain, the lower OUR Citizen’s and said business’ property tax rate will be.

3. Continue the onward and upward trend OUR City Council, Staff and Volunteers have accomplished since 2014. Change City motto back to “Proud & Progressive”; the motto change was put in place by A City Council and Staff that was neither “Proud” NOR “Progressive”.  “A Place To Call Home” sounds like a cheap apartment complex.

4. We must bring civility back in Our Public discourse; by “WE” and “OUR” I mean civility at every level, whether it be City Council to Citizens/City Staff, City Staff to Citizens/City Council, Elected Officials to other Elected Officials, Candidates for Elected Office to any and all, and/or any combination of same.  When we do otherwise, “WE” make OUR City look bad to everyone on the outside looking in, never mind in OUR own eyes.

5. Do something with the Plat and/or Replat process; there’s no need for staff, then P & Z, then the City Council perusing these; in most cases, it needlessly slows down the permitting process.  Some ZBA/SBA/HB procedures need addressing/tweaking as well

6. Address all things related to trains – horn issues that would wake the dead and why are our streets blocked for so long, etc.?

7. Streetlights – A lot of dark streets need lighting.

8. Allow any two City Council Members to add an item to the next City Council meeting’s Agenda if presented to the City Secretary at least 80 hours before the same.

9. Revisit “worst first” street repairs program.

10. Discuss the pros and cons of changing the make-up of the Civil Service Commission; in my opinion, said Commission should probably be made up of non-residents.

11. Rework rules and regulations concerning the “Visitors & Citizens Forum.  Change Visitors & Citizens Agenda Items to the 7:00 pm “Regular Agenda” so that more “Working Citizens” are likely to be present.  Increase the speaking time limit to five minutes.  WE cannot continue to portray OUR City as beacons of light when WE limit OUR Citizen’s insight and input.