Philosophy
I believe that the citizens of Fairmont deserve to know the raw, unvarnished facts, free of bias or favoritism. If you ask me a question, you will get a straight answer, and I don't care who may not like hearing what I have to say. I will not be bullied into silence.
I believe that the City Council's first and foremost job is to be good stewards of the taxpayers' money. Yes, we need to spend money to do the city's work, but we need to do so frugally - remembering that spending more may actually be the frugal choice in the long run - and on necessities, not frills.
I believe that the hidden agendas that drove the Council's actions in the past, and some actions of other bodies that affect the city, need to be exposed for all to see and evaluate.
I believe that Fairmont needs to be in the business of saying yes to development and business, so long as the proposal is fully fleshed out and not wildly out of character for the area. Conversely, I believe that developers need to have their ducks in a row before they come asking for things.
Issues
Community Center
A community center is something that would help Fairmont grow and thrive, but it has to be done in a way that we can actually afford. The 2019 proposal, with the addition of an ice arena, is certain to be well beyond the $20 million we have available.
Charter amendments
The amendments proposed by the Charter Commission are simply bad ideas that would make Fairmont's political environment even more toxic and enshrine the divisions between some members of the community into the city charter.
Campground
A campground would absolutely be a welcome addition to Fairmont. The current proposal for a campground on George Lake is unworkable and poorly thought out, and the proposed developers have shown they cannot be trusted to be good neighbors.
Want to find out more?
I'll be happy to discuss any of my positions on the issues affecting Fairmont. Feel free to get in touch with me and ask.
