Why are you running for office?
Quality of life, responsive government, strong public safety and managed growth first prompted me to run for elected office. These values are still very important to me and the citizens of Fayetteville. I will remain committed to keeping Fayetteville attractive, vibrant, and safe with a continuance of low taxes.
In your view, what is the town's most pressing need?
One issue that remains at the forefront is traffic in Fayetteville. We have four state highways intersecting within a mile of downtown and we are the route for counties south of us to access Atlanta. Growth in Fayette County and Fayetteville can be managed, but in surrounding counties we have no control. The other main issue is the growing senior population in Fayetteville. We attract seniors with low crime and quality of life; therefore, we need to continue to seek out avenues to provide affordable and quality housing. The recent exercise with the ARC and the development called Stella Place is a prime example of new designs in housing for seniors. We must ensure these developments connect with the amenities needed.
What is your position on the sign ordinance?
I believe that the current sign ordinance levels the playing field with small business being able to compete with the big box retail stores on signage. Fayetteville's ordinance mirrors the county, Peachtree City and Tyrone. As people drive through our town, the low signage keeps their eyes focused to street level. Through the years, we have asked many national chains to provide a study that proves larger, taller signs produce more revenue. Generally, this is only true on the interstate system. We have tweaked the ordinance to allow for extended display of banners during the current financial downturn for the businesses and will continue to adapt to changing conditions.
Do you feel the current land use plan is adequate?
Yes. The current land use plan is a living document that is adopted by resolution rather than by ordinance. I was part of the effort to create the first land use plan for Fayetteville in 1989. However, as I stated, the plan is adopted by resolution, which means it may be changed readily as situations evolve. Generally said, the land use plan is done with broad strokes, where as, zoning is done with precise lines and is considered law. An example of this is the growing needs of the hospital, which impacts land use west of Fayetteville. I will continue to evaluate the land use plan, keeping the interests of the citizens at the forefront.
What are your plans for public safety in Fayetteville?
Simple, I plan to continue to commit the necessary resources and provide the tools needed to keep our citizens and businesses safe. In the Police Department, I would encourage continued aggressive policing against those that would want to bring harm to our citizens. In addition, in the Fire Department, I would continue to provide the equipment and technology needed to ensure the safety of the firefighters and citizens.
What are your methods for eliminating empty commercial space?
We as a Council have always been aggressive in the pursuit of bringing new business to the City; however, cannot prevent corporate-owned stores from closing. Some examples of recent closings are Goody's, Linens and Things and World Market. The City is currently involved in a redevelopment study on the older shopping centers. The Main Street Committee and DDA work closely with the Fayette County Development Authority to attract industry and business. Unfortunately, the unforeseen economic downturn has slowed progress. We hope that we are beginning now to see newer businesses coming into the area such as Conway.
Are there any circumstances under which you could support an increase on taxes?
The only time in 21 years that I supported an increase in taxes was in 1990 and 1991. The reason why I supported the increase was to place in the millage a .75 mil to cover capital improvements in the City. We did this with in two-year increases of .5 mil in 1990 and a .25 mil in 1991. I believe that government takes too much of our taxes now and outside of a major catastrophe, I see no reason to increase taxes. The city staff continues to be very frugal with the taxpayer's money and even during this financial downturn; we have had no layoffs or increase of taxes.
What distinguishes you from your fellow candidates for town council?
My family has lived here for 32 years. Suzanne and I raised our daughters here and, now, they are raising our grandsons here. I have a pure level of commitment to not only the citizens of Fayetteville, but to my family. I have worked tirelessly, establishing communication with all governments in Fayette County as evidenced by the creation of The Association of Fayette County Governments, which was formed in 1990 to foster open dialogue. I have been privileged to serve as its chairman for 17 of 19 years. Also, as a Vietnam Veteran, I worked on creating a Veteran's room in the Holiday Dorsey-Fife House. Funding for the room was secured through private sources.
Write your own question that we did not ask and answer it. During your years in Fayetteville, what have you been involved in support of your community?
While raising our three daughters, my wife and I were involved in their activites -- from band boosters to softball. As President of the Youth Softball Association, I worked to create the quality ball fields still in use today. I served as Commander of VFW post 4508 in Fayetteville. As Chairman of the AFCG, I produced the first comprehensive master plan for water and wastewater at no cost to the taxpayer. I was privileged to recognize our Desert Storm soldiers by maintaining a wall of names for those deployed. I continue to dedicate time to veteran causes. Today, I am working on the creation of a fallen veterans memorial in Patriot Park. As a Councilman, I have worked to move from 100 square feet of park space in 1988 to over 412 acres today at no cost to the taxpayer.
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