Why I'm running

I believe that a city council has three primary functions.

1. Providing Vision - the city council should distill a guiding vision of the city from the residents' feedback. Then, they should convey that vision to city staff.  That vision should guide all decisions. 

2. Allocating Resources - the city council is entrusted with a sum of money to carry out the vision of the residents. They should be wise stewards of that money. Expenditures that require borrowing money (e.g., bonds) beyond that allocation should be supported by residents. The city council should ensure that the city staff have the resources they need to carry out the residents' vision as articulated by the city council.

3. Maintaining Accountability - the city council should hold itself, city staff, and other stakeholders accountable for carrying out the vision of the residents. 

There are many different ways to build a good community. City council decisions should reflect the consensus of the residents. I think it is vital to regularly collect robust data from residents to understand what they want. Residents should be able to see themselves in the decisions the city council makes. 

If the city council is confident about what residents want, they should go with it. There are three instances when I could imagine not going with what residents want.

1. Legal reasons - occasionally, law may prohibit the city council from carrying out the wishes of residents. Residents may not be aware of all the laws that may govern a particular issue. The city council receives consultation from attorneys and other city staff about applicable laws and regulations. I also think it is important for the city council to conduct their own research and consult with outside experts as needed.

2. Logistic reasons - there may be times when residents' wishes are not feasible given the infrastructural or financial constraints of the city.  

3. Moral reasons - I want to understand and amplify the will of the people. I am also a person of principle and try to live a value-guided life. If a request from residents doesn't align with my values, I think it is my responsibility to explain my position transparently. 

My work on the council will be guided by the following values:

• Compassion 

• Honesty

• Service

• Fairness

• Seeking understanding

• Being fiscally wise with our resources

• Making things right 

• Making development decisions with seven generations in mind

• Making decisions that are community-centered and data informed

• Making room for everyone at the table

I commit to:

• Be accessible - I want to hear from you. What is important to you, is important to me. I will provide multiple avenues for you to communicate with me.

• Be responsive - I want you to feel understood. I will respond to your communication and I will listen as long as it takes for me to understand where you are coming from.

• Be transparent - I want you to know how I vote and why. You deserve to know what I'm doing and why.

• Be open to correction - I am open to learning and growing and admitting when I am wrong.

• Think critically - when city staff and others present information to me, I will think critically about it. I will ask questions. I will share my opinions and concerns.