Borough decisions need more input

As a longtime resident and current mayoral candidate, I’ve heard from hundreds of borough residents and business owners who feel unheard, ignored, disrespected or simply uninformed. Community members report yearning to know more about local issues, borough action, policies and overall community happenings. While elected officials and borough staff have worked steadily on budget and ordinances, progress has been uneven and inconsistent amid the rapid growth affecting our community. Stronger leadership is needed to bring together council, staff, community organizations and individual residents who want a voice in shaping the character of our borough.

Residents want to know more about, and be actively engaged in, managing sustainable and desirable growth as part of the balancing act between preserving our small-town charm and visionary planning for our long-term future. Often, residents hear about proposed ordinances and regulations indirectly, struggle to carve out three weeknight hours to speak at a council meeting, and don’t know the results or rationale behind the votes until much later. Knowledge and involvement places the burden on busy residents, yet their neighborhoods and property values may be affected by council decisions. As a result, a handful of the same residents show up to speak, while special interests influence decisions that affect more than 42,000 residents. As mayor, I will work to enhance our communications to actively inform and solicit input from thousands of residents. I will lead informed discussions on new policies and regulations that benefit all, not just a few.

We need to maintain our idyllic neighborhoods, parks and green spaces; energize and nurture downtown business; and continue providing excellent municipal services all while being fiscally responsible. We need to hold smart-growth discussions focusing on what we want our town to be. How do we get there? How do we fund it? How do we empower residents to contribute? When people hear about skate parks, historic preservation, zoning changes, new development or house teardowns, we must ensure an accessible and inviting community dialogue. How can we design shopping plazas, entertainment venues, parks and residences that are symbiotic to one another, financially sustainable and environmentally forward thinking? We need to continually ask and measure: Are we doing enough to inform our residents, inspire cooperation and seek innovative solutions?

Growth is the No. 1 issue facing our community. Our population has exploded 400 percent in the past 100 years to more than 42,000 residents. Growth places tremendous strain on our infrastructure: neighborhoods, utilities, police, employment, school and hospitals, etc. We need stronger visionary leadership, collaborative governing and mass community engagement. If we remain on the same path set by current leadership, we could soon face the same problems or worse with a population of nearly 100,000 residents. Our future mayor must bring together and engage more residents, businesses, community organizations and longtime friends of the borough in vibrant and productive conversations and action. He must open the doors of government welcoming all to a seat at the table, and shepherding a civil conversation that is mindful of who we are as a community.

I am the only candidate who approaches challenges as opportunities, uncertainty with evidence-based decision making, the unknown as possibility, and our residents as expert talent. The delta between who we are and our potential is not small, as another candidate suggests. I view our potential as limitless. I’m the only candidate with demonstrated bipartisan votes, Democrats and Republicans, who can serve all residents fairly. Real-life experience and leadership matters most: as a former student, student affairs professional, entrepreneur, business owner, community leader, husband and father. Let’s guide our community through a prosperous 21st century together.

This story was originally published October 22, 2017 at 1:20 AM with the headline "Borough decisions need more input."