***It is unconscionable that, after nearly 8 years, the incumbent is only beginning to fashion a plan on homelessness. That needed to be Year 1!

***With the Naval Weapons development project, the incumbent has participated in a fiasco over the last several years with the revolving door of master developers being bestowed with master-service agreements, and she continues to insist upon giving ownership of that massive project to another large corporation — not to the residents of Concord

***The incumbent has been in office for 8 years and wants 12, but has not instilled the needed transparency & accountability in city government.

A More Responsive and Effective Council

Needed change — after 8 years — in representation on the City Council

I’m running because I see a need for something other than 12 years of the same for District 2. I see a need for someone who will advocate for the public like no other, someone who will fearlessly gather opinions/ideas/data and course-correct when warranted, and someone who has a long track-record of outstanding results in getting complex projects completed.  I don’t see that at all on the Council.  If I haven’t made a significant, positive impact after a first term, there’s no way I’ll ask for 4 more years.

Like many with whom I have held conversations, I’ve grown frustrated with the overall performance of the Council, and I believe that there are certain elements that are needed in that body.  We need far more accountability; transparency; outreach to, and engagement with, the public; strategic and innovative thinking; and consistent drive towards executing on the myriad projects needing to be undertaken by the City. I see a need for someone who will advocate for the public like no other, someone who will fearlessly gather opinions/ideas/data and course-correct when warranted, and someone who has a long track-record of outstanding results in getting complex projects completed.  I don’t see that at all on the Council.

Transparency and accountability are two of the primary casualties of those in power. The absence of both of those serves only to protect officials from scrutiny of what they have or haven’t done with that power they wield. As the size and complexity of government operations increases, we need — to an ever-greater level — extensive insight into officials’ behavior in office; including, clear insight (i.e., audits/other) into how millions in contracts are awarded and how department budgets are justified in their entirety.

We need a clear vision from the Council as to what the vision is for Concord over the next 5 and 10+ years — a view that residents can be enthusiastic about and can have the assurance that government actions over the subsequent years are properly dovetailing with that vision.

We need clear objectives and corresponding measurements that the city’s progress and success/failure can be determined against each year. The Council have not been forthcoming enough in stating to city residents the Council’s commitments by which they agreed to be held accountable. Needed course corrections can only take place in a timely manner if those in positions of authority make themselves vulnerable by setting clear expectations.