Platform
What is required for a more successful business and community friendly Franklin.
Shoring up City Debt
Important decisions are on the horizon, which could have significant financial impact on our City. Requests to the mayor to update the full Council (6 alderpersons) on these major projects have been unproductive.
Prior to my term in office, Olson stood firm on the direction to buildout farmland in the far Southwest section of Franklin without consideration to the Master Plan; a long-term Franklin vision. After 9 years of Olson’s leadership, we are now facing major financial debt considerations such as more roads, maintenance, pipes in the ground, a new Fire Station, a new water tower, expanding the Public Works building, adding police and fire officers, review of our drinking water source, and special assessments to homeowners on wells. Any of these items will increase expenses and debt. As debt reaches policy level maximums, limits will have to be made as to which projects and direction the City will take.
Residents deserve full disclosure, and elected officials need financial breakdowns and facts to make economic decisions and understand the impacts. Unfortunately, finance employee turnover has been extensive and this “cart before the horse leadership” is going to require major effort to repair.
My first goal is to establish financial staff to review (and possibly audit that goes deeper than rendering an opinion) City finances to get the real numbers on where we are. Next, provide this information to the public prior to Council decision making.
Community Leadership is not one person’s vision. I'm looking forward to allowing open public discussions that will help us make better choices. Developers will appreciate not having to guess or receive half-answers when they consider investing their own funds.
Tax Reduction & Attracting Desired Businesses
Our main purpose is to improve your quality of life by providing safety services, refuse pickup, and road services using limited resources. Second: A method to keep your hard-earned tax dollars working toward establishments that can provide for your daily needs; grocery, medical, family focused fun and recreation without having to travel outside of our community.
The redevelopment of 76th and Rawson is vital for a Destination District as it is one of only two major arterials in the city that has potential to support a large amount of business. Doing nothing and not working toward protecting our previous investments will result in lost revenue opportunities and further degradation of empty or outdated buildings at this corner.
By marketing new experiences in dining and entertainment complimentary to the latest developments, we can attract additional businesses that help support each other.
This is not to say projects should go unchecked. Keeping projects on track to meet investment goals requires performance monitoring. I am well aware of the concerns using City financial assistance and the responsibility we must uphold. We should not make decisions in a vacuum with a limited group of decision makers. This is where a strong financial review of all our city service obligations and debt needs to be applied.
Before we can move forward with any further large obligations, we must replace our departing financial staff and planning manager. Our mayor, as the Chief Executive, is operating out of his depth with public money – not a recipe for wise stewardship of your tax dollars. Our operating budget is too large to have this type of one person-decision structure.
Transparency & Policy Revision
1. ​Return the Council legislative structure meant to best represent voters.
​2. Change the Charter Ordinance so all 6 elected seats do not coincide with the mayoral election. Currently, 3 of the 6 Districts cannot run for mayoral office without giving up their aldermanic seat. This limits the pool of qualified mayoral candidates and gives a financial advantage to other districts running during a low-profile campaign season.​
3. Develop professional relationships focusing on solving problems to address and eliminate multiple employee resignations taking place under current leadership.​
4. Allow full access to information in order for your elected officials to make sound decisions on items that come before them.
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5. Review of having paid staff as a voting member of the Plan Commission – a member who reports only to the mayor.
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6. Work to avoid motions that allow multiple staff changes to documents after the Council votes, which do not return to the Council for review.