" Leadership is the art of guiding others toward shared goals, regardless of formal titles. Effective leaders embody qualities like understanding and adaptability, creating positive change and inspiring others" - Copilot.
Rochester City Council Ward 6 needs a leader who embodies these qualities. Without them, there is no voice for the people of Ward 6 that will lead to positive change and results. My experience and education in leadership makes me the candidate of choice. From my technical career as a software engineer to a community volunteer I have been recognized and awarded on my leadership qualities.
Leadership starts with leading by example. Coming to meetings prepared with coherent thoughts, ideas and being ready for constructive conversation, even when the conversation is difficult. A true leader understands that it is essential to build and maintain relationships on trust with not only the other council members but with the city leaders, staff members and constituents of ward 6.
I will embody these qualities as the council member for ward 6.
Rochester is experiencing rapid growth, with a strong focus on downtown high-density housing. There have been interesting zoning discussions surrounding R2x. Walkability, bikeability, and access to public transportation, groceries, pharmacies, quality green space and entertainment are all important factors to consider. However, the cost of housing for new families is too high, and prices are unlikely to decrease until more homes enter the market. Balancing core, high-density development with affordable urban housing remains a complex challenge that has been recently discussed. If we want Rochester to be ready for growth, we need solutions to this problem.
Experienced leadership is needed to listen to all sides of the discussion and consider the complexities. Having worked in architectural design and been involved in numerous strategic planning discussions for facilities, along with excelling at complex problem resolution, makes me the candidate of choice. I’m ready now to be an active participant and help form the solution Rochester needs.
Fiscal responsibility means spending our tax dollars as efficiently and transparently as possible. While inflation rates have affected everyone in our community, even though the rates are coming down, it doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be concerned with spending.
During my time on the school board, the funding model for revenues to the school district was different than it is to a city making spending efficiencies for the district extremely important. In a conversation with Police Chief Franklin, I was pleased to learn that fiscal efficiency is a priority for his department while not jeopardizing any public safety. To date I haven’t spoken to all the department leaders, but I hope this topic resonates similarly across the board.
Similar to budget discussions in the school district, I’d like to see and have it publicly reported on how Rochester compares to other cities of comparable size in terms of spending. Are we significantly exceeding spending levels, on par, or operating very efficiently? I am certain that finding this answer would help with fiscal transparency within the community. My past experience with this makes me the candidate of choice in helping move the city forward with fiscal transparency.
Rochester is a unique city, with people from all over the world calling it home. I believe this diversity is one of our greatest strengths. As a city council member, when discussing topics, we must consider aspects such as affordability, equality, accessibility, and inclusivity. These crucial issues may not always be at the forefront of the discussion, but they are undeniably important.
Lets talk! I want to hear your thoughts on what you feel is important, what direction you want ward 6 and Rochester to go towards, topics that have your attention that perhaps should have my attention too.
While this campaign is still young there are a lot of topics to be discussed. Stop back as I will be adding more thoughts to this page.
Let me know what else you'd like to know about me, my thoughts on topics that interest you and how you would like to see the future go. Click on the button below and lets have a conversation!