Five key skills
Many people view the assignment of becoming an elected official as simply being about governing, whether a city, county, state or national government. Governance is often defined as making decisions. In reality, I believe serving as an effective City Council member starts well before a single decision is made. Five components are central to my approach to serving on the Richardson City Council:
Experience: I’m the candidate with the greatest depth of community experience. At the community level, I’ve been an active member of the Zoning Board of Adjustment, Building and Standards Commission, Richardson Complete Count Committee in support of the 2020 Census and the RISD Bond Steering Committee. Combined with my participation in the Richardson Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Richardson, Richardson Citizen Police Academy, Highland Terrace Neighborhood Association and IANT, I have unmatched practical knowhow that will benefit Richardson citizens.
Availability: Meetings can occur anytime, from early morning to late evening… and, beyond. Emails, social media and other channels can deliver messages at any time, on any day. The way I’ve historically responded and during this campaign is what you can expect of me as a City Council member.
Engagement: Service is a top priority for me. From the experiences cited above, I observed the importance of engaging with and understanding the needs of individuals. Often, this is a simple matter of listening, then developing an action plan to capitalize on the opportunity or solve the challenge. From there, it’s following through to make sure things happen. Sometimes, the process can mean navigating conflicting needs to the best possible outcome for all involved, and I’m committed to that process, as well.
Collaboration: City Council and the Mayor are responsible for setting policy and coordinating these directions with the City Manager, who leads City staff in delivering quality outcomes that Richardson citizens have come to expect. In the rare event that City staff is unable to resolve citizen concerns, elected and staff officials work together in their respective areas of expertise and responsibility to identify the best means of addressing and resolving difficult issues.
Respect: During my campaign, I’ve been asked many questions about an equally varied range of topics. Some, such as infrastructure issues, have been simple to answer as a result of my professional engineering experience. Some others have been outside the realm of City Council members and the City’s jurisdiction. No matter what, though, I’ve worked to provide respectful, straight-forward responses.
Serving individual and business citizens is a key part of the job description for City Council members. I hope my experience, track record and activities during this campaign will earn your trust and your vote. Don’t forget, Election Day is this Saturday, May 1. Visit the Dallas County or Collin County elections page for information on where to vote and other information to assist you on Election Day.