I have been a voting resident of the Johnson City community for 6 years, and have been part of the community through family ties for 36 years. I have a career background that gives me confidence researching issues, attention to detail, and the ability to speak to and relate to folks of various backgrounds. I have a vested interest in the overall welfare of community as I grew up here and I am raising my family here.
Some of the most pressing issues facing the City Council in Johnson City include updated infrastructure/roads, small business growth while maintaining a small town feel, and proper use of tax dollars.
The citizens of Johnson City have brought several issues to my attention, including communication with residents and business about water and electrical outages and things that would affect their business on a day to day basis. Citizens of the community are also concerned about mismanagement of tax dollars, updating
infrastructure like water lines and roads, supporting local businesses, and safety for tourists and children during
large community events.
I am currently serving on the city council; my position started in May of 2023, as well as serving in a leadership capacity for local groups. My career background also incorporates budgets, planning, and human resources.
The top issues pressing the city council are the expansion of the city and how we can ensure it grows at a pace suitable for the infrastructure of the town. Currently, we are exploring how to expand the wastewater treatment plant and how best to do that budgetary wise. Its important for us that we maintain the small-town community we all have moved here for or grown up with.
The citizens want good communication towards how the city is being run. We as a council strive to ensure that the budget is being utilized, as well as how we are obtaining grants and funding, are expressed to those who live within the city limits. Transparency towards any issue or concern is a top priority. As well as ensuring small businesses are supported. They are the heartbeat of the town and what keeps things moving.
I have 32 years’ experience as a public servant: 21 years as a commissioned military officer and 11 years as a National Park Ranger. Thirty two years as a steward of the public’s resources and security singularly qualify me to excel as a public servant to benefit citizens, residents, and businesses of Johnson City. Furthermore, I was a Program Manager for 11 years with L3 Communications and Northrop Grumman, directing and managing multi-million dollar budgets, contracts, and programs supporting the US Department of Defense.
Maintaining the small town character of Johnson City is paramount to enhancing citizens’ quality of life. To guarantee that quality of life, we need to expand our fresh water resources and overhaul our water treatment plan for our town’s future growth. Like it or not, we will grow, so we need to be smart about it; make developers share the cost of expanding our water infrastructure. We need more sustainable small retail businesses to increase sales tax
revenue to help pay for our town’s infrastructure improvements. Tourists shopping retail will help increase that sales tax revenue.
Citizens are unhappy with the chip seal method of repaving streets. We need consistency in permitting and code enforcement. Business owners are stupefied that our visitor center isn’t open 7 days a week to promote visitation and patronage of local businesses, thereby diminishing increased sales tax revenue for the town. We should do something about oak wilt spreading through our town’s beautiful trees. Affordable housing for Johnson City wage earners is a huge need. Lastly, we are losing small businesses when “greedy” out-of-town property and building owners raise leases unreasonably.
