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I believe the mayor’s job is oversight and leadership. That means trusting city staff to do the jobs they were hired to do, while providing direction, support and accountability—not managing the day-to-day work of mowing, maintenance, paving or running individual departments.
The mayor also has a responsibility to be financially and fiscally responsible with taxpayers’ money, spending with purpose and clear expectations. The mayor should have a plan for Decatur, with goals for one, two, three and four years and a clear path for accomplishing them.
Ultimately, the job is to help make Decatur a place where businesses can grow and where residents want to stay—not just for a few years, but for a lifetime.
I bring a combination of military service, business management and direct experience in Decatur city government. I currently serve on the Decatur City Council, where I have gained firsthand knowledge of our city’s operations, finances, departments and the challenges we face. My business experience includes managing operations for 26 restaurants and running my own businesses, giving me experience with budgets, staffing, accountability, problem-solving and operations. I understand that good leadership means setting clear expectations, supporting the people doing the work, managing resources responsibly and following through. Those experiences have prepared me to lead Decatur with purpose, accountability and a plan for the future.
The first thing I plan to do is evaluate how our city is operating today—our staffing, equipment, finances, departments and infrastructure—to determine what is working, what is not and why. I would meet with department heads and employees, listen to their needs and establish clear priorities and expectations. From there, we can develop a realistic plan with specific goals, timelines and costs, using our existing resources more effectively before asking taxpayers for more. I believe we need to take better care of what we have today while preparing responsibly for Decatur’s future.
