Principles

All citizens of Monmouth should be considered when making decisions that affect the community rather than small interest groups. Money and resources that serve only a few of our over 11,000 residents will not be issues I will support. However, items that are available to all like sidewalks, maintained streets and other infrastructure should be prioritized.

Both short and long term impacts must be considered when spending the hard earned tax dollars of our citizens. Governments are entrusted to manage funds efficiently and exercise restraint when costs are high rather than spend recklessly with an expectation that more money will automatically become available when needed. Families and business don't work that way and neither should your Council. Our Council should create and strictly maintain mechanisms for saving and long-term planning. This will avoid future $9+ million shortfalls for needed improvements.

Out of all responsibilities of our local government, the facilitation of the public safety of our citizens is the primary responsibility. Without safety, our other services are of little consequence. Included in this is clean water and adequate waste disposal.

As public servants, our responsibility is to always perform in ways that are consistent with our State and Federal Constitutions and preserve the rights of all people. A government must do everything possible to preserve individual liberties. Cities often fail when the interests of several are promoted over the rights of the few. The ideas we like least are made from the freedoms we should protect most.

To achieve the greatest products and services within the City, our decisions should originate in and be supported by the community. This means that our committees should broadly represent the most residents possible. Further, the City should engage more actively to recruit qualified individuals with skills and expertise into a competitive process.