I am running for re-election to the Ward 2 seat on the Lenexa City Council to do my part in keeping Lenexa a great place to live, work and visit.
· To keep Lenexa safe. Without quality police, fire and EMT services as a foundation for our families, our property and our businesses nothing else works. The continued recruitment, training and outfitting with the best equipment will ensure that the foundation of safety is strong. Safety on our streets with traffic control and flow, factors into that equation also. That is why I supported an overpass over Highway 10, rather than an interchange on and off the Highway.
· To ensure that Lenexa continues to plan well with a balance of residential, commercial and the preservation of open space. Special attention to surrounding properties must be paid when a request is made to rezone a property. How parcels develop and affect surrounding property will determine the quality of life for Lenexans and for future Lenexans. I believe Lenexa has reached its saturation point with high-density apartments. Accordingly, I argued and voted against adding 200+ additional acres of apartments to our future Lenexa Comprehensive Plan.
· To keep all city services strong and responsive. Living in Lenexa is a choice. A choice people have made partially based on great city services. We must make sure that services such as planning, public works, recreation, snow removal, communications, parks and storm water remain effective, and in the most efficient way possible. BUT first effective! No false efficiencies at the risk of losing quality services.
· To help ensure that Lenexa keeps the lines of communication open and transparent between residents and the City Council. Building, and keeping, a great city requires maintaining a continuous feedback loop between the residents and the elected representatives and then back again………….and then repeat.
· To continue the tradition of hosting ‘community-building’ events and activities. In conjunction with our social media accounts, Lenexa events have become our ‘town square’ where we all touch base with one another, 5 or 6 times a year, on what is happening in our city and with our families and friends.
· To ensure that Lenexa continues to maintain and update its infrastructure, public spaces, parks, and public buildings. Lenexa does all the little visible things right (fixes potholes, weeds flower beds, removes graffiti, etc), and that is a subtle indication that she takes care of the big things too (long range planning, street maintenance, public safety, balanced budgets, etc).