Priorities
Priorities
1) Community Safety
2) Community Collaboration
3) Community Development
com·mu·ni·ty
Miriam Webster defines community as a unified body of individuals, such as the people with common interest living in a particular community.
Forest Acres is a great community. I live here, my wife owns and operates a business here and my children attend schools here. The priorities of my campaign are about Building Community.
Community Safety
Public safety is a basic responsibility of any municipality and the foundation of a strong and vibrant community. Forest Acres has done a good job with public safety and the continued investment in the police department is a top priority for me. I want our citizens to feel safe in their homes, on our roads and at our local businesses. To do to that we need to continue to invest in our police department and make sure they are properly trained and have the proper equipment and resources needed to keep Forest Acres safe.
Community Collaboration
Forest Acres is uniquely situated as a small municipality located in Richland County adjacent to the City of Columbia, the Town of Arcadia Lakes and unincorporated portions of the County and is also adjacent to Fort Jackson. It is able to govern for its citizens and collaborate and interact with its neighbors. I believe the way for Forest Acres to be the best community it can be is to collaborate with its neighboring communities to create a better Midlands overall. We are at an exciting time in the history of the City with the redevelopment of the Richland Mall, development of new parks and positive overall momentum overall occurring in the Midlands region. Collaboration both with the citizens of Forest Acres and other municipalities, the County and our military at Fort Jackson is a high priority for my campaign. If elected I would work to strengthen relationships and develop ways to collaborate with the surrounding communities and share ideas for a better Forest Acres.
Community Development
Growth and development are vital to a thriving community. Forest Acres has been measured in its growth and I would like to continue to see smart growth in a way that makes doing business with the City less cumbersome while making sure we make educated decisions with input from all stakeholders. Forest Acres is primarily a bedroom community but needs to position itself to attract businesses that continue to enhance the living standards of its citizens. Change and growth can be challenging, but as a council member I would advocate for projects that fit the values of the citizens of Forest Acres and provide additional tax revenue to enhance the experience of those living in the City. I would also advocate for development of additional cultural and social experiences to bring the community together and to enhance existing community events such as Sweet Seasons and the Forest Acres Festival.