Kristi and I have a son, and he’s been interested in politics since he was little. He got actively engaged in politics in college, and has knocked on doors in Illinois, Massachusetts, Maine and Michigan. He’s so proud that I’m running for a seat on the Lewes BPW.
The reason for this story is that he asked us what our plan was to vote in the recent presidential election. We thought it was a strange choice of words. He explained that having a plan to vote made it more certain people would go to the polls. So, in my son’s words, I hope you make a plan to vote this Saturday.
I learned a lot in running for my first election. The people of Lewes are talented, passionate and thoughtful. I want to thank the 400 families that I spoke with as I walked around and knocked on doors. I want to thank the Cape Gazette for their recent endorsement. My experience in running for election is humbling. The job as a board member for BPW is not easy.
Earning your vote should not be easy either. I hope you will see that I have worked to understand your concerns to earn your vote, and I will work equally hard to represent you.
Here are the top issues that are on customers’ minds and what we talked about to fix them.
1. Solve the issue between the city and BPW: As the treasurer for my eight months on the board, I have seen firsthand the cost of this issue in both money and time. After this election, let’s give members of Lewes City Council and the BPW a couple of months to solve the issue. If we can’t solve it, then let’s have a referendum and let the people decide. I think four-plus years of conflict is enough.
2. Protect our environment and our safety. The spill at the wastewater treatment plant in 2019 was before I joined the BPW. That said, I can see the treatment plant from my front door. At least half of the water that comes out of the plant goes in front of our house. As you can imagine, I am passionate about the plant. I know I was not on the BPW when the spill occurred, but I carry the weight of that event and I hope that everyone who joins the board over the next 20+ years carries that weight as well. It will ensure that we are doing all we can to protect the environment and our customers. We must remain vigilant.
3. Several issues I heard can be addressed by increasing transparency, embracing best practices, and improving for our customers each and every year. One example is the process of getting people registered. I have lived in 10 different states, and the process always seems harder than it should be. After every election cycle, we should meet with the city and other BPWs to talk about issues and lessons learned. How do we all get better in the next election cycle and every election after that…continuous improvement for our customers.
It has been great to walk around and meet our customers. I look forward to bringing your voice into our decision-making process. If you have any questions, I will be around the BPW building for part of the day on May 8. I would be happy talk and hope to see all of you there!
Thank you for your consideration, your input and your vote!
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