Lebanon mayor race takes shape: Four to compete in GOP primary, one Dem files

I lived in the city, raised my son in the city, and have been involved in improving the quality of life for those in the city, starting with my own neighborhood.  After rebuilding the South Sixth Street Playground and more recently, the Sevco Basketball Courts, our neighborhood attracts thousands of visitors and homebuyers if one is fortunate enough to find a home for sale. So I have the experience needed for the next Mayor of Lebanon…but building new parks and structures will not be our biggest hurdle in the next 4 years.

Even our neighborhood lives with the many problems created by slumlords who have no accountability and are endangering the lives of our kids inside as well as the neighboring homes, so I plan to address the “nuisance” problems in city.

In addition to the problems in residential areas with slumlords, nuisance and illegal businesses in the city–particularly the downtown business district–have compounded, deterring investors and good businesses who don’t want to be a block or two from a vape shop selling drugs, an unlicensed massage parlor bringing in customers for adult services, unlicensed night clubs, and more. Every downtown manager walked away from the job because they encountered problems that needed support from those in the city offices in order for them to be able to market the district. Good landlords sold property for similar reasons.

Under my servant leadership, businesses, organizations, families, and neighborhoods that I have been involved with over the years had the opportunity to improve, progress, and grow. I empower those who do what is right, and lead by example…and as mayor, I will set that standard starting with the city business itself. We need to talk about the “hushed” issues…and get them out on the table so they can be resolved. I will restore the public’s trust with the finances. City Hall was constructed without competitive bid for a project well over $6 million, and the state still has not released millions of dollars for that project from what I’ve been told recently. The average person in Lebanon City is of low economic status, but they clearly understand that their ability to thrive depends on those in elected positions guarding their tax dollars…if there is no money for something basic to the lives of families living in cities such as parks and recreation, where is the money coming from to heat and cool an underutilized city hall building that isn’t even paid?