Keep John Roberts, Commissioner of Red Bank It has been a week since the Red Bank Neighborhood Pride Association held their candidate forum at Red Bank Middle School. I was privileged to have been asked to moderate the affair. What follows is my interpretation of the current issues facing the citizens of Red Bank and, at the end, a summation of whom I feel should be elected and whom I will be voting for personally. First, I would like to address the fact that only three of the candidates came to the forum. I found is particularly disturbing. These candidates are asking us, the voters, to trust them with the well being of the town in which we live, work and play. How do we know if they are qualified, trustworthy or dedicated to the same issues we are without an interview? When someone wants a job they should interview for it. If you own a business, and you hire someone without interviewing them first, no matter how well you feel you know them, you are jeopardizing your livelihood. There is absolutely no difference in electing public officials. If a candidate refuses to participate in a public forum, not even a debate but a forum, they should not be seriously considered for the position they seek. There is no excuse for this at all. Electing someone to be a LEADER in your city is not about how good of a friend they are or how long you have known them or their family, but it is rather about how effective they would be in the position. There are many people I know in Red Bank that are great people and whom I have known personally since grade school at Red Bank Elementary. But I would not vote to put them in office because while they are friends and I care for them, they would NOT make effective leaders. Now to the candidates running for the open seats. I spoke personally with both Mr. Causer and Mrs. Pierce prior to the event. I did not have contact information for Mr Temple and did not know anyone who, when asked, had it either. I am breaking up my analysis into three separate letters due to length. John Roberts/Rick Causer - at Large Seat: In my conversation with him, Mr Causer told me that he had other arrangements and would not attend the public forum. I reminded him that he had challenged a seated commissioner and, (uniquely), while he himself still had time remaining in his term. I then asked if it were not important to tell his side of that situation and again asked him to attend. He said he did not have to answer to me, (actually I am currently one of his constituents, so yes he should answer to me and the others that live here), and that his plans were none of my business. Not exactly transparent government, not exactly confidence inspiring, not exactly what I care to hear when I am speaking to a public servant. In a August 18 story on Chattanoogan, Mr Causer said he was running against John Roberts because he did not like his leadership. He went on to say, It seems to me he is too compulsive and doesnt think things through. He makes poor choices and that the mayors position on codes enforcement and zoning are going to hurt a lot of citizens. This is complete hog wash and a lightly veiled attempt at fear mongering. Let me clear on this point. There is NOTHING in the new land use plan, or the coming zoning plan that will hurt anyone in Red Bank. I know this first hand as I served on the original committee that met with the consultants the city hired. The purposed changes came from CITIZEN INPUT at public meetings. Mr Causer knows this, he attended at least one of the meetings. In fact the changes are designed to strengthen our neighborhoods and create an environment that will encourage new development, both residential and commercial. These plans will benefit Red Bank citizens and property owners by increasing property values. They will benefit Red Bank businesses by increasing the commercial development, bringing in new business and increasing the number of consumers in our city. Since we are a land locked community, the only growth we can experience is by attracting new homeowners and new businesses to the city. Without carefully thought out growth plans, (which what has been done thanks to Mayor Roberts), our city will decline. If we continue to decline long enough the city will die. Grow or die, there is no third option. Again from that same Chattanoogan article, Commissioner Causer said, My idea on economic development is bringing in companies from outside. His is more environmental. Thats good to a point, but you can go too far. When you create green space the land goes off the tax rolls. You have to hire people to maintain it, and all that can lead to a tax increase. So let me ask this question, How many businesses has Mr Causer brought into or been involved in bringing to Red Bank? Thats easy, the answer is none. In fact what has Mr Causer done in his first two years as a commissioner here in Red Bank? I cannot think of one thing of any consequence that can be attributed to him. Nothing, in two years. And he wants to unseat a Mayor that has helped to bring businesses into Red Bank, (Pratt Homes and Mohawk Canoe just name a couple), and that is working daily to improve the city. Why? And as for green spaces, if Mr Causer had paid any attention to the input from the citizens comments from the public meetings, he would have seen that our citizens are asking for more, not less, recreation areas. Listen to your constituents. I see John Roberts at numerous events in Red Bank. The Jubilee, Music in the Park, Red Bank Football games, Chamber meetings, Neighborhood Pride meetings. He is involved, he cares he listens and he is the most accessible public official we have had in ages, and the city is better for it. I have yet to see Mr Causer at any of these events. Why? To sum up, I will be voting on November 4 for John Roberts because he is an effective, successful leader for Red Bank and I want him to continue doing the good work he is doing in our city. I am encouraging ALL of my fellow Red Bank citizens to do the same. And remember, Mr Causer still has two more years on his current term as commissioner so he is not going anywhere...at least for now. Mike Congdon
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 20:52:18 +0000