Serving as a councilmember for the last four years has been an honor. I am humbled and grateful every single day for the opportunity.
That’s not to say this position hasn’t come with its challenges. I believe I have met every challenge with an open mind and clear lines of communication. I have urged the community to speak directly with me to avoid speculation and to clarify any false and/or inflammatory information being spread on social media. That being said, it has been refreshing to canvas the streets, and talk to District 2 voters face to face. It encourages me to keep going. It inspires me to continue working for the betterment of our city.
My top three priorities are as follows:
To restore and maintain respect, professionalism and integrity among councilmembers, city staff and the community at large. Regardless of where we fall on the issues presented to us, we must be diplomatic and courteous in our interactions. As a mother of three, this is important to me. We must set an example for the up and coming generation.
To continue to develop and redevelop our commercial base to maintain the quality of life we have come to expect in Lee’s Summit. The city’s current policy for awarding economic incentives to new development is okay, but we must be assured the ROI for the city will be worth it. Creating new quality jobs and revenue is critical as we continue to grow.
To find a sustainable solution to repair the compensation and salary compressions issues for all of our city employees. I recognize that this is an emotionally charged issue for many. I understand their distress. I want a successful compensation package for our city employees that will stand up to the test of time. What I don’t want is to put a Band-Aid on this, only to end up right back where we are in a few years. I am committed to finding a positive solution by looking at our budget, seeing where we can cut spending, and finding new revenue streams. It is imperative that we put this on the front burner. Not only to send a message to our outstanding and loyal employees, but to ensure Lee’s Summit has only the best and brightest working for it as it continues to grow.
I have learned a lot the last four years as a councilmember for District 2, and I’ve not yet accomplished all that I would like to accomplish. I am excited to continue my service to the city, and to help restore and maintain respect, professionalism and integrity to the dais and within the community at large.
