Remember to VOTE on Tuesday November 4. While most of us know who is running for the hotly contested US Senate seat, fewer know the candidates in smaller local races. You’ve heard the saying, all politics are local well how much more local can you get than the Harrisonburg City Council? Turns out there are two open seats for City Council. In addition to City Council, there are three candidates running for 2 School Board seats to represent the east side of the Friendly City. While we aren’t going to delve any deeper into the School Board election, a great local blog, Old South High held a nice Q & A with the candidates.
As for the Harrisonburg City Council, the decisions and VOTES made by our five council members results in dramatic impacts on our daily lives in the Friendly City. If we hope to continue moving Harrisonburg towards the “Bike Capital” of our dreams, then we will need increased commitment and resolve from our Council members. We have a solid Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan with a list of projects that need to be built in our city. Want to see what some of them look like? Checkout the map of proposed bicycle projects (including: Bike lanes, shared lane markings, shared use path priorities)
Important projects for biking and walking are in the works and we need them expanded in our community. We have our first shared-use (greenway) trail in the city with the opening of the Bluestone Trail this fall. Council voted last week to fund the first phase of the Northend Greenway. There are paths needed to connect our schools, our homes, and local businesses as well as improvements to make walking and biking safer on our existing streets. Please read brief statements below from each City Council Candidate courtesy of the Daily News Record (article by Bryan Gilkerson appeared on October 27). You can read the full Q and A on the Daily News Record Website but it is behind a pay wall.
Remember to Check where you should be voting
Remember to bring a valid voter ID with you
Preview a sample ballot for the City of Harrisonburg
Watch the two City Council Forums sponsored in part by the Shenandoah Valley Bicycle Coalition: Watch September 30 and October 15
Please read brief statements below from each City Council Candidate courtesy of the Daily News Record (article by Bryan Gilkerson appeared on October 27). You can read the full Q and A on the Daily News Record Website but it is behind a pay wall.
Ted Byrd
Party: Republican
Biography: 51, farm manager, city resident for 22 years.
Q: Why do you want to serve on City Council?
A: “I bring a balanced perspective to council that will weigh the needs of all citizens to ensure that as we continue to grow, that future generations will have the same, if not improved quality of life that we have experienced and all too often taken for granted.”
Q: If elected, what would be your top three priorities upon taking your seat?
A: “Continue to invest in a robust municipal infrastructure in a fiscally responsible way. Provide the necessary resources to ensure we have a safe community and fairly fund education for all of our students. These have been my priorities for the last eight years and will be my priorities for the next four.”
D.D. Dawson
Party: Republican
Biography: 51, retired from city school division, city and county resident “my entire life.”
Q: Why do you want to serve on City Council?
A: “I have been in public service all my adult life, serving the last 19 years in the Harrisonburg City Schools. … I want to be involved in helping to make decisions that impact the city that I love. My business background and customer service experience will enable me to do just that. We have to set priorities and stretch limited resources, and I have the background and experience to help maximize the impact of our tax dollars.”
Q: If elected, what would be your top three priorities upon taking your seat?
A: “The city needs to encourage local economic development and job creation. I will work to identify ways to attract new businesses while maintaining the high quality of living our city currently enjoys. I’m also committed to ensuring we have the infrastructure … to support that growth and the schools to educate the next generation. City Council must renew its commitment to education … by providing fair funding for the school division for not only new buildings, but also teacher and staff compensation/benefits and programs to meet the diverse needs of all students.”
Alleyn Harned
Party: Democrat
Biography: 34, executive director of Virginia Clean Cities; city resident since 2009.
Q: Why do you want to serve on City Council?
A: “I want to give back in a meaningful way to the city by helping [the city] move forward with collaborative leadership to tackle real problems. We are finally turning the page with safe bicycle and pedestrian accommodations, and economic vitality, but leadership at the Council level needs to continue the push. … We have an opportunity to lead on economic, environmental, energy, and cost savings efficiency programs at the city level and I would like to help.”
Q: If elected, what would be your top three priorities upon taking your seat?
A: “1) Safe routes to school and a strong school system that best serves our children and our city. Students should not have to walk in the road. … We have a bike-and-pedestrian plan that needs to be supported. 2) We need to facilitate economic opportunity for all. 3) And efficiency can reach cost savings while reducing waste.”
Joshua Huffman
Party: Independent
Biography: 34, Writer/commentator and canvasser for Women Speak Out Political Action Committee; city resident since age 6.
Q: Why do you want to serve on City Council?
A: “I would appreciate the opportunity to serve on council so that I can be a voice for my fellow citizens. Over my time campaigning so many people in our community have told me they believe that council doesn’t listen to public opinion. … We need to work hard to improve this situation.”
Q: If elected, what would be your top three priorities upon taking your seat?
A: “My top three priorities will be: keeping taxes as low as possible for my fellow citizens, especially in these times of economic recovery, preventing future pet projects, like the city-run golf course, which is an unneeded strain on our limited resources, and protecting the lives, liberties, and properties of all residents and visitors of our great city.”
Christopher Jones
Party: Democrat
Biography: 35, advertising account executive with WHSV TV-3; city resident since 1996.
Q: Why do you want to serve on City Council?
A: “I want to serve … to move Harrisonburg forward in a compassionate and inclusive manner. Specifically, I want to be a voice for our local businesses, seniors, women, the working class, minorities, and those families that make up the [many] languages in our school system. I envision a more walkable, bike-friendly city, with environmentally smart growth and development as well as greater citizen participation in large and small decision-making.”
Q: If elected, what would be your top three priorities upon taking your seat?
A: “[I]ncreasing the attendance and awareness of city council meetings and overall participation in city government by personally reaching out to local business owners, community organizations, [city] citizens, EMU, and JMU. … Second, I would … work to find ways to bring new businesses and more jobs to our city. Many of our citizens work two jobs just to “make it” or are underemployed and over qualified. … Third, hiring a [bike/sustainability] coordinator will help the city … achieve its goals for enhancing environmental quality, improving energy efficiency, and reducing waste in our city.”
Helen Shibut
Party: Libertarian
Biography: 23, sales consultant at Joe Bowman Auto Plaza; city resident since 2009.
Q: Why do you want to serve on City Council?
A: “I think it’s important that citizens participate in the political process. In college I was surprised at how few students were involved or even interested in local government. Fresh blood in office reinvigorates a democracy and insures that everyone’s interests are represented. The middle class is struggling as our economy continues to underperform. The recent real estate and personal property tax increases aren’t helping. Rather than borrowing and spending money on projects like the new municipal building or giving tax breaks to developers as we did with the hotel and conference center project, we need to focus on keeping taxes and regulations from crowding out businesses and families in our community.”
Q: If elected, what would be your top three priorities upon taking your seat?
A: “First, I’d like to focus on longterm infrastructure planning, so we don’t come to regret our major financial investments. Secondly, I want to see council work directly with JMU and EMU faculty and students to get them involved in our community, which benefits our local economy. Finally, I’d like to make the city more small business- friendly by getting the meals and lodging tax back to the level we had three years ago.
