Thank you everyone.

I would like to thank everyone for checking out my website. If elected I promise to show the residents of second ward the same dedication that I show my students and my country, as I will as a councilman. Be sure to knock on your neighbors door and remind them to vote.


Allan

Endorsement from Coulmbia Business Times

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New Missourian Article

Tribune Article

NCAAP Forum Article

NCAAP Forum and Signs

Well I have most of my big signs up. I should have the rest in tomorrow. If you want a yard sign feel free to shoot me a email with your address and I will deliver one. The NAACP forum went well. It was nice to meet some of the first ward residents and listen to their concerns.

Missourian Article

KFRU

This morning I completed my first radio interview for the City Council race on KFRU. Personally I had a really good time. I loved answering people’s questions and letting them know where I stand on the issues. If you were listening you could tell people were really upset about the possibility of the city using eminent domain. As I have mentioned personal property rights are very important to me. If we truly want to create jobs then we need to reassure businesses that we will not take their property when it suits the needs of a few. My signs are in but I am a little hesitant to put them up in all this wind. I am enjoying my spring break and I finally have time to work on my garden. I know what you are thinking “What is the Army guy doing with a garden?” Well truth is I love fresh vegetables and landscaping around the house. If you are thinking of selling your house you need good landscaping. It will add 15% to the bottom line. The NAACP forum is coming up. I hope to see you there.

Muleskinners and LWV

It has been an exciting and interesting week. I really enjoy the forums and I actually wish they would last longer. I feel that I have really distinguished myself at the forums with my confidence and clear responses. When I committed to running for office I made a pledge to be honest and never dodge a question. I feel the citizens should know where their elected representatives stand on issues. I was the candidate that spoke out against the use of eminent domain to acquire the downtown businesses. Let us be clear, those businesses are not blighted. While I am not a legal expert I have discussed the issue with a few lawyers. They all agree the city does not have a case. I want the historical society in Columbia. However, there is a right way and a wrong way to approach this. I believe the owners would be willing to sell at a premium. I think the city should step back and allow the Historical Society raise the funds for the property. The city and I both want a vibrant down town. In order to achieve this investors need to have the confidence that the city will not take their personal property if they locate to Columbia. I was the only candidate to speak out against the TIF (Tax Increment Financing) for the Tiger Hotel. I have done my homework on these projects. The Tiger Hotel failed to work when it first opened. Then the owner tried to turn it into a home for the elderly. He was given historical funds for renovation. That venture failed also. Now at an estimated cost of 1.7 million he wants to try and make it work as a hotel again. I say estimated because here is a quote from the tribune. “These numbers could change substantially,” Grimm cautioned commissioners about cost estimates in the applications. “A lot of the numbers will change, but the text won’t change, so look over that.” Now ask yourself should a candidate agree to fund this TIF project when the Tiger hotel doesn’t have a positive track record? Do you think it is a good decision to commit to any funding of any project when you do not know the total cost? Our schools are in a budgetary crisis. The impacts of these lost revenues will be devastating to our schools. We would be forced to make even more cuts. It is time to elect officials who will weigh the impacts of city decisions on our schools.

Missourian Article from LWV

Duke Ellington Orchestra and Forum

Last night I had the opportunity to attend a Duke Ellington Orchestra at Jesse Hall. I will be the first to admit that I had never heard of them before I was given the tickets. They are a Jazz band that has some serious talent. I was amazed at how well they played. The auditorium was nearly full and everyone enjoyed the show. Tonight is the League of Women's Voter’s forum. I hope to see you there.

Click here to locate your Ward.

Second Police Station and Campaign Kickoff

Chamber Forum

The Chamber Forum went very well. We discussed a variety of issues. I have proposed that we start the planning process and discussion for an additional police station. As a councilman I would push for it to be built within the Second Ward. As some of you may have read in the paper property tax revenues could come in down. This does not bode well for our schools. We need to work toward building more retirement communities. Retirees add tax revenues without adding students. On the jobs front I want the residents to know that I have the dedication and drive to bring businesses to Columbia. On day one, if elected, I will ask the city staff for a complete list of job growth proposals from REDI and Chamber of Commerce. Their ideas deserve the proper attention during these times. We must have a goal to gain back the jobs that have been lost over the last two years, within the next year. This cannot be done without strong leadership. We as a city must create decent jobs for those who drop out of school or do not attend college. Without these jobs our youths will likely turn to crime. This is the reality of our times. As a teacher I would love to see every student’s parent. Unfortunately not all of our citizens have transportation. I have proposed that we ensure that our public transportation system at a minimum make stops at our schools on the nights of parent/teacher conferences. This will allow for parents to attend who otherwise would not. We will have a lot of tough decisions that must be made in the future. You can rest assured that as a teacher and veteran, I have the skills to get Columbia moving forward.

Campaign Kickoff!

I will be having my campaign kickoff at the VFW at 7:00pm March 11th. I have also invited the school board candidates and most have agreed to come. You now can learn more about my campaign and theirs. The VFW has a regularly scheduled meal from 5:30-6:30 if you are interested. If you are attending please give them a courtesy call so they can prepare extra. They would be more than happy to accommodate since the money benefits the organization. They can be reached at 442-8413. I look forward to your attendance.

Fire Department

I have met with the Columbia Fire Fighters union and I thanked them for their efforts. They work vigorously during their off duty hours focusing on training to make our city a safer place. The Chamber of Commerce hosted a round table discussion with the chief of police, the city prosecutor, and the Boone County Sheriff. This was very informative and I want the citizens to know that Chief Dresner headed up a program called "100 men in 100 days." Now Big Brothers and Sisters has 100 new "Big Brothers" to mentor our troubled youth. As a school teacher, I can assert that these programs work. While 100 new volunteers may seem like a lot, it doesn't even scratch the surface of what our city really needs. I want to live in a safer Columbia and programs like these will make our city a better place to live.

What are your thoughts?

Have you ever wanted to give more feedback to your elected officials? Would you like more input on the spending practices and purchases? The city has a public relations official and she mentioned during her briefing about how the city was struggling to get more citizen input. As you may know, many residents have an ID number that can be used to pay bills online. I suggested that the city put surveys on their website. Then citizens can input their bill id and vote on the issues. Of course the survey will be non-binding . However, think of the opportunity that is now before us. Residents can let their voices be heard from their homes or work if the city pursues my suggestion. I want to hear your suggestions on how we can improve Columbia. Let us start the dialogue on the issues that concern you. Let me know what you think of my idea of online voting. I will be posting every few days and feel free to add me as a friend on Facebook or Myspace.

Welcome

Hello and welcome to my blog.  Here I plan to share information I find in my journey to the City Council as Second Ward Representative.  Please check back for updates!