The infrastructure in our beautiful city has been failing for years. Storm drainage in the state streets is a huge problem after heavy rain events. Many of the municipal water supply pipes have been in need of replacement for decades. The current City Council voted in August 2023 to increase the stormwater utility fee by more than 100 percent. We need a plan in place to improve our deteriorating infrastructure incrementally over time so that these fee increases do not impact so many residents on fixed incomes.

The City of St. Cloud is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States. With over 60,000 residents, we must ensure that our law enforcement and emergency services are provided with the necessary equipment and resources to keep the public safe. I support using proactive strategies to address social and criminal issues affecting our community. Serving on the Osceola County Fire and Rescue Advisory Board helped me understand the challenges our first responders face and the resources they need.

As the population of St. Cloud grows, we must also acknowledge the growing youth population. The need for more youth programs and civic spaces such as parks and sports venues will require more collaboration between private entities and city government services. We must ensure that students living here will have access to positive youth development programs enhancing the positive characteristics of our children while improving physical health and academic outcomes.

We must put an end to wasteful spending. Accurate and timely information about budget execution is necessary to hold officials to their budgetary commitments. Adopting more transparent spending practices is especially important now when many local governments are managing large sums of money to address large scale repairs to deteriorating infrastructure. My experience in construction contract administration for multi-million dollar projects will be a valuable asset to the St. Cloud City Council.

The need to build communities that are socially, economically, and environmentally sustainable is greater now than ever before. I will work with city and county officials to revise outdated zoning codes that discourage healthy and sustainable growth. Our land and natural resources are our most valuable asset, and it must be held to the highest value so that we can preserve the small town way of life for generations to come. As a member of the Planning Commission, I have the experience needed to work with city staff.

The residents of St. Cloud have been paying a high premium for the water supplied by the city utilities. Now that our city water supply is being managed by TOHO Water Authority, we need to be certain that we are getting the quality of water and service that we are paying for. I will make the observation of water quality in all areas of the city receiving services a priority to ensure that it is meeting and exceeding the industry standards so that all service users have clean water that is safe to use.