Last week there was a candidate forum sponsored by the Windsor Heights Chamber of Commerce. The nine candidates for Windsor Heights City Council were there, in front of up to 300 people, ready to answer questions posed by the Chamber and by the audience.
Well, sort of.
I heard "I will listen to the voters in my office at City Hall" and "I will create committees to look at business development" and "I will make it a priority to plan for infrastructure street and sidewalk repair" and my favorite, "I will work and provide plans to provide economic development for our community."
I disparage no person who seeks to become a public servant but one would think you might have some working knowledge of the position that you seek rather than doing On The Job Training. Let's look at each of those public comments:
"I will listen to the voters in my office at City Hall." - Uhm....there is no office for City Council Members at City Hall. Perhaps it would be better said, as I did in a post several weeks ago, to set up Coffee Chats and Discussion & Drinks at our local businesses;
"I will create a committee of business people, elected officials and staff to look at business development." - Well, we already have one it is called the Windsor Heights Development Committee something that I have served on for three years;
"I will work and provide plans for street and sidewalk repair." - Actually there is already a 114 page document that details specific plans street by street and another document that provides detailed funding sources for infrastructure including streets and sidewalks;
"I will work and provide plans for economic development for our community." - The document is called Destination Windsor Heights. It was prepared by business leaders, citizens, city staff and elected officials. It provides detailed economic districts and ideas for everything from quality of life to business development to housing and was voted on and accepted in February 2017.
And it is all available at City Hall or on the City of Windsor Heights webpage.
I offered clear and responsible answers to the serious questions that face our community. While I applaud the efforts of each city council candidate in their desire to serve I would think it might be a good idea for them to actually work on the issues, be knowledgeable about what we have and then be sincere and deliberate with their answers.
On the Job Training is something we can't afford to do...not at this critical time.
My cell phone is 515-570-2220, my email is MPLibbie@gmail.com, my website is www.MichaelLibbie.com and you can find me on Facebook Michael Libbie for Windsor Heights City Council and on Twitter @MichaelLibbie.
If you would like to support my campaign with a donation...that would be awesome! People for Libbie, 2815 100th Street Box 382, Urbandale, Iowa 50322 (Office mailing address)
Thanks for reading!