Candidate for
City Council Member; City of Placerville

I have been a Placerville City Council member since 2004, including serving as Mayor in 2007. If re-elected I will continue using the knowledge I have gained working on the Council to further the City's position in El Dorado County. Our city and county are changing and these changes can benefit Placerville, but only if we are prepared as a community.

During my first few years on the council, Placerville enjoyed a robust economy. Our current situation demands economic conservation. However, we can put this slower time to good use. By encouraging our community to plan and design improvements to our business districts, Placerville Drive, Main Street, and Broadway, we will be prepared to drive our plans forward when the economy improves. Keeping Placerville as an economic center that serves its local citizens is one of my goals.

I feel residents deserve to have their tax dollars return to their own community. That is why I have worked with federal officials to successfully bring millions of dollars in federal funding to our Wastewater Treatment Plant, Highway 50 improvement project, city park improvement projects, and the Western Placerville Interchange Project. I am strongly committed to continuing these efforts.

I served six years as a member of the Board of Directors for the El Dorado County Transit Authority. I currently represent our city on the El Dorado County Transportation Commission. Both of these entities funnel millions of dollars in transportation benefits to El Dorado County and the City. The knowledge I have gained has been invaluable in helping the City plan and fund various transit and transportation projects. I have seen, first hand, the importance of working together as a region to solve our long-range transportation challenges.

During the past four years I have used my background in designing and managing engineering projects to help reduce impacts and costs to the City from the Caltrans Highway 50 Improvement Project, while working to ensure that Placerville gains as much as possible from this State project. Removal of the sewer line from the creek, removing overhead utilities along lower Main Street, replacing sidewalks and repaving streets are expected improvements from this project. This project, when completed, will add an eastbound lane to Highway 50 and provide improved entrances to Placerville and the connection of the Placerville Drive bypass.

I supported the City's efforts to obtain State funding to repair Upper Main Street. This year-long project required careful coordination and cooperation among numerous utilizes, the city and property owners.

I instigated a renewed focus on pedestrian safety, primarily the maintenance, upkeep, and installation of sidewalks in the city. This also included the creation of a sidewalk brochure, which clarifies maintenance and ownership responsibilities.

I was proud to take part in the opening of the City's Aquatic Center. This facility serves city residents and numerous families from the surrounding county. The size and amenities provided by this facility are unmatched in a community of our size and I am very proud to have assisted in its completion.

There are a number of potential housing projects that will be added to Placerville in the next several years. I am committed to ensuring these projects are compatible with the existing neighborhoods and provide amenities for new and existing residents alike.

Placerville's residential neighborhoods provide housing across a wide social range. Our current historic housing district regulations need to be updated to better protect the integrity of our oldest neighborhoods. Among other issues, this remains an ongoing focus of my second four years.