Lincoln mayoral candidate: Keith Snyder

[February 20, 2009]  The following is a position paper from Keith Snyder, a candidate mayor of Lincoln:

After months of reading, listening and watching Tuesday is Primary Election Day. It's your opportunity to choose the next leader for Lincoln.

Because there are no Democrat or Independent candidates yet filed the Republican primary will, in essence, be the election. Your vote is crucial. Please make it count.

I'm asking for your vote on Tuesday. I've laid out my vision for our community and three detailed steps for us to get there. If we work together I know we can Energize Economic Development, Elevate Community Pride, and Engage the Future.

I have released detailed platform papers on each of these issues that have already been posted on this "Where They Stand" site. They can also be found on my website: www.SnyderForMayor.com. Just as a quick summary here are the highlights below.

"Energize Economic Development"

I. Convene an Economic Development Summit to lay out an economic blueprint for the City.

The city needs to convene an Economic Development Summit. It will be a focused, facilitated one-day session to share perspectives and dreams, to identify ways to attack growth collaboratively, and to identify steps to enhance economic opportunity in Lincoln.

II. Be strategic in attracting new economic opportunities and growing our own jobs.

Lincoln can't just sit back and wait for whatever comes economically. We need a strategy for the type of businesses and opportunities we want to attract as well as a strategy to promote the entrepreneurial dreams of our citizens.

III. Take a team approach to implementing growth strategies.

Meaningful and successful economic strategies will require the city to work together as a team, with others externally and with itself internally.

"Elevate Community Pride"

I. Start the "Great Lincoln Clean-Up"

We need to start the "Great Lincoln Clean-Up," an annual event held each spring to spruce up, clean up, and refresh our community.

II. Create strategic, cost-effective beautification plans

The "Great Lincoln Clean-Up" will provide a boost of energy and cooperation each spring to tidy up our city, but we also need to develop affordable and strategic plans to beautify our downtown, city parks, streets, and neighborhoods.

III. Mobilize our greatest source of pride, our young people, to use their creativity and energy to solve city problems

We should engage our greatest source of pride in this community, our young people, by establishing a Lincoln Youth Council to mobilize our youth and utilize their energy, creativity, and dreams.

"Engage the Future"

I. Have a shared vision for what we would like our city to be, and a strategy for how to get there … versus just dealing with the crisis of the day with no real goals in mind

We can sit back and simply accept what happens to us. Or we can take the initiative to address those challenges and seize our opportunities head on. The best way for us to do that is through the adoption of a comprehensive plan for Lincoln.

II. By implementing operational enhancements to cut costs and increase accountability

We can pursue fresh approaches to the operation of city government:

• Explore the option of buying the city's electricity from alternative suppliers.

• Provide purchasing and contract management training for city buyers.

• Create accountability forms for groups seeking funding from the city.

• Initiate a citizen-based budgeting approach.

• Establish a volunteer initiative.

III. By further updating and improving the city's website to make it an indispensable tool for local residents and a showplace for visitors

We must fully embrace and capitalize on the opportunities available on the World Wide Web to communicate with and inform local residents and businesses and individuals interested in Lincoln. Some improvements have been made over the course of the past year. But more needs to be done to make the site more user-friendly, more useful for residents, and more attractive to visitors.

We're in the midst of some uncertain times, but there is no problem we face that can't be solved by the tremendous potential in all of us working together. When we all pitch in – with our time, our energies, our creativity -- and when we all work together, we can build that better and brighter future that you, the people of Lincoln deserve.

I'd appreciate your vote on Tuesday for Mayor and the opportunity to work alongside you to make that happen.

Thank you and God bless you.

[Text copied from file received from Keith Snyder]