Quality of Life

Video on the issues from the Town Council Election Forum is now on our home page.

Dear Edgewood Neighbor,

When I asked the citizens of Edgewood to vote for me in 2006, I promised to be a responsive, well- informed and hard-working member of the Town Council. As Edgewood begins its second decade as an incorporated town, I’m asking you for the opportunity to continue to represent the citizens.

Growth and development does not have to cost us our quality of life. I also believe that every property owner, no matter how small, has rights and that the opinions of neighborhoods should be heard. I have worked hard to find creative solutions where the plans for new development and the interests of existing neighborhoods come into conflict.

An example is a decision I had to make about a proposed development of 59 homes on an extension of a small private road next to a neighborhood of 8 existing homes. I felt that the plan unfairly burdened the neighbors with maintaining a gravel road that would be used by the developer. I also knew that under Edgewood laws the developer would have to pave the road had he proposed 60 homes. Through a series of public discussions, a compromise was found that will allow the development to move ahead without such negative impact on its neighbors. The developer will pave the road in phases as income from his home sales enables him to.

Sometimes development can benefit us all but the ends don’t justify the means. In early 2008, it appeared that there were plans afoot to force a neighborhood to accept a road through their area, in some cases across their private property. The road was planned to allow access to an open space with dreams of developing it into a park. Parks and open spaces are good things but not at the cost of a neighbors rights and quality of life.

I opposed the plan and urged others in town government to find a different access point. Plans to create a park have continued, with the focus on developing an existing road at the other end of the park instead of jeopardizing the quality of life of those who were seen as in the way.

I hope you will agree that growth doesn’t have to cost us our quality of life and that if we apply our creativity in the spirit of compromise, we can find ways to have both. I hope I will have your support on March 2.

If you possibly can, vote early (Absentee-in-Person) Edgewood Town Office located at 1911 Old Rt. 66 8 am-5 pm Monday-Friday Early voting begins Feb. 10 and ends Feb. 26 OR March 2nd at the Edgewood Community Center 7am –7pm