SJ Issues

Frankfort is fortunate to have historic districts, charm, and character worth maintaining. Other neighborhoods have homeowners associations to keep uniformity and identity within an area, and I see no reason why some of our most unique and important neighborhoods should be different.  

The Architectural Review Board is an important tool for maintaining the character of our historic districts and for facilitating the public exchange of information that is so valuable to neighbors and property owners.  We need some oversight to protect the property values of those who choose to live in one of the special districts. As mayor, I will work with city staff and the ARB in any way I can to continually improve the process.

Recently, I believe Planning staff has made great strides in streamlining the process so that very few of the permits applied for are sent to the ARB for review.  The ARB members have also worked hard to be consistent with their decisions and balance progress with preservation.  

There are some areas of improvements though.

Consistent enforcement of the regulations on the books.  Though each project and each owner that comes through the Planning Dept is unique, we need to work at the staff and board level to consistently enforce the regulations the city has adopted, and not get into areas where ARB oversight is questionable.

We need consistency with the penalties for maneuvering around our regulations too.  In the past, there seems to have been a ‘do it on the weekend’ mentality to avoid the perceived red tape of applying for a permit and receiving approval.  Outreach needs to be persistent, and our processes need to be user-friendly.  We need to understand that the Planning Department and the volunteer board are partners in this, not the enemy. 

HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THE ECONOMIC CRISIS FRANKFORT IS FACING DUE TO COVID-19?

First, in this emergency, we must support those who are most vulnerable. As mayor, I would promote giving back to local non-profits to help with this, and any future, crisis. I have been involved in establishing the Frankfort-Franklin County COVID-19 Response Fund to assist in getting help to those in need.

I would also encourage Frankfort residents to do all they can to support our local restaurants and other small businesses. We are at risk of losing some beloved businesses if this situation goes on too long.

Working with other business development agencies, I would promote any government assistance programs and whatever technical assistance is needed to ensure our small businesses should get their fair share of the massive stimulus bills coming out of Washington.

Next, we must prevent the further spread of the virus so that we, and our economy, can get back to normal as soon as possible. As mayor, I would encourage all residents to follow the Governor’s guidelines on social distancing. Governor Andy Beshear has done a fantastic job in establishing goals and a timeline, and I will collaborate with and follow his lead.

Finally, we need to begin looking past the current crisis and prepare for a post-pandemic Frankfort. Immediately, our city has already seen a drop in tax revenue due to the decrease in occupational taxes. This will negatively impact our budget and having a mayor with expertise in financial planning will be crucial to see us through.

Long-term, we must take steps to prepare our economy so future shocks will not affect so much. My plan to diversify our economy to be less dependent on state government- and recruit more full-time residents- is looking even better. With strong leadership, Frankfort will pull through this crisis stronger and more prosperous than before.

DO YOU SUPPORT THE MERGER OF CITY AND COUNTY GOVERNMENTS? WHY OR WHY NOT?

Yes, I would support the unification of city and county governments provided that the proposed merger agreement makes sense for both city and county residents. It seems that blending the two governments should eliminate duplication of services and sharpen our focus, which will be increasingly important in our rapidly changing world. We need a unified voice and presence to compete and grow.

The devil will be in the details of the proposed merger agreement, and my support will depend on the specifics. If the proposed plan improves services for citizens and businesses, eliminates waste, and saves taxpayer money, then why not?

Both governments, and their officials, will have to compromise on certain aspects of the plan. This will require courage and strong leadership. Further, any proposal will need to ensure that current employee’s jobs are maintained, at least until they retire or otherwise separate from service. As mayor, I will work to lead a government that is well-organized and productive. If merger helps to that end, then I am all for it.

I know some people want to own chickens for their personal use, and that it has recently come up for review before the city commission. I have not thoroughly researched this topic, but I believe it is worth consideration.

As mayor, new issues will pop up from time to time, and when faced with these issues, I plan to get input from the city staff, experts in the field and the people of Frankfort. Also, I would want to look to see what can be learned from other communities that have dealt with similar issues.

For this particular issue, I think it would be essential to bring in public health experts into the discussion. In the age of COVID-19, we must ensure the safety of the entire community first.

My politics are informed by my cumulative life experiences and knowledge, and by my faith.  It is in times like these that faith is necessary.  Whether it be worries about the health of a loved one, the financial markets, or social isolation, we must continue to have faith that there is light at the end of the tunnel. 

This country alone has withstood revolution, civil war, other plagues, a great depression, and two world wars.  In hindsight, we got through these difficult times by coming together as a community and society as a whole is stronger than ever.  Fewer people live in poverty than ever before.  Life expectancy worldwide continues to increase.   Literacy rates continue to improve.  New technologies are exponentially advancing health care. 

As mayor, I will represent all citizens no matter their faith or what they believe.  I will continue to have faith in humanity that in times of crisis, we will come together, support one another, and act in the best interest of our community. 

Let me first say that even if I had a negative assessment of the Kentucky Capital Development Corporation (KCDC), I would not publicly air it in the paper or otherwise.  KCDC will be an important partner to help the next mayor implement their economic development plan, and economic growth is a central theme of my campaign to be the next mayor.

Overall, I agree with KCDC’s Mission, Vision, and Goals.  I do prefer a greater focus on recruiting new residents who will bring their jobs/small businesses with them (ex. remote workers who have the choice to live anywhere).  I believe this “bottom up” approach will be more sustainable over the long-term.  I will collaborate with KCDC leadership to work on plans to help Frankfort benefit from rapidly changing economic forces shaping our region and world. 

Frankfort needs to be not only competitive, but the statewide leader in how to get things accomplished.  It all comes down to leadership. If the mayor can establish the proper guidance, framework and tone, the rest is just a matter of execution. As mayor, I will work with KCDC to create our city’s goals, develop a focused plan of action, and monitor our shared progress to ensure Frankfort becomes the envy of the state.