Commentary by Fred Glynn
I am more optimistic than ever about the future of Carmel, but to reach our full potential, we have some very important decisions to make.
Looking ahead just 10 years, we see a city that will be bigger, likely more crowded, and undoubtedly more diverse — but what about the quality of life? How will Carmel be to work and to raise a family? Will it continue to be a great place to visit? Live? Retire? Will the work we are doing be sustainable? What obligations will we leave to our children?
As you decide who will lead our city during this crucial time, I want to share my ambitious vision to make Carmel a city that works for everyone.
We must strengthen our fiscal health, while continuing to provide services, amenities and a robust public safety apparatus. We have to turn the focus back to the neighborhoods and small businesses upon which the city was built.
Immediately upon my swearing in, I will embark upon an aggressive agenda to set Carmel on the track to a brighter, more sustainable future. Here is a glimpse at what you can expect in my first 100 days in office:
- Host the first-ever small business advisory committee summit to advise the mayor’s office on the needs the city’s small business owners.
- Implement a 180-day freeze on new downtown development to allow for a long-range traffic and population density study.
- Send a priority-based, truly balanced budget to the Carmel City Council.
- Sign an executive order to provide funding to hire additional police officers.
- Send a debt-reduction plan to the city council that implements a plan to reduce the city’s long-term debt by 20 percent by the end of my first term.
- Sign an executive order immediately halting future city government giveaways and subsidiaries to private development projects.
- Send the city council a resolution to freeze the pay of all city-wide elected officials for the next four years.
- Sign an executive order that strengthens sexual harassment policies for city workers and officials that includes harsher punishment for violators.
- Have neighborhood liaisons in every neighborhood in this city and meet quarterly. We will once again put focus on our communities instead of focusing all resources and effort on a few square blocks downtown.
A successful mayor must be prepared to make tough choices. I do my homework, making sure decisions I make are well-informed. I will seek guidance not just from special interests and the politically powerful but from experts, neighborhood leaders and the people of Carmel.
Prioritizing people first I have opposed increasing taxes, because I know there are less burdensome ways to fund our priorities.
Doing the right thing can make powerful people angry sometimes, but I am not easily intimidated. I will take this thoughtful approach and independence into city hall with me.
Carmel is a great place now, but with vision and hard work there is so much more we can achieve – in a way that preserves this great city for our children. It won’t always be easy, but it will be worth it.
I’m ready to get to work.
Fred Glynn is a Hamilton County Council member and candidate for Carmel mayor.