Bill asks, "are you ready to re-focus on the city election"?

With all the publicity for the Congressional Primary coming to an end, I hope people will now refocus on the upcoming city elections. With five of nine wards having a contested race, there is plenty to get excited about. Although usually having the lowest turnout, it is the city elections that affect your everyday life the most.

I have been knocking on doors since Memorial Day, listening to residents and talking about issues that I believe need to be addressed. I have talked about a city council that has operated like a Pac Man game as they gobbled up power over nearly everything in the city that moves. Much of this power grab has had a negative effect on the community.  

The Special Permit situation is out of control. No one should have to appear before the council three times about a 55 gallon drum containing diluted alcohol. No councillor should have voted for a zoning change that didn’t allow bakeries, coffee shops or delis downtown. Unfortunately for us they did. Yet these same councilors still allow contractors to build private ways, that have left unwary homeowners being told they have to come up with $85-100,000 to have an adequate water supply on their street.

All the while, the council never seems to have the time nor the desire to work with the mayor and the Planning Department and at least start with a Master Plan for the downtown.

In Ward 2 there is a clear choice. You can elect a career politician seeking his fourth different office in ten years or you can elect a new face who has a long history of speaking out on the issues. For more information about me or my campaign, go to www.billfowler-ward2.com.

Bill Fowler

Candidate for Councillor in Ward 2