Question # 3
Please describe in sufficient detail, one to three accomplishments or contributions of which you are most proud. These examples should illustrate effective skills and capabilities you think apply to the office you are seeking. These accomplishments may have occurred at any time in your personal, professional, or public life.
My strongest accomplishment that I am most proud of is being involved in developing a vision for the City of Renton to have a strong economic development plan in place for the City. I was involved in the leadership team that made it happen. My participation began as a volunteer serving as a business representative at the table and over the last 11 years has progressed to the policy level.
Prior to my election to the city council, I began working on a strategic economic development plan for the city of Renton. I was a founding member of the Blue Ribbon Committee, which was started in 1992. I am the only council member who has been actively involved in this process since the beginning. This committee gave leadership, expertise and was instrumental in:
- Developing a strategic economic development plan for the city,
- Streamlining the city permit system,
- Forming an economic development department for the city,
- Developing a downtown redevelopment plan - bringing new housing and commercial developments and transit to the downtown core,
- Lifting sewer moratorium so new housing capacity could be developed in the Highlands,
- Encouraging developers to invest in the community and providing a variety of housing options including small lot development,
- Designing the Renton Shuttle connecting key employment sites within the City to the metro system,
- Designing the Renton Community Marketing Campaign,
- Raising $1.5 million dollars to build the Renton IKEA Community Performing Arts Center, and
- Vision and concept for a Highlands Redevelopment Plan.
The results of these programs have been phenomenal and include job and employment diversification. This revenue base has allowed the City of Renton to weather the economic storm without raising taxes or cutting services. It also has given the City ending fund balances above reserve levels that have been re-invested back into quality of life amenities for the citizens (new pool, remodeled community center, Veteran's Park, downtown pavilion).
My commitment to the community not only is at the policy making level, I have also been involved at the grassroots level from developing an idea to working to get the idea or project implemented. I give of my time and personal resources to make things happen in our community. For example the Renton Shuttle program was conceived by a couple of business people. I personally drove the route getting in and out to time the stops. As a citizen I worked to present this information to the City for further develop and implementation, with the goal of connecting citizens and employees to major community locations. My involvement with this Blue Ribbon Committee sparked my interest to get more involved with my community and to run for City Council in 1996 and 2000.