My run for re-election to the City of Coppell is not just about me, but something bigger and further reaching. It’s about “The Coppell Brand” we as citizens have worked to create. Ask yourself what makes Coppell unique and gives us our identity? And when you ask someone why they moved to Coppell, what are the most common answers? The answers to those questions are the same; great schools, small town feel with a sense of community, and a well maintained appearance. So how do we protect this brand and ensure its vitality in the future? We must prevent any type downward trend. This is best achieved by taking a proactive approach incorporating input from engaged citizens and an active business community. Faced with civic aging it is crucial that we fully maintain our city's infrastructure and upgrade wherever possible. Deferring maintenance will only degrade the quality of place making our city less desirable . . . ultimately leading to flight. Every decision I make as a council member I always ask, "Is this on our path of fiscal sustainability? Sustainability is not just a buzz word to me. In my world as an LEED accredited licensed architect, it has a specific meaning ". . . that which meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". It is not just about revenue streams and financial resources. It is also about proper allocation over time and in the appropriate fashion. Long before the time of financial downturn we must ensure that we have the proper policies, plans, strategies and long range vision in place to sustain services to the public. Maintaining excellence in our school district plays a vital role in our success as a city. Every year the state legislature spends less and less money on each student even though larger and larger chunks of our school tax dollars go to Austin. We must do everything we can to protect the district from unnecessary pressures that are within our control as a city. We need to find creative ways to augment our support for CISD. Looking for opportunities to leverage alternative resources and creating new partnerships is paramount to our long term success. Finally when you talk about maintaining that small town feeling and sense of community, how is that perpetuated? As an architect, I do development work all over the country. I have the benefit of working with cities, their development offices, and learning from their mistakes. A delicate balance must be struck between development and the citizens who are the fabric of Coppell. Daily I employ critical analysis of issues and use lateral thinking to arrive at creative solutions. That same approach is needed to resolve complex issues facing the city. These are the necessary steps we must take to foster a vibrant community.