Some Things Consider By Craig Woodward
From someone who has worked with local and state government and business at many levels, especially involving economic development work, we really appreciate and respect Craig Woodward's opinion. Thank you for your support and we look forward to the future! #DollarforMayor
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I know this is a long post for Facebook, but it has become clear that there’s a sense of urgency to clarify some misguided notions in the race for Mayor. I have asked Leigh Dollar for Mayor and Leigh Barnett Dollar to share this, and hope anyone who cares about Guntersville will please consider these thoughts.
To be fully transparent, I have had the privilege of working with the City as both a volunteer and a paid vendor for more than 20 years. While I have worked more closely on some projects than others, I've had an up-close, informed view of almost every major initiative of the City over that period. I can say unequivocally that under the leadership and vision of both Mayor Leigh Dollar and Mayor Bob Hembree before her, Guntersville has come light years in the long-dormant quest to tap our true potential as Alabama’s Lake City.
Anyone who suggests that Guntersville under Leigh Dollar is somehow deficient in terms of accomplishments, openness, fiscal management or virtually any other measurable category is simply misinformed. To deny the progress under Mayor Dollar is to ignore the hard facts. We all have a right to our opinions. But with that right comes a responsibility to make sure those opinions are based on accurate information, not hearsay and other people’s opinions.
When I hear someone say “it’s time for a change” or “we just need new leadership”, I always ask for specifics — what do they want to be different? Rarely have I heard concrete ideas or even clear descriptions. Perhaps not surprisingly, the answers usually reflect the vague campaign platforms presented by other candidates for mayor.
(In a note of irony, the few ideas from other candidates that are somewhat specific are things that Mayor Dollar has either already done or that reflect projects currently underway.)
Beyond fuzzy proposals from other candidates, I have a bigger concern about two points that have been mentioned repeatedly — so-called “transparency”, and the idea that City finances are not well-managed.
The fact is, any suggestion that decisions under the Dollar administration have not been properly vetted and openly decided is flat-out wrong. To imply otherwise is an insult, not just to the Mayor and hard-working City employees, but to the honest and dedicated City Council members and many volunteer board members who care deeply about Guntersville.
In any organization there is always room for improvement. Making City information more accessible on the website and live-streaming Council meetings are great ideas. In fact (there’s that word again), Mayor Dollar agrees and has already begun implementing those changes. But to imply that the City’s business has not been conducted openly is simply not true — or fake news to use today’s nomenclature.
The other critical area of misunderstanding is budgets and financial management. Other candidates have implied that City finances are not well-managed, that “forensic audits” and “third-party accountability" are needed. Well, that is exactly what a City audit does — each and every year, by an independent auditor, as required by law.
The result of those legally-certified reviews during Mayor Dollar’s administration? Clean audits every year.
Perhaps other candidates are not aware of that requirement and the third-party-documented financial record of Mayor Dollar, but that seems like a pretty important thing to know for someone seeking the office of mayor.
Finally — actually first and foremost — be sure to vote on Tuesday, or hand-deliver your absentee ballot to City Hall no later than 4:30pm TODAY/Monday. And please remind others to do the same — Guntersville mayoral elections are traditionally close and every single vote is critical.
There is no doubt Mayor Dollar is appreciated by her supporters, indicated by the tremendous amount of positive engagement on social media. But no doubt there are some who have not yet decided how to vote. I hope you will share these thoughts with those undecided folks, and others who may not be aware of some of the details outlined here.
Facts really do matter, and the fact is that good things — big things — are happening in Guntersville. It has been a long time coming and it would be a shame to start over at this critical juncture. Leigh Dollar has earned the right to finish the job she started and has performed effectively — let’s be smart and keep her working for our beautiful city.
Thanks for reading,
Craig Woodward