Letter to the Editor: Parliament pledges to be 'a voice of reason'

Social distancing and campaigns just don’t mix well. In a typical campaign for a City Council seat, I would be going door to door to meet constituents in Ward 3. When I collected signatures for a run at this Alderman spot on the Council, I was going door to door, talking to people and generally gathering opinions of residents. Now I find myself thinking how difficult that would be just a few weeks later.

So … this is campaigning at a “social distance”. I am asking for the support of the residents in Brandon’s Ward 3. As Brandon has grown, we have encountered numerous growth problems, as any city does. However, Brandon has grown steadily over the years and our schools and infrastructure have generally kept up with the pace. That’s not to say we haven’t fallen behind in some areas, which will need to be addressed in the very near future.  

To help address these needs, business development is one of my priorities. Put simply, additional business revenue equates to more tax revenue, which helps the City fund additional infrastructure needs. My experience with attracting and developing business, along with the leadership I can bring to the Council, are skills I can use to help grow the business in Brandon.

A little about me now – I recently retired from the D & I Railroad as it’s President in July of last year. I started my career in 1979 and literally worked my way up to eventually becoming President in early 2000. During my tenure, the railroad endured catastrophic losses due to floods, and we had record years of revenues and profits. We were successful in developing new business along the rail line and with the additional revenues, millions of dollars of infrastructure improvements were completed.

Leadership capabilities is an important quality to have in public service. As my kids were growing up in Brandon, I coached them from T-ball through high school. One thing I learned to encourage young athletes, it’s not always what you say, just be sure to say something that they can use to motivate themselves with. The same applies in business; always say something positive to employees and business associates that they can use to make decisions that can positively impact your business. I think the same principle can be applied if I am elected to the City Council.  Moreover, leadership on the Council will be critical to making decisions that will need to be made in the coming months and years.  

Business growth will allow Brandon to further address our water needs, park improvements and expansions and street improvements. We can provide good clean water, we can expand our parks, we can repair and maintain our streets all the while attracting new business.

I plan to be a voice of reason on the Council. In the past, there has been plenty of turmoil on the Council, which I want to avoid. I’ve served on other boards and know that consensus building among board or council members gets things accomplished. I want to be your voice on the Council and I humbly ask for your vote.

Early voting is open; just go to City Hall and they will provide you with a safe, clean place to cast your vote. The election is April 14th and Ward 3 votes at the Brandon Golf Course. Please continue to practice social distancing and stay safe. If you do see me out there campaigning, it will be at a social distance for your safety and mine. Thank you in advance!

Jack Parliament, Candidate for Brandon City Council Ward 3

 

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