2025 Posts

Over the past few years, I’ve often asked questions of John Scanlon, our City Finance Director, and he has always taken the time to explain parts of the budget to me. I recently asked him to review my budget posts. I saw John at yesterday’s City Commission meeting, and he pointed out an error in my BUDGET PART 2: Giving Citizens a Voice post from October 6. In the Post … Read More

After the Candidate Forum at the Plymouth District Library on September 23, I received an email asking for specifics about how I would approach budget decisions if elected. Because the budget is something many citizens care deeply about, I decided to respond here on my blog, which has turned into a three-part series. This Part 1 post offers my general thoughts on the budget. In Parts 2 and 3, I … Read More

One of my top priorities is ensuring that the City makes spending decisions in a fiscally responsible way, guided by meaningful community input on how we set priorities for investments. At the January 6, 2025 City Commission meeting, I raised concerns about the Capital Improvements Program (CIP) section of the budget. That section described the statutory framework for capital planning, including the Planning Commission’s role. However, this is misleading because … Read More

In Parts 1 and 2, I shared my general thoughts on the City’s budget and the importance of giving residents a stronger voice in setting priorities. In this final part, I want to look at how we can take a more comprehensive approach to planning that maintains existing infrastructure while supporting growth and preparing for future needs. A good example of why this approach matters can be seen in the … Read More

We all remember the major flooding in August 2023 and again this past April 2025. Families and businesses were hit hard, and many of us are still worried about what happens the next time we get heavy rain. May 5th City Commission Meeting At the May 5 City Commission meeting, a number of business owners and residents spoke about their concerns. I was the first to make citizen comments, which … Read More

I’ve advocated for a Parks & Recreation Advisory Board for almost two years. In my January post, I outlined initiatives the City could pursue to improve our parks and recreation programs even if the idea of creating an Advisory Board continues to be dismissed. These included engaging residents, establishing formal volunteer and sponsorship programs, building a long-term financial plan, setting up a regular assessment process, and continuing to explore additional … Read More

Back in July 2024, I shared two posts on the idea of creating a Parks & Recreation Advisory Board. You can still find those original posts in the archive if you’d like a deeper dive. Below is the brief six-minute presentation I created at the time that explains the concept in more detail: I continue to believe this board would be the best way to maintain and improve our parks … Read More

The Planning Commission is finalizing the 2025 Master Plan, which could be approved at their next meeting on Wednesday, September 10th. A lot of good work has gone into this document, but I want to share one concern that directly affects Old Village. The plan proposes allowing 3-story buildings in the Mixed Use area of Old Village. Adding another story could significantly alter the historic character and scale of the … Read More

The Planning Commission is finalizing the 2025 Master Plan. In the most recent revision (August), the Future Land Use for Smith Elementary School and East Middle School  was changed to a higher-density category. If the school district ever sells these properties, this designation would allow 18–27 homes per acre and buildings up to 4 stories high. This change was included in the August Planning Commission’s agenda with little notice and … Read More

In my last post, I shared thoughts on revising the Draft Master Plan to prevent developers from using its intent to justify exceptions when zoning ordinances haven’t been updated. I shared these concerns with the Planning Commission via email. The August 13, 2025, Planning Commission meeting agenda included a Public Hearing to “Review Finalized Master Plan” and contained an updated draft that incorporated edits based on feedback received. The changes … Read More

Over the past weeks, I’ve been reflecting on what made the Champion PUD process so difficult and contentious. I have no doubt that everyone involved would like to prevent this from ever happening again. Please note, my intent is not to revisit or relitigate the Champion PUD process, but to help ensure that we avoid similar issues in the future. We allow Planned Unit Developments (PUDs) in the City of … Read More

In my opinion, it does not. Under Section 78-311(c)(1)(a) of the City of Plymouth Zoning Ordinance, a Planned Unit Development (PUD) must result in a recognizable and material benefit to the community that would be unlikely to occur under standard zoning. The current proposal falls short of this requirement. The development’s primary public offering appears to be a gravel walking path, along with two small seating areas and few new … Read More

Establish a Parks and Recreation Advisory Board There are several actions we can take, as outlined below, but they require considerable time and effort. This is why I continue to advocate for the establishment of a Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. While such a board would involve some administrative overhead, its volunteer members could provide the necessary resources to execute these initiatives and offer well-informed recommendations to the City Commission, … Read More