Leadership on Tough Issues

On a day-to-day basis, being Mayor is not only a wonderful honor, but also a great joy. I get to help guide the future of our community, work with and meet wonderful people, and witness, firsthand, the goodness that abounds in our community.

However, there are times when elected leaders are called to make tough decisions; instances where there are competing priorities and high emotions on both sides. And when those instances do arise, unlike advocates, neighbors, and special interest groups, who have the luxury of considering their own set of interests, it is the Mayor and Council’s duty to take a broad view of these matters and ultimately act in the best interest of the City as a whole.

The City needs leaders who bring perspective, experience, and a working knowledge of the history of Gaithersburg to the table in approaching the difficult matters. That’s exactly what I have to offer.

Over the years, I’ve had to make a lot of tough decisions; some you may agree with (hopefully most!) and some you may disagree with. But here’s what you know:

• You know where I stand.
• You know my rationale for coming to that conclusion.
• And you know that I listened to and considered all of the information at hand and acted in good faith to act in the best interest of the City.

My pledge: As long as I’m Mayor, I will continue to listen to, and consider, all points of view on the matters before us. In the end, when I take a position, even if you happen to disagree with me, you should know that I have come to the decision in good faith and that I genuinely see it as in the best interest of our City.