Special to IFN
Former Councilman John Staford has announced his candidacy for the Ward 5 seat on the Statesville City Council.
In his official campaign announcement, Staford said his previous experience on the council would be an asset to a council that will lose the leadership of Mayor Costi Kutteh and Councilmen Steve Johnson and C.O. Johnson, all of whom opted not to seek re-election.
“Change is good and necessary, but I fear this loss of leadership will only exacerbate the ongoing problem of lack of vision and direction,” Staford said. “I ask the citizens to consider if their interests and needs are being addressed by their elected officials. I feel my duty as a councilman, along with other elected representatives, is to provide the framework for staff to meet the goals communicated by our citizens.
“Our guiding vision must come from the people — not the city staff,” he added. “We must stop the tail from wagging the dog.”
If elected, Staford said some of his priorities would be:
Retail/Shopping
“There is a direct correlation between population and retail. One needs not only ‘rooftops’ but disposable income within those rooftops,” Staford said. “In the past 10 years, Statesville has basically built twice the number of subsidized, low-income units as Mooresville; yet several current Council members and candidates claim we should be building even more.
“Is it any wonder why all new retail coming to Statesville has ‘Dollar’ in the name? We all share a duty of care for our neighbors, but Statesville cannot assume this burden alone without acknowledging the long-term consequences for our community. Statesville must not be the “low income” magnet for Iredell and surrounding counties. Neighboring communities that have higher average rents and home values must share in this responsibility,” he added.
Jobs
“Statesville has many industries providing jobs that offer a path to financial independence and homeownership, and more are coming,” Staford said. “While I served on Council we developed a fair, sustainable incentive program. We are blessed with land, water, and sewer capacities as well as a strong labor force, but we must shield these from lower wage industries as well as runaway residential development. We must learn when to say No! Our citizens are worthy of the best not just whatever comes our way.”
Code Enforcement
“Reasonable minimum housing standards and enforcement are critical components of any safe, viable municipality,” Staford said. “While previously on Council, we developed several policies to encourage infill and renovation of existing dwellings. One vital element of this neighborhood revitalization was code enforcement of surrounding properties. If the surrounding properties look derelict or dilapidated, these new properties are purchased by institutional buyers instead of homeowners who are looking to establish a home in our community.
“Neighborhoods need greater percentages of owner occupied dwellings. Every area of our City will benefit from a robust, systematic approach to code enforcement which is currently lacking,” he added.
Staford said his experience sets him apart from the other candidates.
“I believe Statesville needs strong, innovative, fiscally conservative Council members to better serve this city, secure higher wage jobs, control runaway residential development, attract retail, and protect and serve our citizens,” he said. “That is why I am running for Ward 5.
There were numerous well documented issues last time he served, including not being able to work together with other council members and making self-serving decisions. Why would it be different this time?
Great point Donna. We need new ideas and new people. It is far past time for Statesville to finally take a step forward and out of the past.
John Staford is definitely not a rubber stamp or echo chamber. Honest, rigorous debate is appreciated for good decisions and required for the self governance of a democracy. As I learned from our Mayor, it is unlikely to have a public official whose is unaffected by his/her decisions for the simple reason that they live and work in the community in which they serve. John’s previous service on Council and in other roles in our community is imbued with integrity, unyielding commitment to and in service of achieving our highest potential as a community, and great equanimity in the face of challenges that come both from the work and the undeserved vitriol of people who do not know him. He works for ALL the people who live here and for the community he calls home.
Ward 5 has so many candidates! If not already planned, we should have an open forum with each candidate stating their positions and goals and opportunities for questions.
I have known John Staford for over 20 years. I strongly support his run for another term on City Council. During his last term on Council I was most impressed by John’s preparation for each Council meeting. There can be hundreds of pages of reading material that should be read and digested before Council meets. John read every page. Yes, John had a lot to say at each meeting but that is because he was so well prepared. I venture to say that there are some Council members in the past who didn’t prepare but rather just came to the meeting, voted and went home. That is not the type of Council member the City needs. Neither does the City need a Council made up of members who always accept what staff recommends. John is respectful of City staff and other Council members. He is well-mannered and caring. He has no problem getting along with other Council members or staff but he isn’t hesitant to express his opinions which should not be interpreted as being disagreeable. I would challenge anyone to come up with one position John took while on Council that was self-serving. His only concern then and now is for the best interest of the City of Statesville and most importantly every individual citizen in Statesville. I know of many situations where John has helped people in need without credit or attention for himself. John is an exceptional person. He has a wealth of experience and knowledge. He is exactly the type of person the City needs on City Council.
I served with John Staford on Statesville City Council. John is not a difficult person. It was a pleasure to work with him. When we disagreed it was always respectful and kind. John stood for what he believed. Some may find that offensive. It is not. I never witnessed John act or vote in pursuit of his own self interest. To the contrary, John sought what was in the best interest of our citizens and taxpayers. John is beyond reproach and did a great job. I continue to support him.