The next Candidate Questionnaire comes from Alex Fellows, candidate for Alderman Ward 2 in Greenwood, Mo. She is running agains Mark Dziedzic and write-in candidate Chris Seagraves.

How long have you lived in Greenwood?

I have lived here for twenty five years.

Are you married? Do you have children, grandchildren, where do they attend school?

No, I am not married. I have a dog (a.k.a. a fur kid).

What religious and civic organizations do you belong to?

None.

What charities, causes or civic organizations do you support with finances or service?

I support the No Kill movement; I am a member of the Kansas City Dog Advocates. I support Furry Kid’s Refuge, Spay Neuter Kansas City and KKFI, Kansas City’s Community Radio.

Who is your current employer? How long have you worked for them?

I have graphic design and art projects that I am working on.

List all the companies or organizations you have been employed by for the past 10 years.

I was an Assistant Veterinary Technician at Spay Neuter Kansas City, PetCo and also worked at ADT Security.

What companies or businesses do you own or hold a greater than 20% stake in?

None.

On what corporate boards have you served?

None.

What is your educational background?

Longview and Penn Valley Community College- studies focused on Sociology, Political Science and Art – mainly fashion design. I also attended the Canine Legislation Conference of 2007. I am a member of Greenwood’s Public Safety Advisory Board.

What current or past political organizations do or have you belong(ed) to?

None.

Are you associated with any of the current or past Aldermen or Mayors of Greenwood?

I have worked with the previous board and the current board. I attend Board of Alderman meetings.

What is your management style?

Staying focused and level-headed, do the proper research; it is also important to delegate tasks to the right people when necessary.

Do you practice forgiveness in your every day life? How?

As a human being, I believe forgiving is growing in a positive way.

How do you deal with personality conflicts or with conflict in general?

I don’t let things like that bother me, I am an adult.

What are your professional qualifications for the office you seek?

I believe in myself; and Keep an open mind. I listen to all sides of tasks at hand to put forth rational thinking, fairness, to have positive outcomes.

What is your agenda/platform?

As an Alderman:

• Representing your voice is number one.
• Encouraging involvement from members of the community, of ALL ages.
• Balancing the city’s budget by focusing on actual ‘needs’ and responsible prioritizing is necessary.
• Working with the EDC on plans to attract businesses that will benefit Greenwood.
• Making projects like the Katy Trail, (which highlights history specific to Greenwood and allows for new revenue outlets), a reality.
• Becoming a true ‘pet friendly’ city: include horses on the Katy Trail, increase animal licensing and revising non-pet-friendly ordinances.

What do you think the biggest challenge Greenwood faces is?

Interaction and open dialogue between the citizens and the city. People seem to ONLY get involved AFTER they are directly affected and unhappy about something, OR, those who bring their personal pet peeves into city government that should be handled on their own.

What do you think our city’s focus should be for the next two years?

Being responsible for ourselves and our actions, repairing the relationship between the citizens and the city government – it is extremely important in order to move forward, and has never made sense to work against one another.

What are your top three priorities, goals to see accomplished if you are elected to office?

Balancing the budget, safety, and bringing the Katy Trail to Greenwood.

Of those three priorities – what is your #1 priority for 2010?

Balancing the budget; the city needs to get back on track and a properly balanced budget is key.

Like the National Economy, our City economy has faltered; what plans do you have to make Greenwood thrive again?

Making sure taxpayers are getting what they have paid for; stop wasteful spending, and being realistic. I want to explore options to support city-enhancing revenue outlets without burdening property owners. Working with the EDC and bringing the Katy Trail here will have a tremendous impact that we will benefit from.

What tough budget decisions do you feel need to be made in order to keep Greenwood running on a positive budget with the income the city currently has (not counting the jury award of 11.9 million)?

Focusing on the ‘needs’ will allow for proper and responsible use of funds, there is no reason for wasteful spending. Paying attention to and following the recommendations made in the annual audits should further stabilize and strengthen Greenwood’s budget.

What plans do you have to bring new business into Greenwood?

Before bringing new businesses into the mix, any and all issues need to be addressed and resolved with the current businesses in Greenwood. The focus should be with inside the community, supporting the growth of the home-based businesses and encouraging of start-ups. One of the many perks of local/small businesses is that they help keep revenue local as well. It is vital to work with the EDC as this is their area of expertise.

What types of businesses would you like to see in Greenwood?

Community blending – and just as above: The focus should be with inside the community, supporting the growth of the home-based businesses and the encouragement of start-ups. We must also remember what has drawn us to Greenwood in the first place, or, we will easily become just like every other city, canceling out all the reasons we chose to live here. It is important to be cautious and selective on enhancements and additions brought into the city and make sure that the current businesses are not overshadowed.

What plans do you have to make our city safer?

They include: keeping Greenwood a city supportive of the local scene, we will also be safer.

I cannot stress enough the importance of proper interactions with pets, strays, and wild animals for people of all ages, making programs and information more readily available and promoted increasing safety, education and boosting pet licensing within the city. That said, I have already inquired with the police department on several issues, an animal control officer (or even training some of our current police officers in animal control) along with a couple kennels so that we do not have to depend on an outside entity for simple things we can handle ourselves, which will also save money. The installation of two more tornado sirens, along with a switch that Greenwood itself has access to in case of an emergency (currently we have to rely upon Lee’s Summit to turn our current tornado siren on, we need to be independent, the more independent our city is, the less of a joke we will be), which I believe the cost, would be less than what it was for new servers at city hall, and these can save lives. The installation of defibrillators in each office at the city hall, the court room, and the police department, you never know when one might be needed and in an emergency, time is of the essence. Safeguarding against what can happen makes us safer and prepared if and/or when something does happen; please remember the likelihood grows with the growth of the city. There are grants available for these.

Installation of neighborhood organic herb/vegetable gardens is both practical and beneficial by promoting healthy lifestyles and alternative activities for people of all ages, teamwork and positive interaction within the community. Green space is available in several locations which are vacant and unsatisfactory for construction of a home, building, etc., while costing next to nothing – the Greenwood Green Thumb Project.

What resolution would you like to see to the issue of the Quarry and it’s traffic and the use of our city streets?

The current situation is unacceptable; there are other ways to go about it that will actually solve the problem.

What plans do you have to address the storm water issues our city is still facing or do you feel that the current plans are addressing those issues?

Prevent the situation from happening again while doing whatever possible to make sure that the citizens are not burdened any more. I know there are a lot of technical aspects to this as well as compliance with county/state/and federal laws and keeping Greenwood on the right path.

What do you propose to do with the parking issue or parking ordinance here in Greenwood?

Listen to all who is directly affected by the issue first. Work together for a suits-all solution, and then act appropriately, although I feel there are more important issues our city currently faces.

What other improvements would you like to see in our community?

Positive interaction and team work, only by setting differences aside and concentrating on what really matters, will bring about improvements. It cannot be a community without participation, so the more involved you become, the closer and stronger we all become.

Now that the appeals process is done and the city has been awarded the $11.9 million, what would you like to do with that money?

Litigation is still ongoing so we cannot come to a conclusion as of yet.

IF it were actually finalized, and concrete: Save it. There are many issues we are already facing that need to be stabilized first (in order to ensure that the most responsible actions are made, otherwise it will be wasted and we will be in the same situation currently at hand).

What is your opinion of the current political situation in Greenwood?

It is politics that have been putting a strain on Greenwood as a whole. Government institutions are not capable of love or compassion, human beings are. Remembering that we are all human beings and respecting one another is critical in order for Greenwood to have a positive future.

What do you propose to improve the atmosphere at City Hall or how are you going to bring Greenwood together politically?

The energy we give out is also what we receive, like a reflection, and by keeping a positive attitude, respecting our differences and similarities alike (if we don’t respect ourselves first, we cannot respect anyone else), refraining from judging one another and not being so ‘political’ – as we are all members and need to see each other as human beings who will achieve goals by working together. It is important to also remember that we are adults and acting as such will bring forth progress. With so many things happening in our lives, there is no reason to waste time on petty things that don’t matter; time and energy can be used better in an effective and positive way.

However, I feel that bad/childish behavior at the BOA meetings and the like by those in office, the staff and members of the audience should be dealt with and reprimanded accordingly: bad behavior should result in the party/or parties standing in time-out (for all to see, including the video camera), until they are able to apologize, shake hands, and accept differences in opinions. It is time everyone accept responsibility for themselves, their actions and set good examples for our peers and children.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

I care a lot about Greenwood, the people: families and pets, the businesses, and everything else in between and outside the box. I believe in what I am doing and hope you believe in me too. I want to work for YOU; I want to help YOU; I’d like to ask you for YOUR VOTE so I can work for and help YOU. Thank you.

Edited to correct a typo, per Fellows’ request after publication.

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