Do you endorse LIFT and the Local Option Sales Tax?
I believe the citizens in Radcliff are taxed enough. We have the highest tax rates inย the County and we need to be reducing them.
If the Local Option Sales Tax is passed it will be used and as with most taxes it will continueย serially.
I believe there is a need for government to to take an appetite depressant. However If there is aย need for additional funds for specific purpose let the local government re prioritize its budget toย accommodate it.
Whether you are in support of LIFT or not, what projects do you see as priority thatย could benefit from community funding?
Radcliff has a continuing need for focused marketing to attract retail business as well as industry. Funds need to be allocated for that purpose.
Do you see any services provided by both County and City government where itย would be more cost effective to combine these efforts?
There is no doubt that there is duplication of services between cities within Hardinย County and County provided services. The solution is for serious community leaders in adjoiningย communities to establish interlocal agreements. These agreements can lead to more effectiveย and efficient delivery of services while allowing each community to maintains itโs autonomy.ย Voters have already decided that autonomy is what they want and many interlocal agreementsย are currently in place.
In light of potential additional cuts at Fort Knox, will you endorse funding for Oneย Knox? If not, what are you willing to do to protect the economic contribution of Fort Knox?
The question assumes that One Knox is the only solution to protect Fort Knox, and Iย am unsure if this is true. I believe that whether One Knox or some other group desires taxย supported funding it must prepare a complete and detailed proposal with associated metrics forย measuring success and return on investment, and let the individual governments decide if and toย what level tax supported funding will be provided. As well, governmental oversight and authority
must be spelled out in detail.
What are you recommending being done to bring new business to the community?ย What incentives should the City make available to existing business to expand and potential newย business to come to the area?
As a coยญfounder and current president of the Radcliff Small Business Alliance weย have worked diligently in the past two years to provide an environment for small businessย owners in Radcliff to mutually assist one another. Providing free workshops, business focusedย speakers, collaborative advertising and event generation and publication. The Alliance is a lowย cost, high ROI alliance focused on improving each member’s bottom line.
This congeniality is supportive of new small business and welcomed by our new members.ย Government needs to be supportive of all business by removing as much red tape, andย burdensome regulations on business. Government needs to be responsive to business, helpfulย and friendly towards business.
New businesses can be helped with tax incentives as it does now, but can also be helped byย assigning a city employee as an advisor to assist the owner is navigating the bureaucracy.
What will you do to improve the physical appearance of the business community?ย Will you put processes in place to ensure the ease of access through planning and zoning forย new business development in the area?
I believe Radcliff has a very good set of standards within our ordinancesอพ the problemย is that many of our businesses are grandfathered to an older standard. I hope to work with theย City Attorney, Mayor and Council to solve or mitigate these grandfather issues.
With the termination of the North Hardin Economic Development Authority, whoย within the City will assume the role of oversight for Millpond and business attraction activities?ย What do you see as the key strategic plans for the marketing and development of Millpond?
The North Hardin Economic Development Authority lacked a plan, a vision and wasย shackled with a mission that was far too limited (The development of Millpond Business Centerย only)
I have have recommended a new economic development entity , known as The Radcliff / Vineย Grove Economic Development Authority . This entity , under the direction of the next mayor, willย need input from and collaboration with the following organizations as well as the full support andย funding of the Radcliff city Council.
It will (OR SHOULD) include Magistrates from districts one and two.
The Chairperson of the Radcliff / Fort Knox Tourism Commission.
The Director of the City Planning Department.
A Radcliff business owner with more than 25 employees.
A Radcliff business owner with less than 25 employees.
A representative from the Hardin County Chamber of commerce leadership team.
The president of the Radcliff Small Business Alliance.The president of the Heart of Kentucky Association of Realtors.
The president of Home builders Association
An experienced local commercial broker and residential broker.
Two citizens at large, one a senior citizen.
A representative from Fort Knox Garrison Commanders office.
State representatives for our district.
A dedicated representative from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development assigned byย the Governor and others.
Also, Weโll reach the best outcome if we constitute this new economic development entity alongย with our neighbor Vine Grove and we avoid packing the panel with strictly political appointees.ย The former North Hardin Economic Development authority also collapsed due to a reluctance toย embrace technology, actively prospect for new businesses, collaborate with other stakeholdersย and have a response system in place to followยญup with potential prospects.ย We have to learn from these mistake and focus on creating an economic development entity thatย doesnโt get distracted with petty issues.ย If elected to the Radcliff city Council I will work with other council members and the mayor toย move this or something like it forward.ย We must develop an economic plan soon that getโs us working on our biggest challenge or weโllย be faced with an even bigger one in our future.
Will you be a supporter of Radcliff First?
Radcliff First was an attempt by the Mayor to reach out and connect with localย business. In fact it was at the first Radcliff First that we briefed the formation and launch of Theย Radcliff Small Business Alliance. I believe there were a couple of more Radcliff First Sessions,ย but has essentially died. The Radcliff Small Business Alliance monthly meetings now provide aย venue for meeting and communicating with local small business community and individualย community members.
Will you be a supporter of the Radcliff Small Business Alliance?
Of course! The RSBA provides a powerful boost for small businesses in Radcliff. Weย have a number of senior managers of large businesses in Radcliff who have joined and attendย our meetings as community members.
Will you be a supporter of the Hardin County Chamber of Commerce?
I will support any organization that is interested in improving the business economy ofย Radcliff, surrounding communities, and the region.Unfortunately, the consolidation of the former Radcliff Chamber of Commerce into a Hardinย County Chamber of Commerce has worked to the detriment of the Radcliff community. Ourย small independently owned business sector has been marginalized. Fortunately, a group ofย small business owners and the mayor recognized the void and created the Radcliff Smallย Business Alliance a couple of years ago. I think you may see this alternative occur in other localย cities as well.
