We have observed and become aware of several issues within the City Administration in the last few days and weeks. There may not be a better time to make some changes in the City Council! While I don't propose that the Council should be supervising the staff of the City, they need to be aware of and asking questions about the happenings within the City.
The incumbent seems to be close colleagues with Donald Toms, our City Administrator. In what we have seen over the last few weeks alone, it doesn't seem that Mr. Toms knows right from wrong. The City Council members need to be holding him to a higher level of accountability. We need to be done with the "status quo" and the traditional relationships and politics that got Mr. Toms hired and are driving our City in the wrong direction.
The other candidate, Lorin Sinn-Clark, has alleged that her "tone" and age are midway between the incumbents' and mine.
In my opinion, age has nothing to do with this, other than having the ability to serve. My tone has been nothing but professional, direct, and respectful. If the other candidate struggles with my tone, then how will she stand up to the other members of Council, the Mayor or the City Administrator.
I have been honest with the citizens of Winder and shared information whenever possible. I have shared my opinions, as well, with the hopes of letting the voters get to know me.
I have not been able to treat this campaign as a full time job. I am, instead, a full time student who is in the last stages of completing my dissertation so that I may graduate in December with my Ph.D. In addition, I am an active Board member and volunteer for Peace Place.
My time has been spent, recently, managing my school life and my home life (as an owner of 4 rescue dogs) as my husband was accepted into and has completed the Store Manager Training Program with Lowe's Home Improvement. His training meant that he traveled out of state for three of the last six weeks. Travel like this is very uncommon among store managers and won't need to happen again.
What does it say that I have been able to "hold my own" in this campaign while doing everything else?! What does it say that I am a contender and I haven't spent thousands of dollars?! What does it say that MY yard signs were stolen repeatedly so that I wouldn't get the name recognition?!
Imagine what I will be able to accomplish when my time as a student comes to an end!
Whether or not I win this election, I am proud to have been a part of shining some light on some of the issues in Winder and I am certainly proud to have forced an election and a vote to be had for the At Large race on the Winder City Council!
So--if ever there was a time to get excited about the possibility, it is NOW! Election day is Tuesday, November 5. I hope to see you at the Winder Community Center, and I hope you will vote Nicole Tobias for Winder City Council!