Meet the Candidates: Donna Short Woodham

Smyrna’s general election will be held Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2011 and a record 19 candidates are on the ballot. In their words, candidates will be introducing themselves here at Patch. Today, we have mayoral candidate Donna Short Woodham, who is running against Alex Backry and Smyrna Mayor Max Bacon.

Hello citizens of Smyrna, I am Donna Short Woodham. I have been an entrepreneur for more than 20 years and now I am focused on running for mayor of Smyrna.

I am a graduate of The Art Institute of Atlanta. I am a neighborhood advocate. My plan is to be a hands-on mayor. Once I am elected I will enroll in a one-week program for emerging and existing leaders offered by The Atlanta Regional Commission.

The Regional Leadership Institute program will focus on empowering and supporting leaders so they can effect positive community change in the region. I will focus on promoting and shaping growth that is right for Smyrna. If done right, jobs will follow.

We need to create changes in our zoning ordinances so when a developer would like to build here in Smyrna, the checks and balances will be in place so it will be a win for the city, the developer and the neighborhoods.

The Patch editor has asked the candidates to answer two questions.

Q: “What do you think Smyrna will look like four, 10, 20 years from now?” A: When I am elected mayor and I have accomplished the above statements, Smyrna should look like a healthy successful city that is fun to live, work, and play in.

Q. “What are my concerns for my city or my ward?" A. The city needs to stop mismanaging our SPLOST dollars.

My platform: With all good things come responsibility. I will stay focused on the issues until we get it right.

We need term limits for mayor and council. Smyrna is stagnant in growth and ideas. The current mayor is on his seventh term. Some of the council have been in office for 20-plus years. We need to inject vitality back into Smyrna.

I will focus on the five E’s for sustainability:

ECONOMY - I will focus on bringing living wage blue-collar and white-collar jobs to Smyrna. As mayor I will become a member of the Green Chamber of the South, which was created by two Georgia Tech professors. Their intent for the Green Chamber of the South is to bring all green companies under one roof. Being a member of the Green Chamber of the South has its advantages. It will keep me updated to the ever-changing green technology. I will have first knowledge when green companies want to expand or start-up here in the south. Being mayor means you are the spokesperson for your city. When green companies are looking to expand to other cities, having a mayor who is updated and knowledgeable about green technology will be to Smyrna’s advantage. Also, being a member means our city can be a host to future conferences.

EQUALITY - No matter where we live or the income we make or the different backgrounds we all have, we deserve respect.

ENERGY - We must reduce the cities consumption of water and electricity. Other cities are doing this in the simplest ways. One simple way is to change the street lights and the school flashing lights to LED lighting. Cities that have changed to LED lights have saved thousands of dollars; these dollars can be returned back into the general fund to keep the city strong financially.

ENVIRONMENT - A wise government should provide a balance between the built and the natural environment. We need stronger tree ordinances and compassionate development. The city could be a leader in becoming green; it also, could be a host for green education and seminars. It will only start now if I am elected mayor.

ENGAGEMENT - The first 100 days I will assess my surroundings. I will get to know my office staff, and all my city employees. I will have an open door policy. You my neighbors will always be able to reach me. I will go back to the neighborhoods, and have informal listening parties. I will continue to meet with the citizens until we get Smyrna right.

In addition to the five E’s, I would focus on:

SPLOST PROJECTS - As mayor, I will have a sign at all SPLOST projects. The sign will state the following information: the start date, the finish date, the cost of the project, and a picture and or description of the project. Transparency and honesty should matter to all. With the right leadership this can happen.

SMYRNA RECYCLING - I want to update the recycling service in two ways: 1) I want to bring back glass pick-up at the home and 2) I want to update the recycling bucket by offering a lidded small dumpster to the citizens of Smyrna.

Local Politics Matter, Vote Smart. Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Your Neighborhood Mayor,

Donna Short Woodham

You can visit my blog at 1kfos.blog.com and I can be reached at donnayourneighborhoodmayor@gmail.com or at 770-655-2946.