When I decided to run for mayor, I made a soft announcement on Facebook in our shop on January 5, 2018. My formal announcement was on the east side of the Union County Courthouse on January 15, 2018, Dr. Martin Luther King's actual birthday, and it was also the holiday that year.
In both announcements I used the word "movement." The first time it just dropped in my spirit as I was talking. The second time, it had a profound meaning to me.
I explained that I would not run a campaign, but launch a movement, because a campaign is about one person and one position. A movement is about all of us and our positioning!
For whatever reason, there were many individuals who asked for clarification on the term "movement." I shared the definition that best describes what the term means in the context in which I use it: "a group of people working together to advance shared political, social or artistic ideas."
The group of people that I desire to be a part of the movement is every citizen of this city. I know that is beyond optimistic, but I want to see this city "move" forward as one.
My idea was that we would see how much we all need one another. City government does not work without the input of the citizens, and citizens do not benefit from city government that does not work well with the citizens.
I have said several times that we all have to work together, and that "we" includes city government, city employees and citizens. Citizens are involved in every aspect. We are the citizens who make up city government and its employees. We set the rules, implement them, do the work, provide the processes and procedures and ensure they work.
In my mind the "movement" would give people the opportunity to bring their gifts to the table and make things easier and move things along to better the city. By learning the processes and procedures, citizens would be able to take the necessary steps to get thing done more efficiently and would be assisted by those in positions to provide the services needed.
The Movement is not a personal agenda. It is a "people" assignment. My assignment is to make sure the citizens are served by those you elected and those who are hired to positions of service.
Processes and procedures must be clear, and they should work efficiently. Once put into place, they should be communicated and documented. If they change -- and changes should only be to better serve the public -- the public needs to be notified immediately and the changes should be documented. Too many times the citizens do not understand the processes.
In recent cases, the processes and procedures have changed without proper notification, communication and documentation.
My office will be working diligently to document correct processes. I receive phone calls every day from citizens who are frustrated with having to make multiple calls to multiple offices to get things done. We want to ensure that our citizens have the right information, so that calls are fewer, and progress is increased.
Please become a part of the Movement! We are the group working together to advance in all areas!
Together "we" make the difference and together "we" make things better! Yes, the Movement is about all of us, and the Movement Continues!
Veronica Smith-Creer is the Mayor of El Dorado. She can be reached at [email protected].