A Stronger Bartlesville Starts With the Basics.
PLATFORM & POSITIONS
Bartlesville is a great place to call home. Our responsibility is to protect what makes this community special while continuing to make it stronger for the next generation.
When I returned to the City Council, one of my primary goals was to improve Bartlesville's quality of life by following the strategic plans our community had already developed: invest in our parks, strengthen downtown, improve public spaces, support economic development, and take care of the essential services our citizens depend on.
We've made real progress. But there is more work to do.
My priorities remain straightforward: grow our economy, strengthen the core assets that make Bartlesville unique, responsibly manage taxpayer dollars, support public safety and make Bartlesville a community where people want to live, work, raise a family and build a business.
[PHOTO: Jim visiting a Bartlesville employer, local manufacturing operation, business development or other recognizable economic-development location.]
Grow Bartlesville
Jobs, businesses, and people are the foundation of a growing community.
Economic development remains one of my highest priorities.
Bartlesville must continue working to retain and grow the businesses already here while aggressively pursuing new employers, entrepreneurs, investment and opportunities.
That means supporting the work of our economic development partners, maintaining competitive sites and facilities, encouraging housing development and finding practical ways to attract workers and families to Bartlesville.
It also means recognizing something important: economic development is about more than recruiting a company.
People decide where they want to live.
Businesses follow talent. Families look at schools, healthcare, housing, parks, recreation, restaurants, connectivity and the overall quality of a community before deciding to call it home.
That is why our investments throughout Bartlesville matter.
My commitment: Continue looking for workable solutions that create jobs, encourage private investment, support existing businesses and make Bartlesville more competitive.
[FULL-WIDTH PHOTO: Unity Square during an event, downtown Bartlesville at dusk, or another image showing people actively using downtown.]
Keep Downtown Moving Forward
Downtown is one of Bartlesville's greatest competitive advantages.
For years, our community's strategic planning has recognized the importance of a healthy and vibrant downtown.
We've acted on it.
Investments in downtown streets, landscaping, public spaces and the Tower Center at Unity Square have helped create a downtown where people can gather for concerts, festivals, events, dining, entertainment and community life.
These aren't simply cosmetic improvements.
A strong downtown helps us attract visitors, residents, employees and businesses. It supports restaurants and retailers. It showcases our history, architecture and arts. And it gives Bartlesville something distinctly our own.
We should continue taking care of it.
My commitment: Protect the investments we've already made while continuing to strengthen downtown as a place for business, tourism, entertainment and community.
[PHOTO SERIES: Kiddie Park / youth baseball or softball / skate park / Pathfinder. This is an ideal place for 3-4 smaller photographs rather than one large image.]
Invest in Quality of Life
A city shouldn't simply be a place where people work. It should be a place where people want to live.
Quality of life has been one of my priorities from the beginning.
Bartlesville has invested in parks and park maintenance, youth and adult athletic facilities, splash pads, Pathfinder improvements, Kiddie Park, softball and baseball facilities, and recreational opportunities including our skate, bike and scooter park.
These investments serve our citizens every day.
They give children places to play, families places to gather and people of every generation opportunities to get outside, participate and connect with one another.
They also help us compete.
When a young family, employee, business owner or retiree considers Bartlesville, the quality of the community matters. We should be proud of the progress we've made and continue building on it.
My commitment: Continue improving the places and experiences that make Bartlesville a better place to live while taking care of the investments taxpayers have already made.
[PHOTO: Bartlesville police/fire personnel or Jim with first responders. Use a real local image, not stock photography.]
Protect the Essentials
Police, fire, emergency services and basic City infrastructure aren't optional. They are fundamental responsibilities of local government.
Our police officers, firefighters, emergency personnel and City employees serve this community every day.
I will continue supporting the equipment, training, staffing and resources necessary for them to do their jobs safely and effectively.
Public safety also requires mutual respect and cooperation between the people who serve Bartlesville and the citizens they serve.
The same principle applies to streets, utilities and infrastructure. Quality-of-life projects matter, but they cannot come at the expense of the basic responsibilities citizens expect their City government to perform.
We have to do both responsibly.
My commitment: Keep public safety and essential City services among our highest priorities.
[PHOTO: Jim at a City Council meeting, reviewing plans with City staff, or at an infrastructure project.]
Responsible With Your Money
Every dollar City government spends ultimately belongs to the people we serve.
I believe in prudent spending, balanced budgets and maintaining appropriate reserves so Bartlesville can respond when unexpected challenges arise.
Responsible government also means looking for efficiencies, planning for long-term expenses and being willing to ask whether there is a better way to accomplish something before simply spending more money.
Bartlesville has needs. Costs continue to rise. Infrastructure must be maintained. Public safety must be funded. And our community must continue investing strategically if we want to grow.
Those priorities have to be balanced.
I will continue approaching those decisions the same way I have approached business throughout my career: understand the problem, look at the numbers, consider the alternatives and find a workable solution.
My commitment: Protect the financial health of the City while making responsible investments in Bartlesville's future.
Listen. Work Together. Get Things Done.
I don't expect everyone in Bartlesville to agree on every issue. They shouldn't. Good local government requires different perspectives, constructive disagreement and people who are willing to listen to one another. I believe citizens should have a voice in how their community develops. I will continue listening to residents, asking questions, working professionally with City staff and fellow councilors and making decisions based on what I believe is best for Bartlesville. We can disagree without becoming divided. At the end of the day, serving on the City Council isn't about winning arguments.
It's about getting things done for Bartlesville.
We've Made Progress. Let's Keep Going.
I'm proud of what Bartlesville has accomplished.
I'm proud of our downtown.
I'm proud of the investments we've made in our parks and recreational facilities.
I'm proud of the businesses that continue investing here and the people who work every day to make this community better.
And I believe Bartlesville's best opportunities are still ahead of us.
There is more work to do, and I'm ready to keep doing it.