Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Leadership

The Mayor's job is to lead. It is your job to determine who Dacula's leader will be for the next four critical years. In order to lead, my job is to ask you to vote for me.

I have led Dacula for the past 8 years, and I have proven that I have the ability, the vision, the passion and the time to be Mayor. My opponent has not.

Leadership has been defined as a process by which one person enlists the help of others in accomplishing tasks. My opponent sees the task of Mayor as leading the City Council and finding harmonious relationships. It is much more than that. The Mayor has to be a leader in all aspects of the community. To be successful, the Mayor has to reach out to seek the help of City employees, churches and other religious organizations, civic organizations, businesses, non-profits and others. He must seek the help and advice of the county, school board, state representatives and even our national elected officials. I have done this and we as a community are the better off for it.

I have mentored students, business, civic organizations. I have served as a member of your volunteer fire department back when we didn't have any county fire services. I served as the President of the Gwinnett Municipal Association. I served on your Planning and Zoning Board. I served as your Mayor when one of the only paved streets in Dacula was U.S. 29 (Winder Highway). I brought you the Dacula Business Association. I've run a small business in Dacula and know you can't spend out more than you bring in. I have worked with and served state and national officials. I have served all Georgia in emergency management--in the trenches--helping you and Georgians recover from disaster. I started the Dacula Business Association as an outreach to people who are willing to invest in our community to make it a better and more convenient place. I brought you the Dacula Centennial Commission and helped facilitate our historic "Down Yonder in Dacula" DVD and History of Dacula. I serve you through my church. I coordinated with several service clubs such as Kiwanis and the Lions Clubs to bring those organizations to the Dacula area. My door is always open to members of the community.

The best measure of success for a leader is the success of the organization he leads. I leave that judgment to you. Our City is a safer, more convenient, family-friendly small town that really works because of the effort I and others have made for Dacula over the last 8 years. It is a great place to raise a family, and I want to continue to lead it into a place where there will be more work places, affordable places to live, and places to play and enjoy.

Being Mayor of Dacula is a "part-time" job that I spend an average 30-40 hours per week performing. It is a job that requires late night and early morning meetings and sometimes long discussions over what might at first appear to be trivial matters--but which are really important to the success we are achieving here in Dacula. It is not a job for the faint of heart nor of simply presiding over 12 Council Meeting per year--though that is a part of it. You need a person as Mayor who has demonstrated experience and success in leading an $347,000,000 dollar business. That's what Dacula is. That's how much your assets are valued at for tax purposes. When I helped Southwest Georgia recover from a $3 billion disaster, I saved Georgians $450,000,000 by asking for and providing information to reduce the portion of disaster funds provided by Georgia citizens from 25% to 10%. So I know how to deal with big dollar items. You need a Mayor who is a fiscal conservative to manage your assets and to protect those assets.

I have a passion for Dacula. It's my home. I am native born, and I pledge to continue to do my best as your Mayor. Dare I say I love my home town.

Please vote for and support Jimmy Wilbanks as Mayor. The election is at the Dacula City Hall during the rest of this week and on Election Day, November 3, 2009.

Monday, October 26, 2009

Election Thoughts

Early voting starts this week. Please vote for and support Jimmy Wilbanks for Mayor at the Dacula City Hall this week and on Election Day, November 3, 2009.

Mend Fences, at What Cost?



My opponent has suggested that the City needs to mend fences with groups that don't want or have a reason to enter into a harmonious relationship with the City. Every month Gwinnett County can keep from reaching a new Service Delivery Strategy Agreement is free money--your money--in the pocket of the County. Right now, if you agree with my opponent's advice, the County will continue to take $85,000 per year from your pockets without providing any services. Now with the proposed tax millage rate proposal it will take an additional 21 % more (about $102,000 per year from you). This is not the City's doing. All the cities of Gwinnett County are in a similar position, and cities have proposed seven different methods to rectify this situation. The County has not considered even one of these proposals, but the County has filed suit against each City to try to force a continuation of this unfair practice on you and me.

I think it only fair to tell you that the City and County agree on most items, but I believe we must have a fair SDS Agreement. We also need to agree on a comprehensive land-use plan that respects Dacula's concerns about property rights and economic viability of unincorporated District 3 infrastructure that effects each and every resident in Dacula and District 3.

I say, Don't Pay for what We Don't Get.

Beautify the Town.

My opponent wants to beautify downtown. Well it's easy to say such a thing when the City already has a grant approved to do just that. True it has been delayed by the budget crunch at the state level, but final approval to go out to bids is expected in about two months. The $300,000+ grant is designed to repair sidewalks along Winder Highway, to improve the pedestrian crossing at Broad/McMillan/CSX railroad, and to provide beautification downtown.

I say, It's easy to promise something you know is going to happen soon. We worked hard to get this grant and we plan to use it for the beginning of the beautification of the historic downtown area.


Business Association.

My opponent want to start a Dacula Business Association. We currently have a Dacula Business Association which I started in 2003 to more fully involve people who have chosen to invest in the City and surrounding areas. The DBA is open to every business person (home-based, commercial or web-based) located in the Dacula area.

I appreciate people who choose to invest in our City. Involving business people in concerns which effect all of us is of greatl benefit to the City. As my opponent knows, the DBA was very effective in helping keep our library branch open. Their red "Save Dacula Library" shirts were very evident at meetings and rallies. I appreciate what the DBA continues to do for the City of Dacula.

I say, Join the Dacula Business Association. It meets at City Hall every 3rd Tuesday of the month.

I am asking for your vote during this early voting time and on election day, November 3, 2009. Even my opponent recently noted, "I think he has done a good job up until now..." I'm asking you to let me keep up the good work. Elect Jimmy Wilbanks Mayor November 3, 2009 at Dacula City Hall.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Library Board Selects The Best Option

The Gwinnett County Board of Library Trustees voted last night to back away from a regional library concept and to keep the award-winning community-based system currently in place. The Board chose to keep all 14 currently-operating branches and to bring the nearly completed Hamilton Mill Branch online at about 35 hours per week. The Board will ask the public to help set the scheduled times and days of the week so that some library branches will be open each day of the week. I believe this is the best option available in our current economic situation.

I want to personally thank the Dacula Business Association, Chad Parson, President, and Colin Daymude (Save Dacula Library Facebook group) for their assistance in convincing the Library Board to hear this solution. I appreciate each man, woman, boy and girl who sent messages to the Library Board, the Board of Commissioners, to newspapers and the media asking for full-service libraries complete with books as well as the electronic technology currently available at our library branches. Just because Dacula was the first cut, we shouldn't forget the people in Snellville and Lilburn who joined with us. Kudos also go out to Commissioners Nasuti, Kenerly and Beaudreau for their help. Equally as important is the concern of Representative Donna Sheldon and Senator Renee Unterman in helping come up with this solution.

I would be remiss in not recognizing the service of the Library Board and its professional staff. Sometimes rhetoric fails to express an admiration for the individuals providing public service. This economic downturn has put us all in an uncomfortable position, no less the Library Board. I'm sure that we all depend on professional staff. That's our comfort position. However, the Board has the final responsibility and say. I appreciate the Board's stepping out of its comfort zone to chose the most equitable option.

We shouldn't be finished here. Some of us made commitments to the library system. Some plan to volunteer, some to make donations to the Library Foundation. Some plan to continue to observe and offer suggestions. Don't forget your commitments--follow through!

Thank you for being engaged! This is what a sometimes messy representative government is all about.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Fighting for Tax Payer Rights

The Cities of Gwinnett are in a Service Delivery Strategy Agreement dispute with Gwinnett County. Our first and latest SDS agreement expired in February of 2009. Before the agreement expired, the Gwinnett Municipal Association had worked for two years to try to flesh out an agreement with Gwinnett County that would prevent the County from taking about $10 million per year out of the pockets of county residents who live within municipal limits without providing the corresponding services. Our argument is that you should not pay for services that you don't receive.

Rather than settling this disagreement in a manner that would have resulted in fair treatment for municipal taxpayers, Gwinnett County filed a lawsuit that has resulted in long delays, large legal fees, and the extension of taxpayers being charged for services we don't receive. While this is a complex issue, the solution is simple--an agreement that ends double taxation.

Here is a table that may shed some light on the problem. The table shows what each person (not tax parcel) pays per year for County services the taxpayer doesn't receive. Obviously, the cities that provide their own police services are the hardest hit.

Auburn

$83.78/person

Berkeley Lake

$16.16/person

Braselton

$89.64/person

Buford

$18.98/person

Dacula

$18.51/person

Duluth

$84.07/person

Grayson

$19.80/person

Lawrenceville

$84.57/person

Lilburn

$87.77/person

Loganville

$71.46/person

Norcross

$84.72/person

Rest Haven

$21.66/person

Snellville

$53.83/person

Sugar Hill

$18.24/person

Suwanee

$65.82/person


This table shows that for Dacula, each person living here pays about $18.51 each year for County services which they do not receive. While that doesn't seem to be much, over a ten year period (the length of an SDS agreement) some $850,000 is taken from you. It is even more problematic for Norcross where the per person amount is $84.72. The sum total taken from county taxpayers living in municipalities is about $100,000,000 over a ten year period.

While the lawsuit is on-going, Gwinnett County has no reason to agree to change this unfair taxation policy--it still get its free money. The judge has not seen fit to impose any sanctions for not reaching an agreement. For the past three years, I have been greatly involved in trying to resolve this issue. Some would say that the Cities and the County should reach agreement on this issue. One finds it hard to agree with a group that doesn't have a reason to or want to reach agreement. The Cities have proposed seven different positions that could have solved the issue, but Gwinnett County has refused to even consider one.

Taxpayers should understand that a favorable settlement for municipal taxpayers will not put any money in any city's treasury. Rather, you will not be charged for services you didn't receive. It will be money in your pocket.

We will eventually reach an agreement--maybe one that a judge will impose. And I am sure that in the case of a judge-imposed solution, neither the County nor the Cities will be satisfied and pleased. You need a Mayor who will continue to fight for tax fairness for you.

Please vote for and support Jimmy Wilbanks for Mayor on November 3, 2009 at the Dacula City Hall.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Fiscal Experience and Success

I'm sure of one economic fact. You cannot spend yourself out of debt. This is just what America is trying to do in this continuing, serious downturn in our economy. And our County is not far behind. Don't be fooled. No government has any money of its own. The money any government spends is money you and I give them. That fact is as true of Dacula government as it is of the federal government, Georgia government and Gwinnett County government. It's your money, and you need a fiscal conservative to manage your money.

I am a fiscal conservative and a fighter for your taxpayer rights. The City Council and I have kept your property tax rate low, and we have succeeded. In the last eight years of my administration, the tax rate has stayed the same or been reduced. That is true of 2009 and is in stark contrast to Gwinnett County where the Board of Commissioners has had to let a judge set the temporary millage rate for the County. It is in even starker contrast to some State of Georgia departments.

We have had a grant approved by the Georgia Department of Transportation to repair sidewalks along Winder Highway, to make some safety improvements to the pedestrian crossing at McMillan/Broad Streets/CSX, and to renovate and revitalize the Second Avenue business district. We have been working to get started with this improvement for four years and have had our portion of this grant money available for about four years. We heard recently that maybe in about four more months, the City will receive the go ahead to get started. Not really a good way to run any business.

Your mayor is a fiscal conservative. Even in terrible economic times, I am continuing to keep your property tax millage rate low while being successful in keeping essential services going. On November 3, 2009, please vote for and support the election of Jimmy Wilbanks to another term as mayor at the Dacula City Hall. Absentee and early voting begin next week. November 3, 2009 is election day. The polls will be open on November 3, 2009 from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM.

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Unity and Harmony in Dacula

Some would have you believe that there is great strife in the Dacula Community and in the City itself. I can tell you that there is nothing further from the truth. Community is a group of people living in a particular place with common interests. I think that we have a demonstration of unity and harmony in the Greater Dacula Community in the recent rally to Save Dacula Library.

I have attempted to further the feel of community during my nearly eight years of public service as your Mayor. I started the outreach effort to neighborhoods early in my administration. Individual and whole neighborhoods have been invited to meet with the Mayor and discuss items of general interest. Some responded, many did not.

I began the Dacula Business Association, open to all business in the 30019 zip code area, because I felt a need to reach out to business folks and better understand their needs. You can see the response--a general feeling of neighborly concern for the greater community and the City of Dacula.

I began, and personally funded for the first two years, the City's official web page, www.DaculaGA.gov. This was an outreach to people both within and without the city limits. This is an excellent way to see what is on the calendar, post to forums that are unmanaged except for truly libelous materials, and to generally understand what Dacula government is all about. It provides an opportunity for people to keep up with what its government is doing.

Our recently completed 2030 Comprehensive Plan is a community inspired and lead effort. Citizens from within the City and those without had an opportunity to have input and discussion of this plan. Implementing the plan in the next 20 years will be a true citizen/government effort. You can see the results of this planning effort on our city web site.

We have harmony and unity in Dacula. If you want to continue the efforts that have been started,

Elect Jimmy Wilbanks Mayor on November 3, 2009 at Dacula City Hall.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Fighting for Libraries

The fight to save community-based library branches goes on. Some would have you believe that I am not fighting hard enough to keep the Dacula Library Branch open. I want you to know where I stand. I stand four-square for keeping all the community-based branches open as full service libraries.

The struggle has morphed into not just keeping the Dacula Library open as a full service library but to keeping the Library System what it is designed to be--an award-winning community library system that serves residents and taxpayers who live near a convenient library branch.

From voting to close only the Dacula Branch and the resulting outrage by the Dacula residents, the Library Board has taken a covering position and opted to close Dacula, Lilburn, and Snellville Branches as full-service libraries and make them Computer Labs. They plan to remove the lending books and replace those with a hold shelf where you can pick up ordered books at a later, inconvenient time. The Library Board plans to replace a full staff with about 1/3 as many people. Yet, you can bet that they will want you to pay full taxes for that reduced service. As the pressure mounts, figure that the Library Board and the Executive Director will rename this effort once again to try to make it more acceptable to the public.

What have I done in this struggle to keep Dacula's Library Branch open? I began the day after I heard the news:

  • Wrote the County Commission and the Library Board a harsh letter asking that the Library Board reconsider and the Commission to remove any Board members who didn't vote to rescind the vote.
  • Worked with community groups to start a grass-roots campaign to keep the Dacula Branch open.
  • Joined and supported the Save Dacula Library Facebook campaign.
  • Prepared and shephered a City Council Resolution to keep the Dacula Branch open. Had the Resolution hand delivered to the Library Board Members, the Library Executive Director, the Superintendent of Gwinnett Schools and School Board Members.
  • Attended and spoke at the Library Board Meeting. The Library Board changed their previous closure vote to keeping Dacula as a Computer Lab and included Lilburn and Snellville Branches as Computer Labs also. Not what the Dacula community wanted. Obviously, the public wants convenient, community-based branches not a region approach.
  • Wrote an open letter to Executive Director Kellam.
  • Met with State officials, County officials and citizens to discuss future moves, a now county-wide effort, to keep all our community-based branches open.
  • Attended the October 6, County Commission meeting to express concern about the effect of changing to a computer lab on Dacula and the surrounding community and how the coverage for convenience would be changed with the three branches used as computer labs.
  • Continuing to explore possibilities for keeping our branches open.
You can see some of these letters, ideas, maps and other items at my blog, http://jimmywilbanks.blogspot.com or at http://www.SaveDaculaLibrary.com. You can find us on Facebook. Start Facebook and type Save Dacula Library in the search box to see what the nearly 6,000 people are thinking about this issue.

Since this issue has morphed into a save the community-based library system, I encourage you to sign our new county-wide petition online or see a community activist in your neighborhood.

I encourage you to continue to express your outrage that an appointed Library Board and an appointed Executive Director of the Library System who are unresponsive to taxpayers can change what has worked so well and seems in the best interest of all residents--a community based Library System. On November 3, 2009 at the Dacula City Hall, vote to continue Jimmy Wilbanks as your mayor. I am fighting to keep our award-winning library system community based. Keep all the branches open as full-service libraries.

November 3, 2009 General Election

On November 3, 2009, Dacula will elect a mayor and two council positions. I am seeking reelection, and I am requesting your support and vote on November 3. I am Jimmy Wilbanks, your current mayor.

When you decide about your vote for mayor, I hope you will consider the record of my administration. We have kept your city taxes low. I am a fiscal conservative, and I expect to control City costs in the future. My administration has brought new businesses to Dacula making the city more convenient to her residents. We appreciate business folks who decide to invest in our city. Importantly, in this recessionary period, we have brought over 450 new jobs to the city.

When you vote at Dacula City Hall on November 3, elect Jimmy Wilbanks, a proven, experienced fiscal conservative.

Vote Jimmy Wilbanks, experienced fiscal conservative
November 3, 2009
Dacula City Hall
7:00 AM - 7:00 PM