Motivation to run for office:
I’m interested in back-to-basics values for our community and reconciling the new with the old. I want to make progressive changes, but at the same time make certain residents are comfortable and we can accommodate them. What does a council do when you have such a high approval rating? It is a delicate balancing act we deal with every day, where and how we draw the line.
Pressing issues and strategies for resolution:
To continue to improve the quality of life while preserving the values that led us to incorporate and too maintain the essential character of the community by providing efficient and cost effective services and supporting our policies.
We have a long history of fighting for the maintenance of residential zoning, not up zoning or multi-zoning like when we fought to stop the 39- story tower in Dadeland and it held up in court. We got them to agree to a settlement and reduce the height to protect the zoning.
I continue to oppose the red light cameras. I think I have a reputation for working hard on the council. My objective is to study the issues and make really good decisions. Personal/professional:
I have lived in the area since 1987 with my wife Karen and two (now grown) sons, Chris and Mark. I have a home-based public relations and marketing business. As a council, we work pretty well together. When we do something, I think it is a group accomplishment. I am proud to say we have kept things relatively drama free compared to other communities. One thing we did with the strategic plan is that we made sure to do an opinion survey to guide our decisions in the future. The results showed that 91.5 percent of residents are satisfied or very satisfied with the value of services received for the tax dollars. We place great emphasis on the continuity of good management and we have had very little staff turnover.
Future Vision:
Maintain the strategic plan, especially organizational excellence and financial stability, security and pedestrian safety. As revenue declined, we were able to maintain a full complement of 51 sworn police officers. We need to evaluate the need for new sidewalks and other safety enhancements. We approved the transportation study and hope to add more bike lanes on streets. Maintain our highly respected Wall Street status with Standard and Poor’s upgraded credit ranking. We are in one of the top percentages of ranking for municipalities, which is critical for future bonds.
Accessibility to constituents:
I get more personal calls than anyone except the mayor. I spend a lot of time on constituent service. In the last campaign I walked to 2,800 homes. If there is a problem I will go out and take a look. I spend a lot of time talking to residents and trying to work things out (to contact Councilmember Ross, call 305- 666-0012 or email bobrosspr@bellsouth.net
