Over two years in the past, once I first introduced my need to be your mayor, I confronted a smear marketing campaign, stuffed with lies and mistruths, meant to wreck my fame and derail my possibilities of being elected earlier than my marketing campaign ever received off the bottom. My response was speedy. I condemned these techniques, set the document straight, and continued on my constructive course.
At this time, I proceed on that constructive course – it’s the one approach I do know. And I proceed to sentence the politics of division.
If there may be one factor wanted in our world immediately it’s unity, not division. So think about my disappointment when, at our current assembly of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, the politics of division once more reared its ugly head.
Ever since taking workplace, it has been a thriller to me why each dialogue of our plans for enchancment to our metropolis parks and applications for our youth invitations controversy from a few of our elected officers. This has occurred time after time: when planning for our bond challenge, renovation of our buildings, bogs and playgrounds, when hiring a full-time Director of Parks and Recreation, and even when recognizing excellent younger folks taking time from their Saturday to make enhancements at a metropolis park.
All I can surmise is that division and obstruction to progress proceed to be the objective of some, even when it means derailing applications for our youngsters. It additionally has turn out to be very clear that there are some in our group who could be content material to see failure and decline in Natchez, so long as it meets some political or different twisted goal.
So, as I’m liable to do, I’m calling them out. It’s time for bickering and grandstanding to cease. It’s time for badgering metropolis staff who’re doing phenomenal issues for our youth to cease. And it’s time to cease worrying about who will get the credit score for something, so long as good issues are occurring and the work of transferring Natchez ahead is getting achieved.
Tuesday, we accredited an formidable plan to renovate the Youth Middle at North Natchez Park, and we’re going to get it achieved. Interval. We additionally affirmed that the restoration of bogs in any respect metropolis parks, already in progress and voted on unanimously at a previous assembly, will proceed, and we’re going to get it achieved. Interval.
This isn’t a time for complicated the general public with phrases meant to incite hate and division – all for political targets. Slightly it’s a time to have fun how far we now have come as One Natchez, Working Collectively. Decrepit park amenities, harmful playgrounds, and deplorable bogs are quickly to be a factor of the previous. Our kids will know by our actions, and never by our phrases, that they’ve worth.
The politics of division has scarred the general public discourse of this nation. It’s time for our group to be an instance – and perceive that we are able to transfer ahead higher and quicker if we’re all rowing collectively.
I see an extremely vivid future for the Metropolis of Natchez – a future the place all our residents can benefit from the fantastic developments we are able to make if all of us work collectively. All I can do is reply with motion. And our actions show that we’re getting the job achieved. Interval. As a result of on the finish of the day, Natchez Deserves Extra.
Dan Gibson is the mayor of Natchez.
