Issues | David Keener for Mayor of Social Circle

Liberty and Government
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed…”

That’s how our Declaration of Independence sums up the fundamental purpose of government, and I don’t think anyone has improved upon that description in the intervening 235 years. It is the idea that has guided me in my civic life, as a private citizen, a Social Circle Councilman and now as a candidate for Mayor.

Government is the servant of the people. Local government best serves us and secures our liberties when it focuses on its core purposes: ensuring public safety, building and maintaining good streets and roads, keeping taxes and business regulation low, and being a prudent, responsible steward of the budget.

My Platform as your Mayoral Candidate and my Vision for our city as your Mayor is to ensure the revitalization of our historic downtown by working with our local appointed authorities and elected officials to ensure we have good business growth and strength downtown as well as adequate Industrial and Commercial growth along our bypass and the surrounding outside perimeter. I will pursue the development of the historic cotton mill area with residential and commercial growth and connectivity to the downtown area with sidewalks and trails. The cotton mill project is one that I believe will help breathe life into our city while maintaining our small-town feel.

I also plan to spearhead a project that will bring global wi-fi internet service to designated areas within our city. The wi-fi project will be a collaborative effort between city officials, business owners and local ISPs (Internet Service Providers).

I will ensure our streets, roads and sidewalks are well maintained.

I will keep our taxes low and reduce them as possible, and I will ensure that our local government is a prudent and responsible steward of your tax dollars.

As your Mayor, I pledge to be approachable and responsive and take the necessary steps to get things done. I am a proven leader, an excellent listener, and an effective communicator. I believe it is critical that I and all of our local government officials keep you (our citizens) well informed about our city and any decisions that are made affecting our city. I believe that there is a perception, or maybe even in some cases a reality, that our government has a "decide and defend" mentality. I want this to never be a perception or a reality and that is why I believe we make better decisions when we engage and involve our community in that process.

A healthy city is one in which residents take charge of their neighborhoods. City government can and should do its part within its legitimate areas of responsibility, but it cannot – and should not – seek to organize and supervise every aspect of community life.

Freedom-based city government and strong neighborhood bonds among Social Circle citizens are the surest formula for making "Georgia's Greatest Little Town" even greater. As the signers of the Declaration knew, life and liberty are the keys to happiness and its pursuit.

Public Safety & Crime
Local government’s first duty is to provide for the safety of its citizens in their homes, in their neighborhoods and on their streets. That means keeping criminals off the street and in jail, and graffiti out of our neighborhoods. In addition, it means it is essential that our policemen, firemen and emergency medical personnel are trained and equipped to keep us all safe. As your Mayor, I will commit to providing our police and fire forces with the tools, training and resources they need to successfully perform their jobs.

I will take a proactive approach by working closely with our Public Safety leadership to affirm our department is people-friendly and community-minded and that we maintain a high standard of integrity and provide service with professionalism, compassion and respect.

I’ll also work to support anti-crime efforts by ensuring the revival of our Neighborhood Watch programs. An active Neighborhood Watch program, with neighbors watching out for each other, can effectively prevent crimes and make us safer in our homes, all while being a fiscally responsible way to increase the safety of our community. Ideally, these groups will achieve more than simply keeping an eye out for each other’s safety, but will be an avenue to grow closer as friends and neighbors. This is important for a strong and healthy community, and also practical concerns such as emergency preparedness. Americans are at their best working together voluntarily to overcome challenges. While I hope we are never challenged by such adversity in Social Circle, I do envision that strong neighborhood watch programs will sow the seeds of an even stronger sense of community among Social Circle residents.

Business and the Economy
As a business owner and former Social Circle Councilman, I know from first-hand experience that government doesn’t create economic growth, but it can stifle it.

Opportunity, prosperity and inventiveness spring from the creativity and hard work of individual Americans, and I want to make Social Circle the most job-friendly city in the state – a place where men and women can work hard, start a business and create jobs. My feeling is that government can help by reducing taxes and regulations.

Revitalizing our downtown district and working with our city and county development authorities will be high on my priority list as your Mayor. While not invading privacy, our local government should ensure that ordinances are in place that allow for the beautification of our facades, sides and rear portions of our historic downtown.

Budget
Problems with government often begin when elected leaders and bureaucrats forget they are spending other people’s money. I have never forgotten that central fact while serving as your Councilman, and that crucial reality will be at the forefront of my mind as your Mayor.

Government has to live within its means. Social Circle residents don’t have the luxury of taxing their neighbors when their finances tighten up. They prioritize their budgets and do without things that aren’t necessities. Government should be no different. As Mayor, I will focus our budget priorities on the city’s fundamental duties.

Infrastructure
Dating back to the founding of our Republic, providing for transportation infrastructure has been a core government responsibility. One of my top priorities will be ensuring that Social Circle has a system of streets and roads that are modern, well-maintained and with enough capacity to keep motorists moving. The free-flow of people and goods is essential to a thriving economy and a better quality of life. I want Social Circle residents to be able to spend more time with family and activities and less time in traffic. The completion of the bridge on Cherokee is an essential ingredient to traffic flow.

As Mayor, I believe city government should work with you to ensure our streets and roads are well-maintained. I will look to residents to contact City Hall with reports of badly maintained roads and necessary street repairs – and I will push city government to respond quickly to those concerns.

Parks and Recreation
Parks are jewels in the crown of any city. Parks and the recreation opportunities they afford are integral to a city’s sense of community. They are the places where families gather to play and picnic, and where our vital civic and community groups gather and hold events.

Social Circle is fortunate to have several parks and playgrounds, but could certainly benefit by expanding our base. As your Mayor, I will continually search for ways to expand our parkland, while looking for opportunities and economies that allow us to offer residents maximum recreational opportunities within budget realities.