Why I’m Running for Alderman
This wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment decision.
I’ve served as an alderman before. I’ve been in the room. I know how this job is supposed to work.
And I’ve been watching what’s happening now.
At some point, you either keep talking about it, or you step back in and do something about it.
I’m stepping back in.
What I’ve Watched
I’ve watched Mayor Lynn Sebourn run a board where conversations happen behind closed doors, and not everyone at the table is given the same information.
Some aldermen are brought in early. Others are left out until it’s time to vote. That’s not leadership. That’s control.
I’ve watched Executive Sessions get used as a shield. They have a place, but they are not meant to replace open discussion or move decisions out of public view.
I’ve watched the Mayor and the city’s legal counsel use anonymous or questionable information to push people out, not because it was right, but because it served a purpose. That’s not governance. That’s personal.
I’ve watched legal advice shift depending on the situation. When the answer changes based on who it benefits, that’s a problem.
I’ve watched Mayor Lynn Sebourn and Alderman Matthew Bird present the public with a version of the airport situation that doesn’t match reality. While they downplay it, taxpayers are the ones paying for it.
I’ve watched taxes get raised with clear promises tied to roads and a new city hall, only to see those promises walked back, delayed, or redirected.
And I watched Mayor Lynn Sebourn say, on a live broadcast, that he would appoint people to the Planning Commission who align with his vision for development, including pushing higher density and affordable housing.
Not the most qualified. The most aligned.
That tells you everything you need to know.
This Is the Problem
This isn’t about personalities. It’s about how your city is being run.
When decisions are made behind closed doors, trust breaks down.
When information is controlled, accountability disappears.
When leadership prioritizes alignment over competence, the entire system starts to tilt.
And when taxpayers are asked to fund it, they deserve better.
I Know What This Job Requires
I’ve done it.
I know what it means to sit at that table and make decisions that actually matter.
Not talk about them. Not posture. Make them.
And I know that job requires something simple that’s currently missing: discipline.
Discipline to focus on infrastructure.
Discipline to control spending.
Discipline to ask hard questions and not accept weak answers.
Why I’m Running Again
Because I’m not going to sit back and watch this continue.
Because this city deserves leadership that is straightforward, accountable, and focused on the basics.
And because I’ve done this job before, I know exactly what it takes to do it right.
No spin. No games.
Just the work.