An Edmond Urbanist wish list for the next Edmond mayor, city council

Edmond Urbanist is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and as such, does not endorse or perform any electioneering for candidates for public office. So you're not getting any endorsements here.

After the votes are counted on Tuesday, April 1, the City of Edmond's legislative branch will be set: A new mayor - either Mark Nash or Tom Robins - and two new members of the city council - Preston Watterson and Phil Fraim - who will all take office this spring. And life will go on for our city.

The candidates for mayor have been through the wringer this campaign. Thanks to debates and forums hosted by organizations like Nondoc, Edmond Alliance 2050, Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce, and the metro area's television news stations, Edmond voters should be very well aware of the election and the two candidates' experience, priorities, and views on the issues. We're incredibly excited that the race Mayor of Edmond is getting the attention and rigor a city of nearly 100,000 in Oklahoma deserves.

The next Mayor will succeed Darrell Davis as the at-large representative of the entire City of Edmond and as the chair of city council meetings. The Mayor of Edmond has one vote, the same as the four members of the city council. And together, the five votes will appoint a new city manager who will run city government and help execute their vision for what city government can do.

Edmond Urbanist's hopes and wishes for the next Edmond mayor and city council

• Peacemaking

  Whether it's Nextdoor, Facebook, an obsession with national politics, or people isolated in their homes with no real community - Edmond has dissension, backbiting, suspicion, and wild conspiracy theories. But that's every city and town. Our city of 100,000 will have a lot of diversity of need, thought, socioeconomic resources, and plans for the future. Edmond needs elected city leaders who will never tire of reaching out in good faith, trying to mend fences, seeking to build trust, and working to make opponents into friendly rivals. It requires humility, strength, love, and courage to take the blows while continuing to offer the olive branch.
  

• 50+ year Vision

  Time as mayor or city council member is relatively short (just a few years out of a human life), but the decisions made and not made will affect those who inherit Edmond from us. Immediate needs by their very nature must be addressed, but visionary actions taken today will set up Edmond up for generational progress that our grandchildren will thank us for.
  

• Leadership on transportation and mobility beyond "THE ROADS"

  In a large city, traffic is a feature, not a bug. Cities with no traffic = cities with no commerce, and cities like Edmond live and on die on commerce. Edmond streets are no where near gridlock, but they will be if we continue another 50 years of only sprawl development and long-distance commutes followed by a few miles of street widening that just brings more more sprawl development and long-distance commutes. The transportation discussion must include density, mixed-use development, GO Bonds, and a generational vision for public transportation, sidewalks, and bike lanes - let's talk about moving people instead of moving cars
  

• The energy and honesty to invest in ourselves and make our own luck

  Competition makes us better, and Edmond ought to compete with our peers for jobs, economic development, infrastructure upgrades, and quality-of-life amenities. Economic growth and development aren't just things we do to do them; in Oklahoma, cities must grow their sales tax base to survive.

  Oklahoma City citizens decided in 1990 to tax themselves to better equip their city to compete for those things; and the proof is in the pudding. Edmond has relied on its public schools for growth and wealth, but we all know that someday our great public schools won't be enough on their own. With energetic leadership, Edmond can invest in itself to better engage in friendly competition with our peer cities and make our own luck.

Edmond Urbanist looks forward to working with the next mayor and city council where we can to advance the things that are possible.