I am voting for Debra Reeves because she is a champion of all our people!
Debra is deeply invested in bringing our community together. I have watched her work passionately, advocating for our seniors and business community. She rolls up her sleeves and starts doing the work without needing validation. She volunteers in our day-to-day lives together, and over the past few years, her two greatest passions are our senior population and our small business community. I see her showing up like this for people in our community who have not been so kind to her in return. She shakes it off and goes forward positively every time, her unwavering optimism inspiring. I am proud to serve our community with someone like this. Debra is wholly plugged into our community daily. She does not box people in or pick sides. She is a champion for all and an excellent asset for a community leader.
Justin McMahan, having worked with him this past year, is a bright, proactive, levelheaded, and collaborative community leader. It’s been daunting to watch the disinformation spread about him. I doubt we as a community would allow a Catholic or Muslim to be attacked with such fervor, and I wonder to myself, how can it be that this is okay? I can genuinely say that Justin addresses every instance of bias in the room with honesty and conviction. I have watched as he has done so many times now. In each instance, Justin says, “This is not right, and how can we fix it together?” He has a solid sense of fair-mindedness, which Rockaway’s city government needs. I also know Justin to be very prompt in attending to those who request his time. His passion for housing and a healthy community is evident in everything he does, inspiring others with his dedication.
Stephanie Winchester has surprised me most of all. I think I’ve known Stephanie for probably four years now. She’s a current planning commissioner on the budget committee and is active in CERT. She is always thoughtful, kind, balanced, and positive-minded in her decisions and when she speaks. She has a kind way of seeing things as they are and can talk to the subject honestly and thoughtfully without judgment or sugarcoating. Giving the truth to citizens is essential. Whatever the good, the bad, and the truth, it’s our job. We must all be able to do this calmly and honestly. The more I have listened to her as we have all campaigned, the more I have realized what a great asset she would be to everyone in our community in a higher capacity. She sees and hears things in a way that many people might miss, which gives us an even firmer foundation when working together to represent the entire community. I see Stephanie’s passion for our Emergency Services and City budget. Her life experience brings a great deal to us in these categories.
Rodney Breazile for Mayor! Some may think I’m biased, but I can assure you I am his harshest critic after himself. After knowing this man for over 40 years, I have witnessed what he can do and who he is. It’s straightforward: we need an honest and trustworthy mayor for everyone, including city staff and neighboring municipalities. We need a leader who will stay faithful to their campaign promises and not change their position after being elected. Our mayor should unite the community without using city resources for personal promotion or favoring select individuals. Rodney will not attempt to sway votes in his favor; a mayor should remain impartial and focus on serving the community. Rodney brings extensive knowledge of Rockaway’s infrastructure needs, zoning, planning, transportation issues, our watershed, Nedonna Beach, and crucial matters like drainage, roads, and streets. He has a unique ability to explain these complex topics in a way everyone can understand. His practical and effective communication skills will ensure that every community member’s voice is heard and considered. It’s essential for the mayor to communicate both our successes and challenges so that we can all make informed decisions for our future together.
In my nearly 8 years in office, I spent the first 6 years with a council that did very little work and passed just a few items. Much of that time was invested in dividing the community into an us-and-them mentality. In the last two years, our current council has passed nearly 40 items at warp speed, items that have locals and legal council scratching their heads to understand. I titled this commentary to you as the simple truth because there is so much rhetoric and false information being posted that it’s impossible to keep up with. It’s unhealthy for our community, and instead of supporting the drama. I am just telling you why I think these are the best candidates. I humbly ask you to vote for a group of people who will work hard to bring our entire community together and reflect all our neighborhoods and future needs. Our wise leaders tell us less than 25% of ballots have been turned in, so remember, your voice counts!
You can see more about these candidates at togetherfor@gmail.com.
As always, feel free to contact me at KristineForRockaway@gmail.com for council items and Kristine4Rockaway@gmail.com as a running candidate.
For those who would like to watch the 10/15/24 Rockaway Beach Candidates Forum, here is the link and passcode you will need to access the recorded Zoom video. us06web.zoom.us/…/NrcAA9BJfv5x4zVq…
Passcode: m7@u^bwV Thank you for your valuable time. Kristine