Meet the Mayor
I interviewed the Mayor of Parker to find out a little bit more about himself, his passions and vision. I must say that I was impressed by the disposition of our Mayor and how he went through the questions fast and confident showing that he follows his commitments, his positions and points of view. He definitely likes to make Parker an even better place to live without increasing costs to the community. He also shows his passion to give a voice and place for our future generations. I hope you read this interview and get to know him a little better.
1. Where are you originally from?
Manhattan, New York.
2. When did you come to live in Parker?
I came to live in Parker in 1998.
3. Why Parker?
It was an accident. My wife and I were visiting and we were having lunch at the Warhorse Inn and Steven Strain the owner just sold us on Parker. He just told us how wonderful it was to live here. So, we found a house that we liked and bought it.
4. Do you have kids?
Yes, I have one daughter who is 30 years old from a previous marriage. I am very proud of her. She lives in England and travels frequently between England and France.
5. What did you do before becoming a Mayor?
I did a little bit of everything; I worked in the private industry, in retail, and teaching.
6. Why did you decide to run for Mayor of Parker?
It was an accident as well. Some friends suggested I run for it and I agreed. The first time I ran was in 2000 and I lost that race. Then I ran and was elected to the Town Council in 2002. In 2004, I ran for Mayor and was elected.
7. What are your key responsibilities as Mayor?
I am the ambassador for the Town of Parker. I also work with other Mayors within the Metro Area. I am also a diplomat to the Town Council and receive some direction from them on current issues.
8. What is the favorite part of your Job?
I love going to schools and teaching the students about local government.
9. What is the least favorite part of your job?
I really like everything that comes with the job. Thinking hard, the only thing that I really dislike is when the public is misinformed.
10. Does you position as Mayor ever encroach on your private life? Specifically, does the public respect your privacy when you are out in public with your family?
Usually most of the people know and respect my family time. Occasionally, someone will ask to talk to me about something that they believe can’t wait until the next day and I’ll take the time to talk to them. Most of the time, this does not take more than oneor two minutes.
11. What would you like to accomplish in this term?
Get through the tuff economical situation that we are going through with the least impact possible to our residents and businesses. Try to keep Parker in a strong position by keeping the budget intact and make every effort to keep the budget out of the red. Hopefully we will be able to continue with our projects for the roads and parks in Parker.
12. What qualifications would you like to see in your successor?
I would like to see that individual to have the characteristics of a “people person” who is accessible to the public. I’d like to see someone who can lead the Council members and help them work together creating solutions in a professional manner. One of the things that make me most proud to be the Mayor of Parker is when I receive compliments from council members from other towns regarding the attitude, atmosphere and smiles of our staff. We have happy people working here at the Town Hall. I hope the person who takes my position keeps the same atmosphere with the residents, business owners and our staff here at the Town Hall building.
13. Where do you get the strength to handle difficult situations?
I pray for guidance and try my best to be a good listener. This usually helps me come to a good decision. I also try to think outside of the box and see and understand others points of view.
14. What changes have you seen in Parker since you moved here?
Well, the town is a living town which contracts and expands with the times. But I have seen a lot of growth. I see developers working and redesigning their subdivisions or communities who work with the demands from our residents. As I mentioned before, our staff is phenomenal. I have seen many businesses come and some unfortunately go. But that is just part of life. In general, Parker has experienced lots of changes and has a lot to offer to residents, as well as, to investors.
15. What do you think Parker residents have as a common denominator?
I believe they are family oriented. That is why we have so many trails, parks, recreation centers and a wonderful library. I see lots of young families coming to live here in Parker.
16. How would you describe a typical resident of Parker?
It is a person who would like to feel welcome and also welcome others into our community. It would be someone who steps up and has a helping disposition.
17. From all of your contributions to the Town of Parker, which contribution means the most to you and why?
It was starting what it is called “The Youth of Parker”. I remember when some young members of our community came to me and asked me for help. They wanted to have a voice. We started this program and it now runs by itself. They don’t need me anymore and that is okay. That is the way that it is supposed to be. They figured it out and they are now running it by themselves. I believe that is great. I am glad I was able to help them figure it out and to become active members of our society.