*Note: This is a reader-submitted opinion piece. Opinions and letters to the editor can be sent to news@clarksvillenow.com
This year’s mayoral race is gonna be a good one. We’ve got former Mayor Johnny Piper, current Mayor Kim McMillian, former State Rep. Joe Pitts, and former Councilman Bill Summers (plus a few other less known candidates). With so many viable candidates, I hadn’t decided who was going to get my vote.
That all changed when I had a conversation with Bill Summers at Waffle House on Madison. I was already familiar with Bill, having visited his website. After scrolling through his website a time or two (or three), I was impressed that he actually had real plans that were measurable. I especially liked his plans for our police and other emergency responders. I’m accustomed to hearing republicans using the same old rhetoric of being “tough on crime” and “lock’em up and throw away the key”. But, not with Mr. Summers.
Instead of being a template of a republican candidate, Mr. Summers plans on adding enough cops to keep up with population growth (seems like common sense). I can’t be certain, but I don’t remember that being said with our current mayor. Also, what appeals to me is that Mr. Summers doesn’t intend on using the cops to lock up Clarksvillians for any and everything, and he’s not asking for a “bigger, badder” jail. No, rather his plan would call for better training of the police and other responders so that they can better serve us, which is what they’re paid to do (and do well).
While we sat and spoke amidst the sound of frying bacon and happy citizens devouring waffles drowned in syrup, the topic of small business creation came up. I, like many in Clarksville, am an entrepreneur. And what I want to see from my city is an investment being made to support small businesses. Well, just so happens that my new-found friend has a plan just for that. He proposes to make a sort of “one stop shop” where small business owners and potential small business owners can go and get the necessary tools needed for their businesses to be successful. The plan also calls for the city to look to invest in the hard work and ideas of it’s citizens, rather than those of outside and often foreign entities.
I sat with Bill Summers, sipped black decaf and looked into his eyes for integrity. He never flinched, he was relaxed and comfortable. Above all, he was sincere. Topics ranged from local politics, to happenings on the “Hill”, to crime in the African American community as I am African American. And all I got was honesty. If he didn’t know, he said “Mr. Ward, I don’t know, do you have an idea?” He didn’t just give me prepared answers from a rehearsed session with his advisors, and I appreciated that. I won’t give the full details or exact words of our conversation, as we spoke as two men, two citizens; and this is not a gossip column. But I will say this, as a person who has voted almost exclusively democratic in the past, I support the candidacy of Republican Bill Summers and encourage my neighbors here in Clarksville to do the same. We need to move forward, and Bill Summers has a plan that I feel will do that at lightning speed. Thanks for taking the time to read my opinion!
Sincerely,
Donald Ward