Less Politics, More Solutions

That is a big question, because there is not one single issue facing Mammoth Lakes. Like many residents, I believe we can do a better job addressing workforce and affordable housing, parking, aging infrastructure, transportation, public safety, and supporting the police, fire, town employees, and other civil servants who keep our community running.

But I also think we need to be realistic. These issues were not created overnight, and they are not going to be solved overnight, or even within one Town Council term.

What concerns me most is what happens if we continue reacting to problems instead of planning for them.

Mammoth Lakes is changing. Our population, tourism economy, housing needs, transportation demands, workforce, and expectations of local government are very different today than they were twenty years ago.

I believe we need to start planning now for what Mammoth Lakes should look like ten, twenty, and even thirty years from today. That means making thoughtful decisions now, setting priorities, establishing realistic timelines, and making sure residents understand where we are going and why.

I am not running because I believe I have a magic solution. I am running because I believe we can plan better, communicate better, and solve problems together.

One of the first places I believe we need to look is our General Plan and the planning framework that has guided Mammoth Lakes for many years.

Our community has changed tremendously since much of that planning was developed. We should thoughtfully examine what still works, what no longer reflects the realities of Mammoth Lakes today, and what needs to change.

I look at it much like running a business. You need a plan. You need to know where you are trying to go, what your priorities are, what resources you have available, and how you are going to measure progress.

Mammoth Lakes needs a clear guiding vision for the next twenty years.

That does not mean throwing away everything that came before us. It means building upon it.

We should be asking what kind of housing our workforce will need, how people will move around town, where they will park, what infrastructure will need to be replaced or expanded, what services our residents will require, and how we preserve the character of Mammoth Lakes while preparing for the future.

Most importantly, residents should be able to see that plan and understand it.

Government earns trust by communicating clearly, establishing priorities, following through, and showing people that someone is paying attention.

I want residents to feel confident that their Town Council is working not only on today's problems, but also preparing Mammoth Lakes for the people who will call this community home twenty years from now.

Plain and simple, mental health.

This issue is deeply personal to me. As the father of a loved one who has faced serious mental health challenges and addiction, I have seen firsthand how difficult it can be for families to find help, understand where to turn, and navigate a system that can feel incredibly complicated.

And our family is certainly not alone.

Almost everyone in this community knows someone who has struggled with mental health, addiction, isolation, depression, or another serious challenge. Sometimes it is a family member. Sometimes it is a friend, a coworker, a neighbor, or someone we see every day without knowing what they are going through.

I believe a mentally healthy community is a stronger community.

As a Councilmember, one of my priorities would be working with Mono County, healthcare providers, schools, law enforcement, nonprofits, employers, and other community organizations to identify where the gaps exist and determine how we can improve access to resources and services.

I do not believe the Town can solve mental health on its own. But I absolutely believe the Town can be a stronger partner, a louder advocate, and a catalyst for bringing the right people together.

If we can help even one person get treatment sooner, help one family find resources before they reach a crisis, or prevent someone from falling through the cracks, that matters.

And I would be very proud to make that part of my service to Mammoth Lakes.

Because I love Mammoth Lakes.

I loved Mammoth when I first came here as a teenager. I loved the Mammoth of the 1980s, and I love the Mammoth we live in today.

But loving a community also means being willing to help take responsibility for its future.

I am not a career politician, and I am not looking for another title. I have spent my life building businesses, managing people, solving problems, analyzing information, making difficult decisions, and being accountable for the results.

I believe those skills can be useful to our Town.

I am grateful that Tracie and I have the opportunity to call Mammoth Lakes home, operate our businesses here, and be part of this community. Running for Town Council is another way for me to give something back to a place that has given me so much.

Housing is one of the most important long term challenges facing Mammoth Lakes, but I do not believe there is one single housing solution.

We need workforce housing, attainable housing for middle income residents, options for young families, opportunities for people who want to remain here as they age, and housing that allows the people who work in Mammoth to actually become part of the community.

I want us to look creatively at land use, partnerships, incentives, existing properties, redevelopment opportunities, employer participation, and appropriate public investment.

At the same time, every proposal has to make financial sense.

Simply saying we need more housing is easy. Determining what type of housing we need, where it belongs, how it gets financed, and how we make it sustainable is the hard part.

That is where I want the conversation focused.

Tourism is the economic engine of Mammoth Lakes. It supports our restaurants, hotels, retailers, service businesses, contractors, employees, and a significant portion of the Town's revenue.

We should never lose sight of how important our visitors are.

But Mammoth Lakes also has to work for the people who live here.

Those two ideas are not in conflict.

A great resort community should provide an exceptional experience for visitors while also creating a great quality of life for residents and opportunities for local businesses and employees.

The goal should be balance.

If our workforce cannot afford to live here, if our infrastructure cannot handle demand, or if local businesses cannot survive the slower seasons, eventually the visitor experience suffers too.

A healthy resident community and a healthy tourism economy depend upon each other.

Running a business teaches you very quickly that resources are limited.

You cannot fund every idea. You have to establish priorities, understand your numbers, plan ahead, listen to your team, make decisions, and be accountable when those decisions do not work.

I would bring that same mindset to Town Council.

I am going to ask questions.

What problem are we trying to solve?

What will it cost?

How will we pay for it?

What are the measurable results?

What are the unintended consequences?

And is there a simpler or better way to accomplish the same goal?

Government and business are certainly not the same thing, but disciplined decision making, financial responsibility, planning, and accountability matter in both.

It means exactly what it says.

I am much more interested in whether an idea works than in who gets credit for it.

Local government should be about fixing streets, planning infrastructure, supporting public safety, addressing housing, helping businesses succeed, providing services, protecting our community, and preparing for the future.

There will always be disagreements. That is healthy.

But disagreement does not have to become dysfunction.

I will listen, ask questions, look at the information, respect different opinions, and then make the decision I believe is best for Mammoth Lakes.

For me, this election is not about politics.

It is about service.

It is about solving problems.

And it is about leaving Mammoth Lakes a little better than we found it.

Listening has to happen before decisions are made, not after.

I want residents, business owners, employees, parents, retirees, young people, longtime locals, and newer members of our community to feel comfortable telling me what they think, including when they disagree with me.

I will not promise that everyone will always get the answer they want.

I will promise that I will listen.

And when difficult decisions are made, I believe the Town should do a better job explaining the reasoning behind them.

People can disagree with a decision and still respect the process when they believe they were heard, the facts were considered, and the decision was made thoughtfully.

That is part of rebuilding trust in local government.

I am not going to measure success by how many ordinances we pass or how many meetings I attend.

I would measure success by whether Mammoth Lakes has a clearer direction than it does today.

Do we have a meaningful long term plan?

Have we made measurable progress on housing?

Are we investing wisely in infrastructure?

Are we supporting our police, fire, Town employees, and community services?

Have we improved access to mental health resources?

Are residents better informed about where the Town is going?

And perhaps most importantly, do residents believe their Town government is listening to them and working for them?

If four years from now we can answer yes to more of those questions, I would consider that meaningful progress.