MEET THE CANDIDATES
SEAT 3 – DAVID LOH
David Loh
103 Oceanway Drive
Ponce Inlet, FL 32127
Phone Number:
386.248.5191
Email Address:
electdaveponceinletseat3@gmail.com
Website:
www.electdaveponceinletseat3.com
Resume:
Read David Loh’s Resume
Why I Am Running for Town Council
Dear Voters, Friends and Supporters,
Please allow me to introduce myself, my name is David Loh, and I am excited for having qualified to run for Ponce Inlet Town Council Seat 3.
For the past six years, I have been proudly raising my family in Ponce Inlet, a community that others only dream about! We thoroughly enjoy the peace and tranquility that our charming seaside town, fishing village and lighthouse community has to offer.
After speaking with many residents who have expressed their concerns, it is time to redirect our town government from negativity and discontent to a town that strives for conflict resolution and solutions.
We need a proactive and stronger Town Council.
I know you want to elect good leaders, those who will work with all members of the council and staff to find solutions for issues we care about the most. (A council person is a representative of all the people, not a champion of a special interest group or a narrow perspective. It is the responsibility of the elected Town Council to select and monitor the effective management and leadership of the Town Manager.) An important lesson in leadership is taking ownership on your watch.
“Authority can be delegated, responsibility cannot.”
We also need to make a real effort to improve communication and engage and encourage participation allowing residents an equal opportunity to express themselves.
It was brought to my attention by residents that some issues that we should seek solutions for are:
· Service delivery improvements of the Town’s Fire Rescue and EMS. Here when we need them!
· Safe streets for pedestrians and recreation
· Inlet, River and Marina response capabilities for Police and Fire Rescue
· Canal dredging for healthy water environment, storm management and resilience from floods.
· Sensible control of development, to maintain our quality of life and through selective infrastructure improvements.
· Storm water management
· Inlet, River and Marina response capabilities for Police and Fire Rescue
· Controlling overcrowded beaches creating bottleneck traffic which impacts our residential neighborhoods.
· Maintaining town Ordinances regarding short term rentals with improved code compliance
· Automation of construction and permitting processes.
“How can I assist in the growth of our town”?
With an incredibly positive energy and a unique blend of public experience to add to our Town Council, I support:
· Encouraging town resident’s involvement through surveys
· Board Recommendations considered, not overlooked
· Live streaming meetings to continue and ADA compliant town meetings.
· Establishing a Citizen’s Charter Review
· Reaffirming town hierarchy
· Local small business growth
Our town has many important decisions to be made, your action at the polls is needed. I am asking for your support and endorsement, with a strong leadership team and an engaged public, we can move forward, working together to refine and agree upon mutual goals to better our community and our properties.
Please consider voting for David Loh, Town Council Seat#3 on August 17th, 2021.
PONCE INLET CANDIDATE QUESTIONNAIRE 2021
DAVID LOH – SEAT 3
1. What do you feel are the three most critical issues facing the town and why?
• Service delivery improvements of the Town’s first responders (Fire Rescue, Police and Public Works).
The town did not consider the negative impact the contract with Volusia County EMS would have on maintaining service delivery to our town. Additional staffing and training is needed.
Police recruiting new officers has been difficult more recently and new incentives need to be explored.
Public works, vehicle marking, OSHA training and equipment needs assessment should be evaluated to include management and employee recommendations.
- We are surrounded by ocean, river, and the inlet yet we have no presence on the water for law enforcement, fire and rescue marine operations. Our marinas have millions of dollars of value that we have no means to protect from fires at the marinas, restaurants, boat storage facilities or private docks with marine vessels.
- Disappearing Island at times is heavily occupied with boating activities and jet ski operators. Should there be a boating accident, our police and firefighter paramedics would be unprepared to provide fire rescue or law enforcement activities.
• Sensible control of riverfront development, to maintain our quality of life and through selective development and infrastructure improvements that are needed.
- Riverfront Development District to improve look of our current riverfront businesses along S. Peninsula and welcome new small business services at Harbor Village and S. Atlantic
• Establishing a Citizen’s Charter Review
- The town’s charter has not been amended since 2002. The Purpose as stated in Section 1.01 “We the people of Ponce Inlet ordained and established the charter.” The spirit of the charter is to engage the people to establish and review how the town functions. It does not say, we the people of the town council.” Council member term limits should be discussed.
2. When you hear something that concerns you in town, what steps would you take to see that this concern is resolved.?
Listen to the issues/situation, develop a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis, and evaluate how that impacts the town as a whole or what can be done to address the individuals concern. I would then discuss the issues/situation as an agenda item with the town council in a public meeting and together with the council and town administration work to find workable solutions. It is not always simple as we are often impacted by town and county ordinances or state statue or federal law which must be researched before finding solutions.
3. What are your views on the town’s Visioning Statement?
I am not sure the towns visioning statement established in 2002 has for the most part accomplished many of the recommendations. Small business services are basically non-existent except for a few that have been over regulated. Public services are inadequate due to staffing limitations and resources. Parks and cultural services however have seen growth and seem to have moved forward in the visionary plan.
4. How do you plan to involve residents in the decision-making process in our town?
Continue Zoom or interactive online streaming of meetings. Continue with surveys to solicit public input on important town issues. I plan to involve the residents by making myself available from 9-11 every Wednesday and setting appointments for those who would like to discuss town matters. For those who lack internet or computer services, I would like to see 2 computers available at town hall for the public’s use to respond to surveys regarding town business and agenda items coming before the town council. I fully support a town charter review board to update and make recommendations/amendments to the existing town charter.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page 1 – Town of Ponce Inlet, Citizens for Ponce Inlet (CFPI)
Page 2 – Candidates Forum, Ponce Inlet Election 2021
Page 3 – Meet the Candidates – Seat 1 (Mayor) – Tony Goudie
Page 4 – Meet the Candidates – Seat 1 (Mayor) – Lois Paritsky
Page 5 – Meet the Candidates – Seat 3 – Elizabeth Caswell
Page 6 – Meet the Candidates – Seat 3 – David Loh
Page 7 – Meet the Candidates – Seat 5 – Gary Smith
Page 8 – Garden Club of Ponce Inlet
Page 9 – Ponce Animal Welfare (PAW), Women’s Club
Page 10 – Ponce Inlet Lions Club
Page 11 – PICCI, PI Lighthouse Assoc., PI Veterans Memorial Assoc.
Page 12 – Marine Science Center
Page 13 – Ponce Church