Three candidates are vying to be the Peoria City Council’s third district representative: Beth Akeson, Kelley C. McGownd-Mammen, and Timothy D. Riggenbach. There is a primary on Tuesday, February 24, to narrow the choices down to two. The Journal Star Editorial Board is correct in their endorsement of Akeson and Riggenbach for the primary.
I’m going to go a step further, though, and give you my endorsement for the general election, which will be April 7. I’m endorsing Beth Akeson for the Peoria City Council’s third district seat being vacated by Bob Manning.
Motivational speaker Joel Barker once said, “Vision without action is a dream. Action without vision is simply passing the time. Action with vision is making a positive difference.” This is what sets Beth Akeson apart from the other candidates: She has that rare combination of action with vision. And she will make a positive difference for the citizens of Peoria, especially in the third district.
Vision
First, Beth has a specific vision for the future of Peoria. It’s a vision that’s shared by many because it was shaped from lots of public input. The Heart of Peoria Plan was formed through a public process that included hundreds of participants: residents, business owners, city staff, and other stakeholders. Unfortunately, many candidates and even council members have not read the Heart of Peoria Plan or taken the time to really understand the vision that Peoria’s residents have developed. The result has been a lot of action without vision.
Beth Akeson has gone beyond simply reading the Heart of Peoria Plan. She has done extensive study on urban design. An understanding of how cities work gives her a strong foundation from which to make decisions. It allows her to see how the little decisions made today will impact the future of the city. It allows her to see through expensive, ineffective “magic-bullet” theories for city revitalization and focus on long-term, time-tested methods of urban planning that will lead to real revitalization.
An important part of Beth’s vision is the principle of inclusion and consensus-building. The reason why the Heart of Peoria Plan has wide support is because of the process that was used to develop it. It was an inclusive process. All the stakeholders had a seat at the table from the beginning. Every participant’s concerns were heard and taken into consideration. The final plan was worked out through consensus-building among these stakeholders.
Beth’s vision for representing the third district is the same. She believes in giving residents a seat at the table early in the decision-making process so their concerns can be heard and have an impact on the final outcome. Most projects in the city are presented for public input too late in the process to make any difference at all (for example, the recent downtown hotel project). Beth would work to change this culture of exclusion to a culture of inclusion.
Action
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about Beth from working with her on the Heart of Peoria Commission, it’s that she works hard. She took her appointment seriously and did a tremendous amount of research on the issues that came before the commission. She made phone calls, visited sites, sought out expert advice, talked to people who lived in affected areas, and more importantly, listened. Beth is a good listener; she seeks first to understand, then to be understood. I can tell you that I’ve personally witnessed this time and again — with city staff, business owners, residents, and other commissioners (including myself). She will bring this same level of commitment to her role as a city council member.
The Chairman of the Heart of Peoria Commission, the late Bill Washkuhn, recognized Beth’s hard work on behalf of the commission. He encouraged Beth to take her efforts to the next level. In an e-mail he wrote just this past December, he said, “Beth, continue to direct your energies toward the betterment of Peoria. Run for City Council.”
I lived in the third district for eleven years, from 1994 to 2005. It’s a diverse district with very diverse needs. I sincerely believe that Beth Akeson is the candidate that will make the biggest positive difference for her district and the city at large. I hope you’ll vote for her.
There’s a surprise.
I just can not agree with you on this one. Go Riggenbach!! Its my opinion and I’m sticking to it.
Seriously C.J….did this even have to be posted?
That’s like me endorsing free beer.
Serenity, Go Riggenbach are you kidding me? Mr. Riggenbach graced our neighborhood association meeting in the East Bluff area at the begining of the month. And thought that it would be ok to refer to us as and I quote” you people ” Not a really good thing to say when alot of people in my area were big supporters of Bob Manning and Bob did not treat people in his area as if they were beneath him. We already have a pretty good idea that Mr. Riggenbach will. Mr. Riggenbach was also for the landfill expansion, the 1/4 % county tax and is one of the bankers pushing for the downtown museum that most peorians don’t even want. So you want Mr. Riggenbach participating at city council? Well I don’t and I have no intention of voting for him either in the primary or on April 4th.
Don’t you just love the Family photos that politicos use to “TUG at our heart strings” ?
Having nothing to do with being a politicion does it?
Where did YOU move to to escape this district ? I’ll take chance and say NORTH!
I’ll stick with RIGGINBACH!!!!!!!!!!!!
Emtronics/Mazr: You’re right that my endorsement of Beth is no surprise, especially since I endorsed her for school board a couple of years ago. But I thought my readers might want to know why I support her. Communication is a good thing! 🙂
Popijw — I loved living in the third district. But we were living in a two-bedroom house. When we had our third child, we went looking for a bigger home, and we found one we loved in the Uplands (which is in the second district) — another older neighborhood that’s actually further south than our third district neighborhood. So it wasn’t a matter of “escape” for us, nor did we flee north. But where I live is really immaterial. The question is who is the better candidate for third district. I say it’s Beth.
I will throw my support her way too… wish I could vote for her here in the 2nd Dist. Can we clone her to run against Van Auken?
I don’t live in her district, but for the good of the city, I hope she gets that spot on the council.
Frankly, I will won’t vote for anyone who is a member of the Country Club of Peoria again. These people have too much time on their hands and their “vision” has gotten us the cash drain at the Riverplex and the other white elephant O’brien Field.
Generalize much?
Lanny,
I agree we do not need any more single focused projects that do not deliver significant value or benefit to Peoria citizens; however, please do not lump me in with “people with too much time on their hands.” I am dedicated to the “vision” as described in the Heart of Peoria Plan and I also agree “magic bullet” projects do not work.
I grew up just outside of Detroit- and believe me I am well aware of politicians who promise the moon and then fall far short. Please give me a call 696-7530/682-6447. Our campaign headquarters is located at the corner of Richwoods and Prospect- south of War Memorial and north of Glen Oak Park.
Please come in and meet me- you will find I am not your typical politician.
Reading the 3rd district candidates responses to the hotel and museum issues, I support Beth Acheson based on her answers showing positive concerns for the city residents.
I am not against either the museum or the hotel. These projects just need their own legs.
E.G., by “legs” do you mean private financing?
c.j.: NICE CALL-HOPE YOU WILL LOOK AT THE ISSUES AND CANDIDATES AGAIN AND CLOSER; WE HAD TWO “MY WAY OR THE HIGHWAY”FEMALE COUNCIL/PERSONS VOTED OUT OF OFFICE FOUR YEARS AGO RESOUNDEDLY AND WE DON’T NEED ANOTHER. BETH CAN DO GOOD WORK WHERE SHE IS!
Wacko —
1. What does being female have to do with anything?
2. What makes you think Beth is “my way or the highway”?
3. Using all caps is considered poor “netiquette.”
Sorry. Nothing wrong with being a female.