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Thanks to everyone who got out and voted, passed out flyers, stuck signs in the ground and spread the word. Even though I did not win the election, I am floored by the number of votes cast. I am so humbled and overwhelmed… all I can say is thank you for your support and for believing in me and the other challengers. For those of you who are feeling defeated over this, don’t be. You CAN still make a difference in shaping local government. Please pray for those who won the election that they will be good leaders and listen to their constituents and help to change Denton for the better. Also please pray for the police that they get their long deserved raise and back pay. We have one of the best police departments in the country, and I am not exaggerating. Police officers from as far away as Russia and Kenya travel to Denton to be trained by the Denton PD. Our officers should be the highest paid in the region, not the lowest - which is the current status. Please let your council members know how you feel about the issues facing you, your neighborhood and Denton as a whole.

I was very disturbed to read in today’s paper that there are plans to raze many buildings along Fry Street and Hickory. The shops and restaurants along this corridor represent a 40+ year history in many cases and help to give Denton its unique flavor. I know from previous experience that concerned citizens CAN halt undesired development in a particular area. New buildings mean high rent, which means our small local businesses cannot survive and the new high-dollar stores that replace them will pass the cost along to the consumers that patronize them.

I know that when Chilton Hall was renovated, they kept the original facade and superstructure and updated the interior, plumbing and electrical as needed. This was far more financially sound than razing the building and starting over. Small businesses are the backbone of this country and I for one do not want to see Denton looking like every other SimCity town popping up like mushrooms throught Texas and the nation.

Those who own the property certainly have a right to sell it and develop it, but it must be tempered with wisdom and a true concern for keeping the local flavor of Denton without making it cost prohibitive for these historic businesses to stay in business. The way you can protect this area is by getting involved as the development process ensues, and don’t give up. Attending P&Z meetings is crucial, as is meeting with developers when they have their open meetings. It must be a cooperative endeavor, as a strictly adversarial approach will only stonewall any attempts at a compromise that will appease the property owners and the area’s surrounding neighbors and those who love and patronize these historic spots.

No one person can get this accomplished. It requires consistent, focused and friendly citizen involvement.

I have gotten wind of a few rumors circulating and let me put an end to them right now. The rumors are that John Paul Eddy, Justin Bell and I are being “bought” by outside interests. Our financial reports are available at City Hall - they are public records. Please look at EVERY CANDIDATE’s financial records and see who is getting donations from Dallas developers. It is not me. It is not Dr. Eddy and it is not Justin Bell. And despite another rumor, we are not out to hurt the libraries or parks. These rumors are pure unadulterated hooey.

Most of us have heard the familiar phrase, “Danger! Danger, Will Robinson!” from Lost in Space’s Robbie the Robot… well, the danger may not be aliens, but it is an invasion. An invasion of privacy, coming to a city near you - Denton! The culprit? The International Property Maintenance Code (IPMC). What is it? We’re familiar with international standards in everyday life without realizing it. A common example is film - if we buy 400 ISO/ASA film by Kodak, Ilford or Fuji, all three brands are going to have the same sensitivity to light because they follow international standards. International standards are great when we’re talking about measurement… but what about the privacy you expect in your own home? Everywhere we go today, cameras are watching us… whether it is satellites in the heavens or security cameras at the gas station or at Wal-Mart. We grow dull to these invasions of privacy after a while, slowly giving away our rights one by one until we don’t even remember we had any right in the first place. One place that is the last bastion of freedom from prying eyes is the sanctity of our home.

Our City Council is doing their best to adopt this code right under your nose. They have denied it at the public forums, but the proof is in writing in public documents you can obtain online or from the City Manager’s Office. They are claiming that the only folks who really want this to go away are the “riff raff” (a phrase uttered by a candidate for election at the recent Robson Ranch forum) who own rental properties in Denton. Many residents believe that adoption of this code is their salvation from irresponsible property owners that do not maintain their property. What many folks fail to realize is that the adoption of the IPMC code affects ALL residents, not just ’slum lords’ and allows code enforcement to ENTER YOUR HOME to inspect it at “reasonable times” and refusal to allow such an inspection is cause for your property to be condemned and/or for you to go to jail. This is America, folks! If we do not stand up and stop these kinds of shenanigans, we are not going to recognize this country in a few years.

Our City Council Members have also stated at the recent forum that many cities have adopted this code without incedent. That should provide very little comfort to those who read the IPMC and for those who see the trends across the nation of City Councils using terms such as “substandard housing” to take away private property while skirting Constitutional protections from such acts. We’re not talking about crack houses with broken windows and collapsed roofs… we’re talking about historic homes that may only have one toilet - a well kept, soundly built structure, but deemed ’sub-standard’ by the muckety mucks who would rather bulldoze your home to make way for palatial estates and/or large commercial ventures.

The City has its own set of property codes that are sufficient to protect us from slum lords and irresponsible property owners, we simply need to enforce the ordinances we already have instead of looking at an international body or international ‘code.’ Our city is in red ink. This IPMC provides for more code enforcement officers we cannot afford to hire. It allows them to inspect your garbage disposal and make you replace it if it isn’t working properly. Why is this any of their business? The President of the United States has been quoted several times promoting home ownership. Who will want to own a home and have the associated expenses when your privacy is rendered meaningless? You’d have more privacy in a motel than in your own home. To quote Justin Bell, the IPMC “should not be allowed to see the light of day” in Denton.

The code uses entirely subjective means to judge substandard conditions, which means it can be and WILL BE abused by those who covet your property and have more power than you do. If you give up your freedoms, you cannot easily take them back. We had to take our freedom back from the British using muskets. Good luck doing that today. The only way to protect your rights is to vote and ring the phones off the wall at City Hall. These people represent you and they’re trying to get this thing pushed through without your say so.