Friends of JM Snell for City Council

My name is J. M. Snell and I am a candidate for City Council.  My wife Lori and I have lived in Harrisonburg for 16 years with our 3 children.  Our youngest, Andrew was born at RMH and all three have attended Harrisonburg city schools. My older children work in Harrisonburg and are continuing their education at their own pace.     We love Harrisonburg.    We have all made real commitments to Harrisonburg through non-profit organizations and believe we are making a difference.

            I joined the US Navy after high school and spent 9 years learning and working. My specialty required advanced training in nuclear power and before starting my own business I worked in nuclear facilities all over America doing radiation safety work. Currently I work in a family owned business called Valley Renovators. I belong to our local home builders association and serve as president until December this year.

             I am running for City Council because I care.  I have no specific agenda other than a belief that all elected officials have an obligation to make responsible decisions representing all citizens. I have been a Planning Commissioner of the city of Harrisonburg for over 5 years. In those years I have learned a lot about planning and how zoning can be used to cause a desired outcome.  I have also learned that I am not always right andI must listen with an open mind. 

            My involvement with Harrisonburg Soccer Association, now called Shenandoah Valley United, Boy Scouts of America, Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve, Shenandoah Valley Builders Association and my nine years in the US Navy have taught me many valuable lessons.  Some of these lessons are about leadership, some are responsibility, and all are about working together to accomplish goals.

            In my spare time I work on administering the Recreation league side of SVU as its director. Our program provides opportunities for over 600 children. I also have been a long time volunteer and supporter for First Tee which teaches a lot more than golf. Currently I am on the building committee so the children will have a comfortable place to continue their program when foul weather is here. I have also done most all of the district level jobs for BSA because I believe the more opportunities we create for children the better off our community will be. I volunteer for these programs because I believe the community should support our children, not the government.

            I believe I have the experience to make a good councilperson, but mostly I will make a good councilperson because I care and I don’t have an agenda. Council’s have a host of issues to deal with using logical judgment. Their decisions should be for the good of the community. They should be very deliberate and not coerced by special interest groups.

            I will briefly summarize my position on the key issues facing our city.  I welcome the opportunity to discuss any or all issues in greater detail if you would like to host a neighborhood meeting or just get together for a cup of coffee. 

1)                  Find ways to revitalize depressed neighborhoods to restore stability and safety in those neighborhoods.

2)                  Work diligently to solve our growing traffic concerns by promoting alternative transportation, reducing volume on overloaded corridors, better sequencing of signals, and encouraging live-work-play neighborhoods.

3)                  I will continue to support our Harrisonburg Downtown Revitalization Program in their efforts to bring vitality back to downtown Harrisonburg.

4)                  Support the elected school board representatives and city school staff to ensure all our children have the best learning opportunities.

5)                  Pursue economic development programs to ensure job opportunities for our children. Particularly focusing on high tech industry which has less impact on our infrastructure and generally have higher wage scales.

6)                  Make sure our Public safety servants like Police and Fire & Rescue have the tools and manpower they need to protect our city.

7)                  Trim Government spending to minimize taxes.  We need the private sector to solve some of our growth issues and certainly not create problems as we continue to grow

      If my ideas are similar to yours then I am your candidate and I need your help to get elected.  I promise to run a thrifty and responsible campaign.

      First I need your vote and some of your time to tell a neighbor or friend about me. Next I need your time and effort with numerous activities to get my campaign some exposure.  I have lots of friends but there are roughly 20,000 people in Harrisonburg that should vote.  Lastly, I need a small contribution of money.  My campaign will need signs, radio time and print to get the word out.

      I have set a campaign contribution limit of $100 per registered voter.  I have done this for two reasons. First I feel too much money is being spent on campaigns.  Candidates should be elected on merits and ideas, not constant media bombardment.  Secondly I don’t want anyone to think I can be persuaded by money.  I am a candidate because I care.

      Thank you for taking the time to read my thoughts, and don’t forget to vote.  Voting is a responsibility, not a privilege to be taken lightly. Keep in mind that I will be available to listen carefully to my constituents and contacting me will be easy.

                                                                                          Sincerely,

                                                                                          J. M. Snell II