I am deeply disappointed in a statement by Mayoral Candidate Mike Henry in the Feb. 16 Daily Egyptian. In a profile, Henry made wild and reckless allegations, unsupported by any facts, concerning my actions toward city staff. Henry alleged that “she [Adams] has criticized all of City Hall. … She has called our routine staff incompetent and not worth the money we pay them” He went on to charge that because staff “don’t like her” [Adams] can’t have “anybody’s ear to talk about suggestions or new initiatives.”

I have never said the words he quotes, nor do they reflect my views of our “routine staff,” who I find to be friendly, helpful, and responsive to our residents. I challenge Mr. Henry to show where these alleged remarks were made.

Our city’s executive staff are professionals, employed by the city manager to carry out the policies established by this and prior city councils. I have worked very hard over 4 years to maintain this professional relationship, as a review of my blogs and my comments in council will make clear.

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Carbondale faces many challenges and opportunities. The voters need to learn how we plan to face these challenges and seize the opportunities.

I have a strong record of accomplishment that belies Henry’s charge that I “can’t walk into City Hall and have anybody’s ear to talk about suggestions or new initiatives.”  Mayor Monty expressed his confidence in me by appointing me Mayor Pro Tem to act as Mayor in his absence, and we have worked well together on several important issues.

Here are a few of the most visible and important initiatives I have shepherded through:

I am working closely with the mayor and city staff to develop a wireless downtown network, proposed by the Downtown Advisory Committee. That group is moving forward to incorporate our growing gigabit capable fiber optic network in city planning processes. 

I successfully advocated for the replacement of a bridge at the bottom of Eason Drive, used by many residents in that neighborhood to walk to Schnucks and other services. 

Both the previous police chief and the current acting chief strongly supported my “Safe Cities” initiatives which should help reduce crime in Carbondale. The extended stay hotel legislation which I initiated is on the next Planning Commission agenda. It is a first step in adopting Safe Cities codes.

I promoted a top-to-bottom management review to make sure that the city administration is as efficient and effective as possible; at the last council meeting the mayor and council instructed the city manager to include such a review in the FY 2016 budget.

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I have advocated in council and in my blog for greater city transparency and communication with the public. Development Services has been responsive to this call, instituting an email list that regularly alerts the public to upcoming zoning and code issues and initiatives.

These are only some of the most visible initiatives I have accomplished during my tenure as a member of City Council. I have worked with the mayor, fellow council members, and city staff to address numerous other less visible items that provide greater information to Council and the public and that move important legislation and planning processes forward. 

As I said in a Facebook post earlier today, “This campaign is about letting the voters know our vision for the future of Carbondale and our qualifications for moving Carbondale toward that future. Whoever wins, our government must serve ALL the people of this wonderful city—we ALL must win, though only one candidate can win.” 

Personal attacks, smears, and innuendo should be the last thing either myself or the other candidate resorts to. It demeans our political process and diverts the voters from learning how we intend to lead Carbondale.