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BARROW NEWS-JOURNAL
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2023
Auburn City Council
Jeremiah Outwater
Jeremiah Outwater
1. What qualifies you to
serve on the city council/
mayor in Auburn?
Auburn deserves leadership
that will work for its citizens.
I’m honored to present my
candidacy for Auburn City
Council with strong ties to our
community and a love for the
city. This is my adopted home.
I followed a girl home from
college and never left, and
I want to see Auburn thrive
while preserving all of its
charm and histoiy.
Professionally, I manage a
division of a family-owned
sign company. I am used to
multitasking, dealing with
multiple projects from small
to large, and meeting tight
deadlines. I am also familiar
with the inner workings of city
governments through permit
requests, reviewing site plans,
and public documents writing.
My sign division was recently
the Barrow Chamber of Com
merce’s Business of the Week
and I take on projects all over
Barrow, surrounding counties,
and sometimes out of state.
Safety and well-being of
our residents remain para
mount. My active involve
ment in the Auburn Citizen’s
Police Academy and dedicat
ed board membership in the
Auburn Police Foundation
have equipped me with unique
insights to champion our city’s
security and progress.
I’m also a fervent advocate
for education and literacy.
My unwavering support for
institutions like Friends of
the Library and Barrow Lit
eracy Partnership signifies
my conviction that education
is the bedrock for community
growth. Looking forward to
participating in the Partners in
Education with Auburn Ele
mentary School in the coming
years. Investment in education
is a future investment in our
economy.
As I plan to expand my
family in Auburn and reflect
on my years of heartfelt com
munity service, my dedication
to our city is deeply person
al. I envision an Auburn that
remembers our past while
boldly forging into the future.
I seek your vote to collabora
tive ly write Auburn’s next ex
citing chapter.
2. How do you plan to
maintain ethical conduct
and accountability in your
role as a city council mem
ber?
Openness to Auburn: Clear
communication is essential.
The city meetings are open
channels for residents and
will ensure eveiyone stays
informed about the council’s
actions and decisions. I plan to
work towards multiple meth
ods of getting information out,
like a digital newsletter.
Ongoing Education: Stay
ing updated is key. I’ll engage
in regular governance and
ethics training, ensuring I’m
aligned with the highest stan
dards of public service.
Collaborative Deci
sion-making: Serving on the
council means being a part
of a collective voice. I pledge
to work together with fel
low members, city staff, and
most crucially, our residents,
maintaining an environment
of mutual respect and shared
purpose.
Avoiding Conflicts: Trans
parency demands declaring
potential conflicts of interest.
If situations arise where bias
could be perceived, I will
openly disclose and step back.
Seeking Feedback: Estab
lishing review mechanisms for
council decisions ensures we
remain responsive and aligned
with Auburn’s best interests.
My dedication to Auburn
means acting with integrity,
ensuring eveiy decision re
flects our community’s values
and aspirations. I will adhere
to our constitution (or the
charter) and make sure that
our city’s governing docu
ments guide my actions.
3. What strategies do you
propose to promote econom
ic growth and job creation in
our city?
Downtown Renewal: As
our downtown overlay shifts
and expands, inviting top-ti
er restaurants, cafes, and
drive-thru coffee spots will
enhance local jobs and pro
vide amenities for our citizens.
Local Empowerment: Our
“Buy Local, Hire Local” vi
sion bolsters Auburn’s busi
nesses, promising increased
employment avenues.
Whistle Stop Shops Expan
sion: These business incuba
tors, are set for growth in our
emerging downtown, promise
innovation and job prospects.
Efficient Permitting:
Streamlined business process
es will make Auburn an attrac
tive entrepreneurial locale.
Tourism Enhancements:
Auburn’s traditions, from our
signature July 4th fireworks
to Food Truck Fridays, are
tourism magnets. Enhancing
marketing processes for these
events reinforces our economy
and community ties.
Financial Advocacy: Giv
en Auburn’s demographic
(avg. age 37; median income
$62,000), there’s a push to
recruit tailored financial plan
ning services for families, en
terprises, and individuals.
Infrastructure Support: With
the upcoming inauguration of
Auburn’s own drinking water
treatment plant, we’re well-
equipped to attract diverse
businesses requiring robust
infrastructure support.
4. Are there specific areas
of the budget where you be
lieve resources should be in
creased or decreased?
Our current budget reflects
hard work by a tremendous
team of people. Auburn has
talented department heads and
a top-notch city administrator
who works hard to make sure
we limit unnecessary spend
ing and maximize eveiy pen
ny while continuing to offer
excellent service and work
toward a strong future. As the
city continues to grow, it will
be imperative to seek addi
tional funding to keep the bur
den off citizens.
We can increase the budget
by:
Outside Funding: Tap
ping into external sources
like TSPLOST strengthens
our budget. A “YES” vote
on November 7th means not
only direct funds but also the
potential to attract additional
resources.
TSPLOST for Infrastruc
ture: Approval will direct sig
nificant investments to roads,
safety, and citywide connec
tivity.
Revitalizing Downtown:
With new businesses bringing
in revenue, our visioning and
planning for multi-use side
walks in the downtown district
is within reach.
Grant-seeking: There are
several grant programs at the
state and federal level that
we can pursue for specif
ic projects, from improving
our parks to supporting small
businesses.
5. If your goal is to lower
property taxes in the city,
how would you go about it?
To keep property taxes from
rising, a city has to have a
balance of residential homes
and commercial/businesses to
bring in revenue. If we allow
too much residential and avoid
bringing in businesses, it will
inevitably lead to a rise in the
millage rate. My goal is to
strategically seek businesses
to come in that will bring vis
itors from outside the city and
provide value to our citizens
while balancing our tax index.
As individuals, our citizens
can:
• Appealing Property Val
uations: If you believe your
property’s assessed value isn’t
accurate, consider:
• Online Appeal: Through the
Barrow County Qpublic site.
• Mail Appeal: Use the stan
dard appeal form or write a
letter.Send to: 30 N. Broad
Sheet, Winder, GA 30680.
Josh Rowan
Josh Rowan
1. What qualifies you to
serve on the city council/
mayor in Auburn?
The Auburn City Charter
minimum requirements state
that I have to be a registered
voter and live within the city
for at least a year. I have sat
isfied both of these require
ments. Beyond the minimum,
I am a husband, father, teach
er, coach, entrepreneur, and a
good neighbor. I have lived
in Auburn over 16 years, my
family and I loved, lived in
and served this city.
2. How do you plan to
maintain ethical conduct
and accountability in your
role as a city council mem
ber?
I will lead with transparen
cy. The people of Auburn will
keep me accountable because
I will make myself highly ac
cessible to the citizens of this
city. I would support moving
all city council meeting later
in the evening to make them
more accessible to the public
as well as live streaming all
council meetings. The citizens
will know my intentions, my
vote and my follow through.
I will be highly visual to the
public with Facebook live up
dates and a recaps.
Secondly, I will work with
the council to pass a two-term
limit law for the City Coun
cil and Mayor. If this takes a
change in our City Charter
or a city wide popular vote, I
would still support this.
Lastly, I have near zero con
flicts of interest with regards
to city matters. I do not own or
operate a business that could
directly or indirectly bene
fit from city contracts (such
as a construction etc.), nor
do I have family members or
close friends that sit on vari
ous boards, committees, or
appointed positions. I am truly
here to serve my city and its
residents.
3. What strategies do you
propose to promote econom
ic growth and job creation in
our city?
When I speak to voters,
what I hear over and over
again is some version of “I
came to Auburn because of the
peace and quiet. It was quaint,
small and not veiy busy”.
Never has a resident told me
that they came to Auburn be
cause their job was in the city.
We know that economic prog
ress will happen but we have
to maintain the what has made
Auburn special. With that be
ing said, a priority of mine will
be to attract responsible small
businesses to fill our current
vacant building spaces in and
around the city. We don’t need
large scale warehouses or
distribution centers like what
other council candidates have
voted yes for. Peachtree Pack
aging is a great example of
what our residents don’t want.
Two other areas that that
bring economic growth that
are not often talked about is
investing in our city part sys
tem and expanding our broad
band services in our city. A
robust city park system will
bring more commerce into
our city during off peak traf
fic hours for our local stores.
With regards to broadband,
the Georgia Department of
Community Affairs does con
sider Auburn as “served” with
broadband due to near 100%
of our city receiving the mini
mum speeds required. Howev
er, we know from experience
that this is simply not enough
for streaming, proper ecom-
merce, educational needs etc.
Ideally, we want fiber avail
able at all residences however
as a city we can expand our
public wifi from our library
and possibly new city hall.
4. Are there specific areas
of the budget where you be
lieve resources should be in
creased or decreased?
#1 - Invest in a full audit of
our city code and ordinances
to ensure they match the val
ues and way-of-life of our res
idents. Work with our police
chief to invest in continuing
education of our current code
enforcement officer or re
placement.
#2 - We need to become wa
ter independent of the Barrow
County Water System which
means finally having our own
Auburn City Water System.
#3 - Work with our mayor
to quickly finish our down
town development project in a
fiscally responsible way.
#4 - Invest and expand in
our city park system to make
it more useful and enjoyable
for public use.
#5 - We need to address the
three P’s of our road system.
Potholes, Patchwork and Pe-
terbilts. We have to smooth
our roads with long term fixes
and we need to find a solution
to the number of construction
vehicles and heavy machinery
that are carving up our roads.
5. If your goal is to lower
property taxes in the city,
how would you go about it?
Eveiy resident has come to
expect some of the basic func
tions of the city. We may all
differ on exactly how much
but our citizens know that
some level of funding by them
is necessaiy for the govern
ment to run and operate ef
fectively. I don’t like paying
taxes just as badly as the next
person. As a council member
I will never forget this. I will
look to lower the burden we
place on the citizens and vote
accordingly as such.
Leandro Silva
1. What qualifies you to
serve on the city council/may
or in Auburn?
Aside from meeting the re
quirements set out in Section
2.11 of our city’s charter, I
am qualified to serve on the
City Council because I have
the time, ability, and desire to
LISTEN to the citizens of Au
burn as well as the city’s staff
to make infonned decisions on
items that will bring a better fu
ture for our city.
2. How do you plan to
maintain ethical conduct and
accountability in your role as
a city council member?
I am running for a city
council seat only to serve the
community that will help me
raise my family, and not for
any personal gain. If elected, I
will work on improving com
munication, accessibility, and
transparency between the city’s
government and its citizens,
and through these actions, I will
be accountable to the citizens I
serve. I believe positions such
as a city council seat should not
be made into a career. If elect
ed, I will work to improve the
community to the best of my
abilities for one 4-year tenn
and then step aside for another
capable citizen of this great city
to continue implementing the
city’s vision and plan.
3. What strategies do you
propose to promote econom
ic growth and job creation in
our city?
I think the city’s comprehen
sive plan lias done a great job
of setting a vision for the city.
If implemented correctly, coun
cil members would work with
the DDA to promote our city
and network to bring in some
much-desired restaurant-style
businesses to the downtown
area. By leveraging the great
weekly and yearly events the
city hosts, as well as an ac
tive downtown, with multiple
eating options, Auburn can
become not only a destination
city for great events, but also
a place where people from the
surrounding areas can get away
on a regular day and enjoy
the small-town lifestyle. Ad
ditionally, I would personally
become familiar with all the
vacant business spaces in our
city and network with business
es that would be a match for the
city and the available spaces.
4. Are there specific areas
of the budget where you be
lieve resources should be in
creased or decreased?
I wish I had the opportunity
to meet with all the department
heads before answering this
question, but since I have only
spoken to some I will simply
answer based on my experience
Leandro Silva
as a citizen of Auburn. I believe
resources should be increased
for the PW department to work
on some of the roads that are
maintained by the city. As a
father of young kids, I would
also like to see budget increases
for the Parks and Leisure de
partment and the library to im
prove family-friendly spaces.
Since the city is experiencing
so much growth, I do not think
it is likely that departments will
need less money as we grow,
therefore, a strong focus needs
to be placed on increasing the
revenue and diversifying the
tax base.
5. If your goal is to lower
property taxes in the city,
how would you go about it?
The first tiling I would work
on is providing information to
make sure the citizens of Au
burn understand how property
taxes are detennined; if any
exemptions can be applied; as
well as provide information on
how an assessment can be chal
lenged. Additionally, the city
will work toward more diver
sified revenue streams where
the money coming from sales
taxes, business licenses, and
projects that will make the city
self-sufficient will cover some
of the needs of the city, allow
ing us to lower the dependence
on property taxes. If elected, I
would work to bring businesses
into the available spaces in the
city and work with city staff
to make infonned voting deci
sions on projects, such as the
water reservoir, that will give
the city more control over the
resources and services it needs.
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