THANK-YOU!!! WE DID IT!!!!!!

I want to thank all those who voted in the First Ward this election. For or against, you made your voice heard and I am humbled to be elected as the next First Ward Alderman. I look forward to working for the betterment of the First Ward and with my fellow councilmen, to make Davenport as great as it should be. This will be my last post as I am going to move to a new Blog site devoted to the First Ward issues and news. I thank all of those that have supported and helped me throughout this campaign and I look forward to the future.
Thanks
Nathan Brown

VOTE FOR NATE BROWN

Let’s get to work. Just like any Midwesterner faced with adversity, I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and get the job done.

Strong neighborhoods make for a strong city. As Alderman, I will work to create more neighborhood groups, bringing people together to improve their area. People should be able to talk more about their specific areas. I feel neighborhood groups encourage this.

Make memories in Davenport. As a husband and father, I want our children to grow up in a city that they are safe in, that they can be proud of, and want to stay when they get older. If elected, I will encourage more family friendly events and activities so people can go make memories in Davenport.

Fiscally Responsible. As a neighbor to many retired residents that are on fixed incomes, I hear and understand their concerns about having to pay too much in taxes and fees. If elected, I will be fiscally responsible and make sure your hard earned money is not being spent frivolously.

A new perspective. When my wife and I moved here, we chose to live in the First Ward because we fell in love with our neighborhood, the community, and the city. It is a great place to live and we are proud to call it home. As Alderman, I want to help make the First Ward even better.

Energetic. At our family reunions, the younger ones have started to take over the duties with guidance from the older members. As Alderman, I will carry the same principles in energetically tackling problems, but also seeking out the guidance and wisdom of the residents of the First Ward.

Accessible. As Alderman, my main duty is to be accessible to the residents of the First Ward. If elected, I will not just wait for your phone calls, but reach out to the various neighborhoods to encourage open communication and feedback. I feel a good Alderman should also be a good neighbor.

Change. Just because it has always been that way, doesn’t mean it can’t be changed for the better. If elected I will bring a fresh new perspective to the city council. This is our city, why not dare to try and make it the best it has ever been.

Professional. As Alderman, I am a representative of not just the First Ward, but also of Davenport. I will take that responsibility and behave with the utmost professionalism. In working as a team with the other council members, we will be able to accomplish a lot. “Playing well with others” has never been a problem for me.

Fundraiser

FUNDRAISER

for

NATHAN BROWN
FIRST WARD ALDERMAN CANDIDATE

Tuesday October 23rd, 2007
5:30 pm – 8:00 pm

located at

Gunchie’s
2905 Telegraph Road
Davenport, IA


Tacos and refreshments provided


Donations accepted, but not required

THANK-YOU!!!!!!!

The votes are in, and there is still a long road to travel… First of all, I want to say thank-you to all of you that came out and voted in the primary. Second, I want to thank all of you that have supported me so far in my campaign. We ran a strong, positive campaign, and I believe people noticed. I have learned a lot so far and I know that I have a lot more to learn, but I am excited for the opportunity. The most common thing that I have heard throughout the past couple of months is that people are looking for a fresh, new change. If elected, I plan on bringing that new perspective to city council. I am looking forward to the next couple of weeks to be able to meet those of you whom I did not get a chance to before, and to talk with those I have already met again. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me. Thank-you again.

What will I bring to the table?

The nominations papers are in and there are six people running for the First Ward Alderman Seat. What do I bring to the table that sets me apart from the rest of the pack? Here is why I would like your vote:

Motivated: My two main reasons for running are my children and my neighbors. With my children being younger, I am not looking at affecting the next two to five years; I am looking at the next 18 years. I want Davenport to be a city that my kids are proud to say they live in and want to stay in when they grow older. My neighbors are mainly retirees, on fixed incomes, and have lived on the west end for decades. The way I see it, if I can keep both of these groups in my mind when making decisions, I believe I will be doing okay.

Energetic and open minded: I was raised to respect everyone’s opinion even though they might not be the same as mine. Every resident has the same stake and different ideas in making the First Ward a great community. I also know that I do not know everything and encouraging communication promotes more ideas being generated and increases the likelihood that the best idea will be brought up. I also don’t have any axes to grind and just want to get down to business.

Accessible: If elected, I will ensure that there are regular ward meetings. I also will encourage the creation of more neighborhood groups. By having more neighborhood groups, there becomes a greater opportunity for neighbors to talk more specifically about their area one a more personal basis.

Fiscally responsible: I understand that the main role of city government is to provide basic services and protection. I believe that most people do not mind paying for such things, provided it is not spent frivolously. As an elected official, I will make sure that we are not just throwing money at problems, and we get the most for the money we do spend.

My wife and I enjoy raising our children in Davenport and I look forward to the opportunity to represent the First Ward. With your vote, we can make this an even better city.

Family Ties

All through my campaign and before, my wife Mary and I have discussed the demands being an Alderman will place on our family. Without her support, I would not be running. My family is the biggest reason why I am running. I want my children to grow up in a safe city that they can be proud of and want to stay. As Alderman, I want to promote events that are family friendly. Events like the summer concerts at the band shelter on Sunday nights, or the movies that were shown at Vander Veer Park, are great opportunities for families to get out and enjoy Davenport. The young, single adult may feel that this is not their scene at that point in their life, but the city does well to cater to their needs in other ways. What these events do provide though, is the knowledge that when they do go to settle down, Davenport will be a great place to raise their families. I believe we have three main categories of citizens, families, the older crowd, and young adults. All of them have a basic need for safety and basic amenities. Identifying their recreational needs though is where a city begins to shine. As Alderman, I will work to promote and get people involved in coming up with events that satisfy the recreational needs of these groups. Getting people to stay in Davenport to have fun is a win for everyone. I love to see my kids laugh and play. If elected, my decisions and goals will be to provide as many opportunities as possible for families to enjoy the city they live in.

What concerns you?

The other day I was knocking on doors and came across a gentleman that was wondering what I thought the issues were for the First Ward. From the conversations that I have had, and my own personal feelings, I talked about issues of crime, fees and taxes, frivolous spending, communication, increasing neighborhood group involvement, and other topics. I then realized those were not his main concerns and I asked what his main issue was. Ever since then, I have been thinking, as an elected official I would only be as good as the communication channels with the residents of the First Ward. This is why I want to start more neighborhood groups. Each of their meetings become mini-ward meetings, and create an issue and information tree that funnel things down. Unfortunately, these groups don’t exist yet. I would like to know what your issues are though. So feel free to discuss what your most important issues are. Now, the only request I do have though, is to not just complain, anyone can do that. If you have a problem, offer a solution.

Why me?

Why am I running?

I have been talking to various people in the First Ward for several months now about my candidacy for Alderman. The one question I get asked the most is, “Why would you want to do that?”
I am running for many reasons, but the main reasons are:
1) I am concerned and frustrated about the direction the leadership of the First Ward and the city is taking.
2) Davenport should be a place where our kids can grow up, be proud to say they are from Davenport, and want to stay to raise their kids, and as Alderman I can help make the necessary changes.
3) The First Ward is filled with down-to-earth people who work hard for their money. Having had to sometimes work two jobs and long hours, I know what it feels like, and nobody deserves to have to worry about their tax dollars being spent frivolously.
4) With all the great things in the First Ward, we should be focusing on the positive publicity instead of being distracted by the negative.
5) The First Ward deserves an Alderman that accessible, open-minded, and responsive to their needs and concerns.

Why should I be Alderman?

As Alderman, I will be fiscally and ethically responsible when it comes to making policy decisions. A fresh, new look will be brought to city Government. With no axes to grind, or hidden agendas, my influences in decision making will be the First Ward, my family, my Midwestern upbringing, and good moral values. By being accessible, open-minded, and responsive, the residents of the First Ward will be encouraged to provide feedback and have open communication in addressing concerns and suggestions. My positive focus and attitude in representing the First Ward will support, encourage, and provide the necessary tools to the various neighborhoods in the First Ward to improve their areas. One goal in achieving this is to help start up more neighborhood groups and working closely with the various community organizations to fix problems without resorting to just throwing money at it and calling it a solution. My belief is that being an Alderman is not just representing the First Ward; it is empowering the residents to make it a better place.
As an inside salesman, I have learned that what can go wrong, will. The experience that I enjoy is to look beyond the rose colored picture that is typically painted during presentations and ask questions of potential hiccups that, in the long run, will save money for having been confronted early. I was raised with the belief of being responsible and accountable for your actions. I am not afraid to admit when I am wrong or if I don’t know about something. I am determined enough though to go out and learn about it so that I can come back and talk intelligently about it the next time. My family and I are proud to live in the First Ward, and I feel its residents deserve better representation. With your support and votes, I know I can provide it.

Coming together after the storm

Thursday June 7Th the First Ward got hit pretty hard by the storm that blew through the Quad Cities. I personally lost three trees in my yard and didn’t get power back until Saturday morning. Thankfully, I have not heard of any major injuries in the area. Although some houses were damaged, that is all fixable. One thing I did keep hearing though was that people had met more of their neighbors in the past couple of days than they had in years. Unfortunately that has become all too common lately. I admit that I am just as much at fault as anyone, but we need to change. The little things like saying hello and waving as we pass by are very easy to not do, but they are important enough that we must not forget to do them. As Alderman, I will encourage and promote more community efforts. I want to create more neighborhood associations and more opportunities for the people of the First Ward to voice their concerns, frustrations, and also provide positive feedback. By being accessible, responsive, open-minded, by holding regular and consistent ward meetings, and working closely with the various community groups, I plan on keeping my finger on the pulse of the First Ward. This way, when I make a decision on the City Council, it truly has the entire First Ward in mind.

Community outreach at its best.

First of all I want to thank the Garden Addition neighborhood association for organizing the neighborhood cleanup last weekend. My family and I enjoyed being out there in the beautiful weather and helping make the area look a little better. I can’t think of a better way of getting to know the area and people than going to events like this. Personally I feel that an Alderman should strive to “help in the trenches” as much as possible. Yes representing the ward in council meetings is essential, but support and encouragement that is given to the community through active participation is where an elected official can shine. The Garden Addition has done a great job in tackling issues in their neighborhood, and it shows. One of the best ways they are confronting the issues of their neighborhood is through good communication. Through their monthly meetings, the various events that are held in the neighborhood, or just knowing who to contact with feedback, it gets people talking about what needs to be done to improve the area. As Alderman, I would like to see more neighborhood groups like the Garden Addition develop so people have more of an opportunity to discuss their issues than just a monthly ward meeting.
Second, I want to also thank those of you that came out to my press conference to announce my candidacy that was held last month at Van Buren Park. One thing that I stressed was my desire to work for and with the First Ward. I don’t have any axes to grind with the city and no hidden agendas. I just want to make the First Ward and Davenport the best it could be. After the press conference, there was a meeting that ACORN held at the park also that was focusing on how to clean up Van Buren Park. Members of the police and the parks department were there talking with the group about what could be done to take back the park. The thing I think is a step in the right direction with both the ACORN event and the Garden Addition is that they realize that confronting crime and delinquency is not just more police presence. A community working together will be able generate more awareness, ideas, and personal responsibility. Together with your support, we can make it a better place to live.

Finally, The Garden Growers are looking for homes on the west end of Davenport that have extraordinary front yards to be used in their annual home garden tour. If you would like to suggest a home, please feel free to contact myself and I can pass along the information.

Thanks
Nathan

In response to some questions and comments

Blight – As with any place that people live and work there needs to be a little “spring cleaning” from time to time. I feel that it has been awhile since this has been done in the First Ward. The Garden Addition is a great example of a community taking charge of their little slice of heaven and fixing things. Through their initiative, they have gotten streetlights put up, have reduced crime in their area, are creating a green spaces by Roosevelt community center, and are tackling many other issues. As an elected representative, I feel it is my duty to work with the various communities in order to improve their neighborhoods by creating forums for discussion if needed through ward regular ward meetings, and attending the ones that are held in order to find out where the city can help. Just tossing money at a problem doesn’t always solve it. I am prepared to help out where ever I am needed.

NEO – I know there are people that are upset about the handling of the disbanding of the NEO. I do not know the whole story, so I can’t say one way or the other. I did attend several of the meetings that the Fire Department held in order to come up with a new way of handling inspections. I think they are trying their hardest to come up with a good way to reward good landlords and to be able deal quicker with those that try to abuse the system. I know that there is going to be a learning curve, but it is good to see that they involved the people that are most directly affected in developing this new system and handling the cards that they had been dealt.

QCRPA – I don’t know about this one at this point. Please feel free to contact me and we can discuss. You can e-mail me at nmbrown1@earthlink.net or nathanb@steelwarehouse.net

Thank-you for your comments,
Nathan

Welcome!

Welcome!

As a candidate for First Ward Alderman, I have started this blog in order to inform the First Ward residents of who I am and what is going on in the First Ward. Originally from South Bend, Indiana, my wife Mary and I chose to move to the West Side because we fell in love with our house and the surrounding neighborhood. We are proud to raise our family on the west side of Davenport and I want make sure that our children can be just as proud to live here when they get older. I am running because I am concerned and frustrated with the direction the leadership of the First Ward and the City is taking and I feel I can make a difference.

As Alderman, I will focus on being:
Fiscally responsible – The residents of the First Ward work hard enough and don’t need their hard earned money going towards frivolous things. Having had to work two jobs in the past, I want to know that my tax dollars are going towards making this a better place. As First Ward Alderman, I will strive to keep the city’s purse strings tight and if monies are spent, they are spent on the things that have an overall goal that is meaningful and beneficial to Davenport.
Ethically responsible – I understand that public officials are human, but being in the public eye requires a person to be both morally and ethically responsible. Having been raised in Midwest, I believe in working hard and being accountable for your actions. If I am wrong, I am not afraid to admit it. As Alderman, I will be an example of pride in my community and city. Davenport is a great place to live and instead of complaining about the negatives, I want to focus on the positives.
Open and Accessible – The only way to know the feelings of the First Ward is to ask and hold open forums. Everyone’s input is appreciated and welcomed. I am smart enough to know that I do not know it all. I have my own ideas, but if they are not what the First Ward wants, then as a representative, I should be willing to forego my own desires for the good of the community. Getting feedback from the community is what an effective representative of the First Ward should strive for. This is also why I am starting this blog. If you have any suggestions or comments about the First Ward, or want to post announcements about events, please feel free to do so.
Responsive – Nothing is more frustrating and disappointing than contributing an idea, comment, or concern, and it not getting any attention. Realistically, I know that I can not make everyone happy all of the time, but I will take your comments and concerns and will address them in order to come up with best solution and keep in touch with you to let you know that it is being worked on.
I look forward to meeting all of you in the First Ward and again, any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me.
Thanks,
Nate Brown

"The first requisite of a good citizen in this republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his weight." - Theodore Roosevelt