Ken Johnson address to Republican Town Committee

Ken Johnson
Address to the RTC
5/21/07
My name is Ken Johnson. I offer my candidacy for mayor and I seek your endorsement and your support.
Voter turnout for municipal elections in recent years has been abysmal. More residents are registered as Independent vs. Republican or Democrat. The number of eligible voters who aren’t registered at all is alarming. You and I see and hear rumbles of discontent all around us. Who’s to blame for this?
The citizens aren’t to blame. Could the politics of negativity be to blame? Is it the ‘same old’ noisy partisan politics that is keeping people away from the polls in droves? I believe that the citizens of Bristol are entitled to have a good reason to come to the polls. This campaign is about the disenfranchised voter. For too long the voice of the mainstream citizenry has been ignored in the administration of city affairs. There are caring people among us with good ideas who don’t speak up because they believe no one is listening. I want to reach out to these people. If my candidacy can serve as a catalyst to increase voter registration, to re-engage the citizenry in dialogue about our city, our educational system, our young people, our future, then I will rest peacefully at the end of the day.
My candidacy is about choice. I am offering you the opportunity to choose to replace acid tongues with open ears. I am offering you an opportunity to choose diversity of thought instead of single-mindedness. My campaign and my administration will not be about tearing down but about building up. Herein, though, lays the bad news about my candidacy…
If you are looking for me to pick a fight with Bill Stortz or the Democrats, you will be sorely disappointed. If negativity consumes you, you are not going to like what I have to say. If you seek a leader with anger in his eyes or a finger-pointer ready to assign blame, then I am not your man. God bless you, but be on your way. I am looking to surround myself with people of positive thought; people who believe we can do better than to accept mediocrity and the status-quo; people who understand that it is productive to consider a new idea and an alternative point of view. If you are one of these people then join my team. Roll up your sleeves and help with our campaign. Go out and tell your friends and neighbors to register to vote. Come run for Council with my team. I am excited that Ken Cockayne and Bob Merrick are likewise committed to these principles and have already joined the team and I fully support the candidacy of Mike Rimcoski.
Do you believe that it’s time for change? Do you believe it’s time for Bristol to seek a new brand of leadership? You decide. The cornerstones of my leadership philosophy are these:
Honesty- my parents taught my bother and sister and I one way to live; for better worse, what you see is what you get
Integrity- a handshake is a compact; I owe political favors to no woman and no man; I believe in the leader-as-servant model and that above all is the people
Diversity- diversity of thought and constructive debate leads to better decision making; divergence of opinion is a good thing and our strength is rooted in our diversity
Civility- we must restore civility to public discourse and to political debate; the tone and tenor of my team’s campaign will demonstrate the tone and tenor of the conduct of my administration
Before I close, I’d like to acknowledge the contributions Bill Stortz has made to our City. I want you all to understand very clearly that I consider Bill a friend. I have great respect for an individual who steps forward and offers his time and talent to the often thankless task of public service. Bill’s passion for his home town, dedication to community service and willingness to serve his City is beyond question. I do not know, Bill, if you intend to run again and that has not been a factor in my decision to run. It is my sincere hope, Bill, that you and I will find a way to work shoulder to shoulder for the best interest of Bristol.
I do not profess to possess any special gifts or powers that would entitle me to serve as your Mayor. Nor do I pretend to be smart enough to have all the answers. I do, however, believe that the answers lie in this room and in this City. My pledge to you is that I will reach out and open doors to those of you who have the will, the energy, and the determination to create positive change. I stand before you humble and grateful for the opportunity to serve. I am determined and proud to be a citizen of Bristol; I am ready to listen and energized to lead. Thank you for listening. My name is Ken Johnson. I offer my candidacy for mayor and I seek your endorsement and your support.