It has been a privilege to serve the Carmel community for the past six years, and today, I am pleased to announce my candidacy for mayor this November.

During my time on the council, we have navigated through three distinct periods: the honeymoon phase of a new administration, the unprecedented challenges of the pandemic, and nearly three years of recovery. We are now in a phase of rebuilding, using our accumulated budget surpluses from previous conservative budgets to address long-deferred maintenance.

Despite our progress, I believe we can, and must, do more. We should redouble our efforts to make our community a better place to live and work. This involves not only continuing our work on the police station project but also considering how we live and work here, and then taking concrete steps to improve our lives.

We must revitalize our efforts to update the design documents that protect the character of our residential and commercial areas and encourage the newfound momentum in the urban forest master plan project. Additionally, we must remain vigilant in protecting our village and beach from the effects of climate change and sea level rise.

Finally, I believe we should take meaningful actions: collaborating with other communities on the peninsula to solve common challenges, participating in projects that support those less fortunate, and celebrating the fact that we live in a place that tops many vacation lists.

All these initiatives will be supported by a government that upholds transparency and fiscal responsibility while seeking new ways to engage with residents, workers, and businesses.

To achieve these ambitious goals, Carmel needs a leader who can find that ideal balance between action and dialogue. Excessive conversation leads to stalled projects and endless discussions, while too much action can cause conflicts and insufficient public involvement. I believe I am that leader who can find the best middle ground. I invite you to join me in this endeavor so that together, we can continue this vital work. I would be honored to have your support in November.

With much thanks,

Jeff