Kelly Russell Announces Candidacy for City of Frederick, MD Alderman

Kelly Russell

Since moving to Frederick 25 years ago, I have spent my career in public service. I had the privilege of serving 22 years with the Frederick Police Department. I am an appointed Coordinator for the Neighborhood Advisory Council, and serve on the City's Zoning Board of Appeals. I am at heart, and in vocation, a public servant. It is that mission, and a desire to help shape the future of Frederick, that has led me to run for Alderman.

Over the years our elected officials, city agencies, local businesses, concerned citizens, and many others have worked together to make Frederick a terrific place to live, work, and spend our leisure time. They understood the importance of bringing resources together to reach goals. This kind of collaboration is critical, and must be nurtured.

Our elected officials should be proactive supporters of "community government." What this means to me is that government works in partnership with residents, businesses, and other groups to identify, prioritize, and solve problems. This encourages more participation by citizens in shaping decisions that will affect them, enhancing our quality of life.

That philosophy requires that our elected officials be accessible and responsive. Any citizen who wants to contribute ideas to improve the quality of life in Frederick must be heard. Elected officials must take the time to listen to new ideas, research and learn new approaches, and implement "best practices" for our city.

I also believe that it is important for our elected officials to speak up when decisions are being made poorly or too hastily and without adequate information. I think it is critical to ask questions, and ensure that issues are weighed in the context of the common good. This is how I have conducted business during my career, and this is how I will do things if elected.

So, common sense for the common good is my not only my campaign slogan; it's my way of operating. Each decision made by the Aldermen affects our citizens, though some have more obvious impact than others. My pledge to you is that I will approach all issues with an open mind, with fairness, and with curiosity. I will work to build a collaborative environment in City Hall to deal effectively with concerns. I will actively seek input to get the most comprehensive view of issues. I will use common sense to make decisions. I encourage you to visit my website at votekellyrussell.com, and to reach out to me with your concerns. I look forward to serving Frederick into the future.

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Editor's Note - We have not endorsed any of the Democratic candidates in the City of Frederick election at this time. We will be learning the positions of the candidates as the campaign unfolds and will provide insight and commentary for our readers. We have offered all the Democratic candidates the opportunity to publish an announcement column from them on our website.

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