Norcross 2020 - "Thoughtful Progress Together"

Champions, Teamwork and Big City Crime

www.Norcross2020.com

Vote for Keith Shewbert
Norcross City Council
Runoff – December 5th, 2006
“Thoughtful Progress Together”

v Smart Spending
v Secure Neighborhoods
v Community Involvement




Champions, Teamwork and Big City Crime

Congratulation to the Norcross Blue Devils on their Region 7-AAAAA Championship. I am sure if you asked Coach Maloof he would tell you that success in football is built on teamwork. As in football our local government must work as a team to deliver services and build the community we envision. From my upbringing as an Air Force brat, to my work in restaurant and global IT management I have learned the necessity of teamwork. Strong opinions and creative ideas are valuable in the search for solutions, but good team players don’t let their egos get attached to their ideas. They look for opportunities to support their colleagues. No single person has all the answers. Once a course of action is decided team players give it their all. Let’s all try to work more collaboratively in the future to improve Norcross.

Big City Crime

Many people are concerned following a series of articles in the AJC about crime in the Southwest Gwinnett area. As Norcross’s representative on the Gwinnett Village CID board I have been involved for the last year in a search for solutions to our security challenges. The CID commissioned the study by Crimefighters, LLC. Chief Stidd, several local leaders and I were interviewed for the study. The results do show high crime in the Village area; however, unreported by the AJC was the tremendous difference in crime levels between unincorporated and city areas. Whereas the murder rate in the unincorporated area in 2005 was up 160% there were zero murders in the city limits. The bottom line is that we live in a safe city surrounded by a challenging environment. We need to thank our police department for the tremendous job they are doing to keep crime out of our city. My opponent feels that the police department needs to be micro managed by the council; picking and choosing what they feel are effective police programs. I believe we should leave these decisions to the Chief and his staff. If the Chief feels that SWAT training and other programs build capability, moral, and help him retain qualified Officers then I support him.

I have asked Richard Sawyer of Crimefighters to pull together the data comparing the city crime rate to the unincorporated Village crime rate. When I get these stats I will pass them on.

I would like to propose a program to help more of our police and firefighters find homes in the city limits. The Hometown COPS program would be a private initiative that looks to connect officers with residential opportunities. If you are a realtor, real estate investor, or mortgage specialist who would like to help, please contact me.

Run, Run, Run-off

Thanks to the Norcross residents who came out to vote Tuesday. Your record turnout shows that the community is engaged and that its voice will be heard. I hope to talk to as many of you as possible over the next three weeks. Let me know your opinions and thoughts. So circle Dec, 5th on your calendar and come out for the run-off.


Please feel free to contact me by email at keithshewbert@gmail.com or by phone at (678) 429-6039.


Regards,

Keith Shewbert

posted by Norcross2020 @ 12:01 AM