istrict 5 county candidate says he's no clone
By KEN BRYAN
St. Augustine
Publication Date: 06/15/08
With the 2008 County Commission races heating up for the Aug. 26 Primary, I have had an opportunity to speak with hundreds of people. What seems to be a regular topic of discussion around the water fountain is the similarity between me, Ken Bryan, and Ben Rich, District 3 Commissioner who is up for re-election. Some say we are "clones" or we are in lock-step agreement on everything. There is an element of truth that certainly characterizes us as being similar.
Rich and I have a very high regard for honesty, integrity and loyalty. With 70- plus years of combined experience as public servants, we are both highly qualified to serve this county. We know who the boss is and we both recognize and respect the people of St. Johns County as "our boss."
Many of you have contributed your hard-earned dollars to our campaigns and we are deeply grateful. We will continue to work hard to make use of those contributions as responsibly as possible. Being fiscally responsible is a similarity both Ben and I share and will continue to honor when it involves your tax dollars. We will not be wasteful.
These are difficult times which will require complex decision-making to effectively address the policies, procedures, and processes of the safety, health, welfare, and quality of life issues our county is facing. A county commission seat is not a position for on-the-job training, nor is it an internship for the inexperienced. It is definitely not a job for one's own selfish political or financial gains. Each county commission seat is about working for the people and making decisions on behalf of the people of this county.
At 18, I started my career as a public servant and developed my character into an independent senior manager, making decisions based on honesty and integrity until my retirement at 55.
I will continue to think independently while making decisions with the same level of honesty, integrity, and experience I have used throughout my successful government career. The manner in which I will conduct business as your county commissioner will be independent and solely based on my own decisions; I will not be influenced by others.
Other recent comments were that with the election of Bryan, Rich and the present board members, the "commission deck will be stacked." Prior to the last election in 2006, the commission was already stacked -- just not in favor of the people of this county. That commission represented special interest groups and profiteers who did whatever was necessary to run our county into an infrastructure sinkhole for the benefit of stockholders and their own selfish, personal gain.
I urge everyone to take a look at the campaign contributions of previous and current County Commissioners from 2000 to 2004. This should give you a clear indication of how the commission deck has been stacked. You can find all this information on the Supervisor of Elections Web site at www.sjcvotes.us.
With the neighborhood bill of rights, a charter government, a professional county administrator, and qualified commissioners who represent a county government for the people and by the people can only mean one thing -- that the residents of St. Johns County will have a "stacked deck" in their favor.
In closing, Ben Rich and I are similar in some ways -- but, we are independent thinkers, independent managers, and will work independently with honesty, integrity, and loyalty. We will apply our own proven experience to the highest level of honor -- serving the citizens of this county.
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Ken Bryan is a candidate for County Commissioner, District 5. He is a retired senior staff director with 36 years of federal government service with the Departments of Justice, Navy and The White House. He also serves on many community boards.
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