Name: Harvey WheelerAge: 51How long living in Sebastian: 5 yearsPlace of Birth: Albany, N.Y.Occupation: Environmental ConsultantMarital/Family Status: Married, 5 children, 4 grandchildren
Please list Civic and Volunteer Leadership Experience including title & position and Organization including dates and locations.
Vice Chair, Sebastian Natural Resource Board 2007/2008, Albany County Conservation Alliance for 14 years, liaison to two Albany County Legislators.
What issues motivated you to run for this office and what do you hope to accomplish during your term?
I feel it is my civic duty to serve my community in the most effective position possible.
What do you believe needs to be done to improve the city’s redevelopment and waterfront areas? What are the priorities?
First off, to retreat from the in-place process regarding the working waterfront can be as damaging as moving forward at this time, with that said, my intentions is to promote a more economically sustainable business plan for the long term and minimize the looming negative tax impacts on the fine citizens of Sebastian.
What do you think is the role of the City Council in sparking economic development? What does economic development mean to you?
Support my Sebastian Works 2011 Plan, we need to stop waiting for Washington to fix our economic woos and start in our own community. I support ‘reasonable concessions’ to invite new business into our community as well as fostering existing business.
The redevelopment area dominates discussion at the city government level. What other areas of the city need attention and what would you do to address them?
Subsidizing mandated programs through grant funding, the current local Government Matrix has been way too lackadaisical, sloth like, and seemingly in denial and/or un-aware of funding for mandated programs. Our current leadership is either weak, unaware or both. I intend on holding Sebastian’s City Manager accountable for the deficiencies that currently plague and hinder the efficient positive movement of our Local Government.