Letter to the Editor: I Offer Strong, Positive, Experienced Leadership for Centralia

Posted

Hello everyone. I am Max Vogt, mayor of Centralia, and I am running for reelection to the Centralia City Council, Position No. 3. This election this year for our city council is especially important. I know this because there is no substitute for experience when being asked to govern a city.

I have served on our council for over six years. I have not missed a single council meeting or a workshop in all of that time. I served as mayor pro tem for almost four years and now serve as your mayor.

In my service so far, I have been exposed to about as many problems and issues a city can face in six years. I have helped enact a full comprehensive plan reevaluation for our city, which included shoreline management, environmental issues, all zoning planning and a vision for Centralia’s future.

I have served through at least four successful city audits by the state, six budget completions and two five-year strategic plans, where we prioritize the most important issues the city will face in the next five years. I have attended many executive sessions, which are essential, important meetings. They deal with labor negotiations and contracts, real estate transactions, (my expertise) as well as possible litigation the city might encounter. These meetings can go late into the night and require dutiful and diligent attention.

My focus on council for the next four years is to continue to have fiscally conservative and responsible budget management, to support a fully funded police department dedicated to serving all citizens equally and to support strong economic development and family wage jobs for our city. I support good schools, safe and clean streets and parks and aggressive road improvement.

I am excited that our city is doing a complete, professional housing assessment that will give us a data-based look at all of our housing needs. This will include no income, low income, middle and upper-income housing. This will provide an inventory of single-family homes, apartments, condos, townhomes and multifamily units. This is needed to address our homeless population as well as our future infrastructure planning.



Finally, I want citizens to know that the next four years in Centralia are going to be about robust growth. This will require good planning and infrastructure development. This growth will benefit all of our businesses and contribute to a new and healthier local economy. I want to be there to help lead our city through these times. I have owned a business in Centralia since 1996 which continues to provide 18 local jobs. Through my life long experience in real estate, I want to help Centralia grow successfully, thoughtfully and beneficially to all citizens. Will you help me?

Susan Luond, our former Mayor of Centralia has said, “Max Vogt is the voice of reason on city council.” I appreciate her support of my work and my vision and I ask for your support too.

 

Max Vogt

Centralia

Editor’s Note: Political candidates are allowed to write one letter to the editor per election cycle.