Briefly outline your work history, education, and personal (family) information.

Grew up in Texas; B.S. in History/BYU; six children, ages 8-20; WH Planning Commission Secretary - 2002-present; PTA President/Youth soccer coach

What major factor has prompted you to seek the position of city councilperson?

I love Woodland Hills! After 20 years of raising children, I see how important it is for me to volunteer my time to causes for which I am strongly committed. Until now, much of that commitment has been to school activities, but my family and I decided that this would be a good time for me to get more involved in our city.

What particular strength, ability, or perspective do you bring to the council?

I have worked with many different Planning Commissioners, and five different chairmen, each of whom I have had good working relationships with. I've learned what a great resource our City has in its citizens; learned to see difficult City problems from many points of view; and have become committed to the principle of building consensus. I believe that decisions that bring people together are the usually the best decisions. I'm not afraid to speak my mind, but I don't mind it if someone doesn't agree with me. I am very willing to listen.

What do you consider to be the two most important responsibilities of a councilperson?

1) Good communication: It's easy to begin to think that everyone agrees with you. Having open and rigorous communication with a large voter base is essential to continued understanding. However, sometimes City problems are more complex than citizens understand. It's important to communicate with voters so that they understand why difficult decisions are made. I will always be approachable. 2) Being willing (and excited!) to learn as much as I can about challenges facing our City our options for good solutions. This includes finding experts who can help, listening to constituents who know more than I do, and working with other City Council members to find solutions that (most) everyone can be comfortable with.

What do you believe to be the two most challenging issues that will face the city during your four year tenure on the council?

Managing growth (or the lack thereof) and providing adequate services, including water and roads. These challenges have remained fairly constant over time, and I don't anticipate that this will change.

Are you satisfied with the manner in which the city budget is developed and administered? Yes___ No___. If no, how would you manage it?

The mayor is basically our CFO: he solicits budgets from city departments. The City Council has the duty to review the City budget, but the mayor has the ultimate responsibility. We have, however, had a Financial Committee made up of extremely able citizens that I do not believe have been fully utilized. I want to pursue a more active role for them in helping our City to find creative and workable ways to achieve our future goals.

Do you believe that city residents should be more involved in the decision making process? Yes___ No___ If yes, please indicate how you would achieve this.

I love the idea of citizen involvement, but I believe that the lack of large attendance at meetings is not necessarily a sign of apathy. It may demonstrate trust and satisfaction with City leaders. However, sometimes a lack of participation demonstrates a sense of disenfranchisement. This is why it is so important to be approachable and accessible. Our new City website is a good start. I'd love to add the ability to collect citizen input quickly through this venue. City meeting agendas should also include more useful information. Some of my Planning Commission agendas have been guilty of being too vague. This is a problem that I will resolve whether or not I am elected to the City Council. I also encourage and support holding two to four Town Hall-type meetings each year. Information gathered at these meetings would be invaluable. I like this idea of using e-mail communication. Both my e-mail address and phone number are readily accessible.

The city's water system seems to be a constant source of problems; how would you address this problem?

It's easy to be scared about our water system because it is so vital and we have to rely on the expertise of others since we can't see it with our own eyes. I believe that the reality lies somewhere between those who would have us believe that calamity is just over the horizon and those who think we have nothing to worry about. We can fix our water system. It may take longer than some citizens might want, and it may more money than some citizens might want, but we can find a solution that we can all live with. Our water system is old, and using it is like driving an old car: you keep it maintained as well as you can and improve whatever you can as soon as you can afford it. If you do a good maintenance job, then you may have an occasional break-down or crisis, but those are rare. We cannot afford a "new car" right now, so this would be my approach.

What percentage of the council meetings do you anticipate missing due to family, work, or other obligations? How do you envision this affecting your effectiveness as a councilperson?

My goal is to attend 90 percent of meetings. (I've been a 90-percenter at Planning Commission meetings.)