11/04/2023
Why Vote For Reidsville
City Council This Election
Reidsville needs a shot of hope. It needs new thinking and new heart for the city.
The city council operates in the old ways, good ole boy network, this is the way we've always done it, thinking. I'll take care of you and you take care of me.
Why is Reidsville Downtown mostly empty of great shops and restaurants?
One is the planning and zoning department. I've talked to many people that went to the city for permits for their dream business or shop and the permit office said, “we don't want that downtown.”
What right does the permit department have in denying someone a business, a livelihood, and on top of that costing the landlord a tenant?
In one instance the woman was told no and a few weeks later the same type business opened up but they were a friend of the permit department so that made it OK.
I know of contractors and builders that know the code that have gone downtown with code book in hand and still the city will not issue a permit even though it's a violating the law.
I've seen several people trying to build a business or remodel a shop downtown and just gave up because they were tired of dealing with the city.
How can this be? The reason is the City Council of Reidsville. The council has charge to oversee and take care of the needs of the people of Reidsville. But they are not doing their job.
They have to be voted out and new blood voted in.
You have city council members that own property that are called slum lords and officers have reported many calls to their property for drugs and violence but yet this council member gets a pass.
There are beautiful historic properties that the city council wants to tear down. Why? Because the former mayors friend wanted the property for their business expansion and most of the city council goes right along with it.
Far too many on the city council have never had to hold a real job. They've received all their livelihood for their whole career from the taxpayers of Reidsville.
They, unlike you and me, have never had to make a real world decision because the money they spend is not theirs, it's ours, and it's been misspent, misappropriated, and wasted for decades while the good people of Reidsville face a near dead downtown, higher crime rates, and a grim future with the current national issues looming.
As these issues hit Reidsville we will need good strong leadership in policing and leadership for the economy.
Why not put new blood into the city council. New hopes, new dreams, new possibilities for us as residents of what could be a great city.
Go to Eden, go to Madison, go to even the small town of Gibsonville and see the prospering downtown.
Why not Reidsville? A downtown is the heart of a city and if it's faltering then the whole city is sick.
Reidsville is sick.
Drive through downtown. Over half of the buildings are not used or not open.
But yet, if you are given a chance and if the city would get out of the way, people would open these building and businesses. They would prosper, downtown would prosper and you wouldn't have to drive to Eden, Danville, or Greensboro for a great meal or shopping.
How many dreams and hopes and how much possibility has the city lost and cost the good people of Reidsville so that those in power can stay in power.
I've heard outright lies from City Council members against anyone that opposes them or anyone that would run against them to change things.
That why I encourage you to vote for city council and vote for people from Reidsville.
T hat's why I'm supporting Willie Martin and Shannon Coates.
The current city officials don't want these men on the council. Why, because they are former law enforcment and they are wanting a change, not just a fresh coat of paint on old problems. A deep and long lasting change that the old guard of the city doesn't want. Why, because it will cost them money, power, position and it will expose their past deeds that they want to keep hidden.
Support Shannon Coates and Willie Martin.
They will stop wasteful spending.
They will encourage jobs here so people won't have to drive to Greenboro or Danville for work for a descent wage.
They will get and keep the crime rate down by proper and effective policing. They both have decades of experience in law enforcement with honorable service.
They will build a better downtown Reidsville.
They are both business owners.
Both are life long residents of Reidsville
Both have a vision for Reidsville and will see it through.
They both honor and respect property rights and respect the owners right to control their property.
Don't let the old guard hold and control the future of Reidsville.
Shannon Coates and Willie Martin,
Let's support them by voting November 7th.