Announcement for Ward 6 Alderman Springfield
To the citizens of Ward 6 Springfield. I, Henry Clay Sneed, age 54 and 50 year resident 106 Kinneys Road, General Contractor and co- developer of the very nice Evans Estates Subdivision on Juanita Drive and Silvia Court, Owner of Springfield Alarm and Safe, Springfield Taxi, Gallatin Carpet Cleaning, and soon to open on Kinneys Road and 5th Ave., Springfield Steam Clean Carpet. Former owner of S&S Port-A-Potty, former 20 plus year employee of Electrolux, and current employee of CSX Railroad as a conductor and RCO locomotive operator, vice chairman and financial treasurer of the local railroad union, local chapter treasurer of the Sons Of The American Revolution via being a direct descendant/ GGGGgrandson of two Continental Army Soldiers buried near historic Wynnewood Estate in Trousdale County, and having served in the U. S, Navy, announce my campaign for re-election to the Ward 6 with boundaries sometimes described as the areas of most of the Springfield Historic district to the North, Main Street and Memorial Blvd to the East, Central Ave/14th Ave to the South, then New Chapel Road/ Lawrence Lane/ Kinneys Road(s) and back to the Middle School on the West.
All the reasons for running for re-election cannot be placed in a 1000 word announcement. It would take an inordinate amount of text to give the clarity after 20 years on the job to understand just why the citizens need, I repeat, NEED to re-elect someone who has proven time and time again that they read the agendas before the meetings. Then, understand the agenda item being asked by city employees and staff to consider with the history of years having lived in the community and governed in public office multiple terms. I literally have to fight a verbal argument to instill some semblance of common sense into many debates at City Hall meetings with the elected officials and the bureaucrats who seem Hell bent on wasting tax dollars, representing the “click and special interest”.
The average citizen would never know of the too many to mention issues unless you were actually in this circle. You would certainly never know the majority of this from reading a newspaper. Social Media starts outs on a topic but quickly descends into something unrecognizable. I have had to bring forth lawsuits and threaten to sue to obtain the financial records in order to receive public and available records. And, when issues are found, even felony theft of property, giving away city property, declaring equipment surplus to dispose then discover its being repaired prior to selling, sale of real estate then see 10s of thousands of dollars of repairs in multiple purchase orders to evade being over $10,000 and not come before the board for a vote. Make contractors who fail to apply due diligence pay for their $600,000 mistakes through a claim on their insurance. Not the Taxpayers. It has happened. Collusion in back room deals, giving away utilities/ find out about it/ bring to attention of board members then, chastised for seeking the records that first discovered it. I have no support from my colleagues after the departure of Dr. Cherry, then the departure of Bruce Head to do a damn thing about it. It is unbelievable to read this in a campaign announcement I know. But, this city has gone too long without enough independent voices completely devoid of influence and can speak truth . The City truly cannot afford to eject and vote out an alderman who has the record, the tenacity, the concern, and ethics to have an Equal Opportunity Offender policy when that policy is needed.
It is equally important to vote out those who do nothing but show up and collect, starting this December, a $600 stipend each month for the Alderman (Which was just increased via a motion by Alderman Harris from $600 to $1200 for the Mayor and $350 to $600 for Aldermen after 18 months in his position. I was the only one to vote against it. Too much for 1 hours-one night a month. But it easily passed.) You don’t remember hearing about that in the media, do you?
But the issues that need to be addressed are always many. Government is inherently wasteful. A vote for anyone running in Springfield Ward 6 other than Henry Clay Sneed would be to encourage more feckless action of the bureaucrats and elected officials, weaken resolve of the ethical, and laugh at the few who give a damn. The last thing the city needs is add to the collection of individual silent leaders who are employed or associated with a business or group that keeps them from being an independent vote scared of the backlash or to use the position as a resume building stepping stone.
I’m Henry Clay Sneed. I want your support. I need your vote. I don’t need you to just think about it. Vote early. Vote absentee, or on November 3. ..just vote…for Sneed