Ron's Commitment to You

A Commitment to Teamwork

The City Council must represent the entire community.  Council Members should bring different backgrounds and experience to the table, so that all issues are fully considered from all perspectives.  While this diversity is good, the Council must function as a team.  It should thoroughly debate all issues,  but, at the end of the day, the Council Members must support the collective decision.  During his years as a leader of school boards and other groups, Ron made sure all views were brought out and considered, and that the board attempted to reach the best decision on each issue.  Ron has his own opinions, but always supports and advocates the decision of the board.

A Commitment to Continuous Improvement

There is always room for improvement.  Ron has been a strong advocate for strategic planning and continuous improvement.  The Council needs to focus on the "whats," and make sure the professional staff has the knowledge and ability to handle the "hows."  We must continue to honestly review results,  align resources with our goals, and hold our managers responsible.  Click here for examples of how Ron used this model to help improve our schools.  Return to top 

A Commitment to Open and Honest Budgeting.

Ron also strongly supports transparent budgeting and better coordination between the City Council and the School Board.  Budgets should be based on the analysis of needs from the continuous improvement model.  Ron supports multi-year budget planning as a tool.  We need a dashboard so the Council and Citizens and businesses who pay the bills can easily discern how we are doing fiscally.    Return to top

A Commitment to Recognize and Reward Good Performance

Ron has worked to make school administration accountable for results.  When he was President of the Board, Frederick County became one of the first districts in the state (and the nation, for that matter), to make the Superintendent's pay depend on measurable results.  City government is no different- the Council must retain professional management, set goals, and reward good results.  Return to top    

A Commitment to Examine What Needs Fixing and Try New Solutions

In Maryland, Ron advocated reexamining the way schools do business in a number of support areas, such as custodial services, food service, and grounds maintenance.  The system worked with outside consultants who analyzed these services and recommended changes that resulted in  better services at a lower cost.  Return to top