Opening Statement at OM Candidates Forum

Good evening. My name is Ian Kennedy and I am running to serve as the Oakland Mills representative to the Columbia Council. These are exciting times for our village and our city, and I am seeking the opportunity to work with you in addressing the important issues we face.
To be sure, excitement about our future must be tempered by an understanding of the challenges that lie ahead, including revitalization of our village center, maintenance of our community amenities, open space and high quality of life, and effective leadership at the Columbia Association, among others.

But the challenges before us are not insurmountable – especially in a community as strong as ours, where residents consistently demonstrate their exceptional energy, talents, ingenuity and devotion. Indeed, these attributes and the level of involvement I have seen in Oakland Mills are what initially inspired me to run for Columbia Council.

In order to accomplish our goals, however, we must be able to create partnerships, to build consensus among stakeholders, and to tell the story of our community to a broader audience. While resourceful residents can accomplish much of this on their own, success ultimately requires leaders who share these goals and who are committed, above all else, to seeing them realized.

I promise that if elected I will work to meet the needs of Oakland Mills. As an active member of the community, I have a proven track record of getting things done. For instance, I founded Save Merriweather and prevented one of our community’s landmarks from being demolished. I have chaired the Columbia Association’s Environmental Matters Subcommittee for the last three years, implementing programs to increase environmental awareness among residents and creating a partnership between CA and the master gardeners to remove invasive species from our open space. My environmental work extended to the county level recently, when county executive Ken Ulman appointed me to his commission on the Environment and Sustainability.

And, in order to pay the mortgage, I work for Enterprise Community Partners, a non-profit organization founded by Jim and Patty Rouse to help revitalize communities around the country. Enterprise has also been a key partner in the Oakland Mills revitalization effort.

I am confident that my knowledge, experience and dedication will allow me to perform well as a member of the Columbia Council and I am asking tonight for your vote.