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Gastonia's Accomplishments
In my four terms as your mayor we have seen:
- Rebuilt financial sustainability of city by building fund balance while reducing the tax rate and acquiring A-Bond rating
- Established residential development standards for quality future growth
- $20 million in public and private investment for the center city
- Engaged the grassroots community to develop a new Gastonia logo and new motto
- Created the Garland Municipal Business Center as a one-stop-shop business center by renovating the former courthouse
- New and beautified road corridors and connectors, including aesthetic improvements in the highway 321 corridor
- Approved a new neighborhood development for the Highland/Northgate Community and helped to bring a future health department expansion back to Highland
- Participation with Gaston and Cleveland Counties to develop a future economic development strategy and participation in the Gaston 2012 initiative
- City of Gastonia’s recognition by Charlotte Business Journal as one of the areas "Best Places to Work"
- The development of our first greenway with future plans to expand throughout the county
- Enhanced beautification and Tree City USA designation
- All-America City designation in 2000
- Established the Mayor’s Youth Council to encourage youth participation in local government and future planning
- Appointed a citizens committee to address storm water needs and priorities
- Developed a future plan for parks and recreation for the city
- Expanded and improved public safety through four new and relocated fire stations
- Announced over $100 million in new and expanding industry investment
- A greater dedication to our underdeveloped areas such as the north, west and downtown
- A new resurgence of City-wide City Pride
- Solid commitment and investment in downtown revitalization
- Enthusiastic recruitment of future industry to replace lost jobs and a stronger economy
- A reduction in crime and innovative ways of addressing chronic crime through reorganized community policing and gang awareness
- Reduction in homelessness through the efforts of the Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness
- Schiele Museum’s designation as an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institute
- New commercial and residential development in West Gastonia
- Increased incentives for development in north and west side areas of the city
- Increased regional respect and cooperation between mayors in Gaston County and throughout North Carolina through the founding of the NC Metropolitan Coalition
Mayor Jennie Shares Her
Issues and Positions
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Gastonia has built a strong infrastructure for industrial development to include abundant water supply, good roads, fire and police protection and easy access to three interstates. While we know economic development has been slow until now, it is crucial to our future to develop relationships with potential economic opportunities.
My personal commitment to the expansion of economic development:
- Continue to cooperate with the Gaston Chamber and Economic Development Commission to champion local causes in Washington, resulting in over $1.8 million funding in the for transportation and water-sewer extensions
- Participate as an active member of the Board of Directors and the Economic Development Division of the Gaston Chamber
- Commit to be personally involved in the nurture, recruitment and development of economic opportunities by continuing to lobby state and national legislators for roads, economic development, expanded water and sewer infrastructure and transportation funds, including the Garden Parkway
- Make personal contacts with potential investors and stand ready to assist companies locating in Gastonia bringing jobs and a stronger tax base
- Promote development to in-fill and reuse existing buildings which have existing infrastructure
- Impact Gastonia’s growth through proper land use planning to ensure greater mobility and livability
CENTER CITY REVITALIZATION
The commitment to rebuild the center city requires bold steps and the realization there are no “quick fixes”. City Council’s decision to acquire deteriorated properties for redevelopment shows unified commitment to re-invent our center city and promote private mixed-use development.
My commitment to center city revitalization:
- Continue to partner with county commissioners to encourage renovation of their downtown properties, to boost center city restoration
- Concentrate priorites in redeveloping the Loray Mill and surrounding community
- Continue to utilize the Garland Municipal Business Center in supporting entrepreneurial and small business downtown, promote the historic character of downtown and to enhance to capability of property owners to claim history tax credits in renovating their buildings
- Promote creative and ongoing revitalization through renewed emphasis on public/private partnerships
- Support further growth of downtown by continuing to serve on the board of Gastonia Downtown Development Corporation
- Recruit private enterprise utilizing historic tax credits, support of the municipal service district, and continued city financial support
- Celebrate successes shared by Downtown Development, The Gastonia Faith Network (made up of ten area churches). the City of Gastonia and Community Policing efforts which have seen downtown crime reduced significantly in the last three years!
- Celebrate and utilize our downtown’s designation through the National Historic Register, which will continue to provide opportunities for historic tax credits for owners and developers
CITY PRIDE
As Mayor of Gastonia, I have consistently worked to promote the great attributes of our city and empower our citizens to promote the good about Gastonia! Let’s keep telling the success stories to convince others how great Gastonia is! Becoming an All America City in the year 2000 was just the beginning.
My continued commitment to promoting City Pride:
- Promote Gastonia as the second largest city in the Charlotte region and the eleventh largest in the state
- Market and support our Schiele Museum is an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution
- Continue efforts to host region-wide events at Martha Rivers Park and other first-class city facilities
- Maintain strong participation in state, regional and national positions to represent Gastonia in the areas of transportation, environmental solutions, and economic development
- Expand our parks, greenways, sidewalks and bikeways to promote a “pedestrian friendly” community
- Continue to promote diversity in hiring, task force appointments, purchasing goods and community partnerships
- Promote our accessibility to the Charlotte airport, Crowder’s Mountain, parks and other attractions in the region as great assets
- Support and expand the Mayor’s Youth Council which encourages youth participation in local government and future planning
GASTONIA'S CUSTOMERS FIRST!
Citizens are Gastonia’s Number 1 customer! I continue to believe that citizen-friendly government is essential to a proud, progressive community.
As your mayor, I will continue my philosophy in Putting Citizens First:
- Keep my office hours each Tuesday and other times as necessary to encourage citizens to visit, knowing that I am available
- Strengthen the influence of the Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness, established in 2000, to address our community challenge, homelessness
- Build additional creative partnerships with our police department, to mentor and rehabilitate homeless and other potential criminal forces
- Serve Gastonia’s customers by being more business-friendly. Accommodate smoother process for issuing building permits, receive information on zoning and signage or establish a small business
- Initiated an ombudsman position to facilitate development initiatives in the city
REGIONAL COOPERATION
Cities cannot stand alone in such issues as transportation, air quality, economic development, transit, tourism and protection of local revenues. The role of mayor demands involvement on the regional level to work cooperatively and leverage broad-based support for addressing challenges.
I pledge to continue my participation in Regional Cooperation:
- Continue to represent Gastonia on the executive committee of the Metropolitan Coalition – an organization comprised of mayors from North Carolina’s largest cities
- Cooperate with other mayors statewide to build consensus and to have a significant voice in the state legislature
- Participate on the Regional Environmental Quality task force with representatives from the regions 16 counties to maintain Gastonia as a recognized and respected environmental pace setter in air and water quality issues
- Support cooperation county wide through the adoption of the UDO (Unified Development Ordinance)
WEST AND NORTH GASTONIA
I continue to support the empowerment of the Gastonia West Citizens who have worked together to prevent negative growth, improve low-achieving schools, protect their neighborhoods and support road improvements. It is citizen groups who make cities great, and can accomplish things government cannot.
Redevelopment of the Loray Mill and surrounding neighborhood is a key priority.
- My continued commitment to West Gastonia includes continuing to pursue expanded retail and restaurant development around the new Wal-Mart as well as additional economic development and new housing in West Gastonia
- We are in the midst of a Franklin Avenue corridor study which will set priorities on aesthetic improvements on the west side
- The Northgate (North 321) area has been sited as a new senior housing neighborhood and a new health center is slated for the future
- The 321 corridor improvements have enhanced pedestrian safety as well as improving our gateway
SAFE STREETS AND NEIGHBORHOODS
In the past two years, our police department has reorganized to provide more consistent service to our citizens through innovative techniques and a more one-on-one approach with neighborhoods, citizen groups and schools. Gastonians deserve a community where walking, bicycling and jogging are encouraged.
My commitment to safe streets and neighborhoods:
- Continue to support Community Policing program in at-risk areas as well as assist neighborhoods in over 60 Community Watch Organizations citywide
- Empower Gastonians in building community, through improved communication and awareness
- Support our nationally accredited Fire Department’s “first response” program providing citizens with the best emergency medical service in the county and touted as one of the top ten in the country
- Promote and support the Project Safe Neighborhoods program to enhance neighborhood safety and engagement of the grassroots community
BEAUTIFICATION
Everyone wants to live in a clean and beautiful city. My ongoing commitment to beautification and landscaping projects encourages continued partnerships for community enhancement.
I will continue to promote a beautiful Gastonia:
- Promote continued beautification as Tree City USA
- Continue development of beautification areas at city entrances to create “gateways” and an inviting welcome
- Extend our greenways city wide to eventually create a “green necklace” throughout our community
- Support and enhance community recycling opportunities
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Photos from top to bottom:
Mayor Jennie with the mayors of Kannapolis, Charlotte, Salisbury and Concord Gastonia All American City 2000 parade, meeting of the Metropolitan Coalition Executive Committee (mayors of Chapel Hill, Gastonia, Fayetteville, Salisbury, Greensboro, and the Executive Director), Jennie with the Mayor of Santiago de Surco, Peru, at their dedication of a park named after Gastonia, opening of the first Gastonia greenway at Lineberger Park, Mayor Jennie and Rep. Sue Myrick, Mayor Jennie at Ground Zero, New York, as a guest of Mayor Rudy Giuliani.
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