Timm ran for the office of Mayor of the City of Hendersonville, NC in 2009, after seeing the huge indiscretions in leadership and observing a community that was visually and financially fractured.  There continues a sense that "Old Guard" leadership charged with maintaining retro-regressive policies simply have too much power and property to allow for invention or alternatives.  This outdated mindset has stolen opportunities chested for younger up and coming generations and an invited citizenry - all of whom feature the greatness of America's diversity, economics, ethnicity, and geography.  It hampers Hendersonville's ability to create a more complete and fair example of rural small town America living for the landscape of our state and country that can be still grounded in history and practice.  By dissolving these unfair, biased, and forged protocols with those more aligned to modern Americana and objectivity, Timm feels Hendersonville might become be a model city in the Blue Ridge Mountains that manages its obligatory loyalty to property owners, inheritors, and stake holders, while providing opportunities and incentives to cultivate manufacturing, respect a more diverse and creative economy, and build businesses for skilled workers.  Below are highlights of Timm's Platform (in brief).

“2009 Common Sense Platform For The Office Of Mayor”

Leadership:

  •  Diversity.  I’ll work to represent the demography of Hendersonville by encouraging youth and minority participation - an aspect greatly underrepresented, through targeted events, the Arts, better use of technologies, and active, regular, community conversation.  This is the only way to hedge the chasm of disparity, ease issues between lawmakers and those that implement law, explain actions by leadership to community members, and meet the needs of property owners, active business members, and those who need ongoing social services, support, and programs.

 

  • Implementation.  I believe in assertive politics - making things happen, rather than hoping something good comes your way. For too long cities around Hendersonville have chose the “build it and they will come” approach to managed growth and are seeing rewards from their decisions.  Hendersonville has relied on the “let’s not build it - then we don’t have to worry about it” policy that has deterred growth, opportunities, and creativity for the city.

 

  • Creative Economics.  The salvation for Hendersonville and a means to transcend difficult times. By using the Arts as a center point for the teeter of conventional economics, i.e., real estate development and business subsidies to individuals and large firms, Hendersonville shall once again become a destination and a better and more interesting place to live, build, invest, and seek prosperity.

 

  • Accessibility and Transparency.  There shall be a total revamping of the underutilized and embarrassing Community Public Access Television Station (PEG).  The station will be linked to all county and city web sites and offer live internet access through an IPTV server. All committees and meetings shall be televised “live.”  This will engage the community and force accountability. DHI strategies and events, including available properties and business recruit services, shall be featured weekly. Local employment listings and weekly updates on police, fire, weather, and health services, shall all be offered.  Youth programming shall feature 2 hours per day dedicated to local happenings and utilize Middle and High School talent for broadcasts.  Local area talent only will be featured for background music.  2 hour live broadcasts every Friday and Saturday night will feature local performances from locations in the city.

Goals:
  

  •  Convention Center.  A modest convention center can create up to 200 new jobs and attract 180,000 new visitors annually to the area.  The center shall include 1 grand performance venue that will seat up to 2000 people, 2 smaller performance theaters, 2 large exhibition halls, 2 small halls, and for the very first time ever, will be built in conjunction with a new library, art museum, and arts education center.   Hendersonville can only succeed in the convention business if it is well planned and it’s marketability focused to a “niche” customer base.  

 

  • HRPA (Hendersonville Redevelopment and Projects Authority).  I shall established the aforementioned, and the community shall begin an aggressive transition to remove and replace dilapidated and neglected environmental liabilities that deter investment and hurt the economy.  Average residents shall have an opportunity to partner, vote on, construct, and own community projects.  

 

  • Restrooms, Gazebos, and Community Announcement Boards.  The city would seek to purchase or lease unused property beneath or on Main Street to build a public restroom facility with placement room activity posts, posters, and announcements.  The city would tear down the current gazebo and remove another existing planter on the other end of town, and replace them with historically accurate constructs containing public restroom facilities that greatly reduce the comfort level of events for consumers. 

Initiatives:
  

  • Total overhaul of ordinances pertaining to Main Street for conformity of events or happenings.

  •  Re-pave and refurbish Main Street and pertinent sidewalks.

  •  Pathway signs to Downtown, with gateway and city center sculptures.

  •  Organized Public Arts Commission attracting the development of murals, statuary, sculpture, gathering areas, and public spaces.

  • Refurbish and update existing parks, services, and recreational areas. Initiate actions to consider revamping watershed areas and parks adding stocked fishing ponds built around access for the elderly and disabled, with bike and foot trails. 

  • Parking on Main Street and adjacent areas.

Check out Timm's "COOL MAYOR VIDEO" below by clicking on the picture below...