It was surprising to me, during the last candidate forum of this election season, that my opponent, Joy Bowen, questioned my judgment and called me a “yes man”.
I’m proud to say that throughout my career in land use planning and investment management, this has never happened before. It would be difficult to rise to the level of Vice President at companies like MetLife, Cigna, GE Capital, and First American Financial if I did not have sound judgment.
Part of my job in creating, managing and representing successful commercial, real estate investment portfolios valued in the billions of dollars, was to tell investors “no” when their impulsive ideas did not match their long term investment guidelines.
During my last military assignment on the command staff at the U.S. Pacific Command, I functioned as a contingency planner and crisis action manager. I was not assigned this responsibility due to my poor judgment or failure to question actions.
It was even more surprising that Ms. Bowen would make these charges after proclaiming to love so many things about Flower Mound.
As an active member on Flower Mound’s boards and commissions for over 10 years, I have used my judgment and ability to question the process and to assist the Town in building many of the things Ms. Bowen showcased in her recent video including Parker Square, Lakeside Business District, the Master Plan that protects the scenic vistas we all love and Smart Growth.
As a newcomer in the last 3 months to Flower Mound civic duties, it appears that Ms. Bowen has assumed that any changes are bad and unneeded.
As an experienced professional, I realize that programs like the Master Plan and SMARTGrowth analysis have successfully guided Flower Mound’s growth so it is the vibrant community we all love. At the same time, I realize that many things about the way we live and the amenities we desire have changed in the last 15 – 20 years. Many times these changes could not have been clearly foreseen when the Master Plan and SMARTGrowth were originally developed.
Responsible leaders will review these changes and make amendments to our ordinances that ensure balanced growth that fits the needs of our residents today and in the future. I am proud that amendments to the Master Plan and SMARTGrowth have been few and far between. This means our Town Council and the boards and commissions I have participated on for 10 years have designed solid plans for building Flower Mound.
This election season, you have a choice to make for Flower Mound Town Council Place 1. My opponent, Ms. Bowen continues to misrepresent my experience and decisions made over 10 plus years of public service to Flower Mound. Flower Mound deserves less negativity and more resident focused cooperation.
I am asking for your vote so that we can keep Flower Mound on a positive path that welcomes new residents, rewards our existing citizens, sustains our excellent reputation, and embraces the future. I look forward to seeing you at the polls.
Michael J. Walker
Candidate for Flower Mound Town Council, Place 1
Flower Mound, TX
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