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Entering the final year of her term as mayor, Ann Bradshaw has a few goals for the upcoming year, but they are big ones.
"We have a lot of projects currently going on, and I want to make sure they are completed," Bradshaw told The Brazil Times. "First and foremost are the water tower and the other water system projects."
To this point, all the water lines have been installed, along with numerous new meters and hydrants, but the towers at Craig Park and near Interstate-70 are the highest priorities Bradshaw wants to see completed.
"It's not just that I, along with everyone else living in Brazil, want to see the new tower completed, it's also because the city has needed this to be done for a long time," she said. "Now that the projects are underway, I don't want to see anything hold them up and make sure they are completed."
Also on the list of current projects Bradshaw wants to keep going is the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP).
"(City Planning Administrator) Stacy Gibbens has worked very hard to get the progress on the NSP we have had so far," she said. "I am glad we have been able to bring economical, energy-efficient homes to the city, along with progressing toward the overall beautification of Brazil."
Right now, the first set of homes have been inspected and are nearly ready for residents to move in, but more potential homeowners are needed in order to start constructing the next set.
"The NSP is a great program which helps low- and moderate-income residents buy a home at a reasonable price," Bradshaw said. "I hope we will be able to get the most out of the NSP grant by building as many new homes as possible."
The final major item on Bradshaw's list of goals for 2011 is to pave streets.
In late October, the city teamed up with county officials to repave Pinckley Street, along with a portion of John Steele Drive in Forest Park, and she would like to see at least two or three stretches of city roads be worked on.
"We were finally able to finish up the sidewalk project," she said. "Other than routine maintenance to the sidewalks, we can now turn our focus to working on the streets."
Bradshaw emphasized she would not guarantee which, if any, streets would be repaved in the next year, adding it will all be based on the availability of funding.
"It's very difficult to make a promise or guarantee to do something when you don't know if the state is going to cut the budget, or if there will be money to pave streets at all," Bradshaw said. "Of course, I would love to repave all the streets, but we have to be realistic and make sure we have the funds available to do the work first. If money is there, then we will be attempting to pave roads."
Bradshaw also told The Brazil Times she hopes to have individual ward meetings to give residents added opportunities to meet with their respective council representatives and provide suggestions for improving the city.
"As always, the door to my office is open for residents to come in and speak to me one-on-one as well," she said. "I also hope to continue enhancing our good working relationship with county officials so we can all keep doing what is in the best interest of all the residents."
Comments
Keep up the great work, mayor.
Probably as bad as her wardrobe.
Brazilresident2003 and I.M. Le Thall.can't you find anything else to talk about besides the Mayor ! Get over yourselves and move out of the city. U are so sad and pathetic !
Perhaps the mayor should budget an extra $15,000 for a wardrobe. Would you be alright with that, Lethal?
Think about all the hurt feelings you've caused to many, many people throughout this particular media outlet, The BRAZIL TIMES. Only you know what harm you've done to others by speaking out publicly, if you have the gall to do so like you do annonymously. Doesn't that bother you in the least?
God help you.
I have never respected Thall's opinion on any subject, seems like the most self centered egotistical person who thinks he's a big fish in such a little pond your comment on the article is just about what we would expect, its tiring and boring and inaccurate.
CLUE----------> Don't like 'em, don't read 'em.
The Mayor obviously loves to take advantage of photo opps so a new pants suit wouldn't hurt every couple of months. And $15,000?? Your house trailer didn't cost $15,000.
CLUE------------> Dagnabbitt, this is a public forum. If you don't understand, Google it.
Some of you on here need lots of prayers, do you like hurting people, I was not crying was stating a fact its to bad some people can only pour out their hatred !
What ever happened to "If you can't say anything good, don't say anything at all!"
Maybe you should have been raised by my parents. I was taught to respect people not belittle them.
With all that is going wrong with this world, I can't believe the only thing you can pick on is what a person's wardrobe consists of.
What a sad state of affairs!
What does the Mayors wardrobe have to do with this article. Just shows your immaturity!
They don't have anything else to do but to belittle and hurt others !! so sad !
Thanks everyone. Your immature comments have actually made me laugh today! Laughter is good for the soul!
Typical Brazilians. But the former police chief who is accused of ripping off the citizens on hundreds of dollars is a hero and wonderful guy.
Well, I can assure you that the street that Mayor Bradshaw lives on is also in need of repaving, as are many streets all over Brazil. I've never paid much attention to what she wears, I mostly listen to what a person says and watch what a person does when forming my personal opinion of their worth. A cheat or a liar in Armani is not worth an honest person in Levis and a flannel shirt. The only person who respects a well-dressed "clothes-horse" for their appearance is another empty-headed "clothes-horse".
Sorry, people, there is no cure for the illness some of the commentators have, but we can all be fairly certain of the diagnoses. There jus isn't any cure known to Man for terminally stupid!
Thank you Leo L. Southworth
I don't understand Thall saying The former police chief is a hero and a wonderful man, makes me wonder if he helped him, How can he so good and steal from the children, some people have no morals, this has nothing to do with this topic but Thall brought it up. Thall need to find an honest hero !
Mayor keep up the good job at least we know you are honest and a good person and wouldn't steal from anyone !
And I see nothing wrong with your wardrobe !
I personally find "Thall" to be amusing in most cases. This is a public forum and if it isn't him, it would certainly be somebody else.
I personally have no major gripes about the mayor, but maybe "Thall" could set up some collection sites to collect donations to upgrade her wardrobe as a "lovely parting gift" for her last year, perhaps?
If you can't handle the commentary, maybe a public forum isn't the place for you.....or maybe you should just keep a box of Kleenex close by.
What gripes me about the commentary about the Mayor's dress is that we could and have had mayors who dressed very well but did very little for the city. The streets, the sidewalks, the water system, and the rest of the infrastructure didn't go to pot on Mayor Bradshaw's watch. Some of these projects were started before her election and she is overseeing their completion and some of them she was instrumental in putting into motion. But one thing is for sure, she doesn't just talk. Last year, the city organized a clean-up campaign that went into the wards and got a lot of trash out of the city. If you don't like the way the Mayor dresses for her "photo ops", you'd probably not like her image in jeans and throwing trash, either. She didn't show up dressed to sit around and look pretty, she came to work alongside her fellow citizens and she threw as much trash as anyone else.
The Mayor is a wonderful person and Leo L. Southworth is right she did get out and help clean up the city and dressed to the ocassion, She has done a lot to help the people, she is a caring person. God Bless you Mayor a lot of us care and know you are doing a wonderful job. Your office is always open.
bowling, your comprehension skills are lacking. I never said the former police chief was a nice guy, wonderful guy or anything else. I said that before the comments were deleted, that most Brazilians said he was such a great guy and would never be involved in a theft. And yes the Mayor has done a lot for the City, she even employs her relatives. Please try to get it correct next time.
And for Leo L. Southworth, the expert on everything, if anyone has a problem, it's ewe. Now you think you are a doctor. Get over yourself. You lost the election, there are obviously others who have figured you out also.
"We were finally able to finish up the sidewalk project," she said. "Other than routine maintenance to the sidewalks, we can now turn our focus to working on the streets."
Nevermind that McDonald Street near Meridian Elementary hasn't even been touched. My mother went to city hall to complain and she was told by the mayor that there wasn't enough money in the budget to fix it. Maybe she should focus on getting the job done in the first place.
Solana the Mayor would have all the streets fixed if there was enough money to get the job done she was only stating a fact when she told your Mom that.
We all have to travel the streets and so does the Mayor.
I. M. Lee Thall, Esq., every time you post, you prove that you don't think. While the saying, "It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt" has been attributed to many people, the truth of it you prove.
I learned in grammar school that when people vie for less chairs than the people number, someone will be left standing. That's "musical chairs", politics, employment, and every other competition. Did my life and work to improve education in the area end with the results of the election? No, so get over it. The election has been over for a while now, but there is always another one. I'm patient and persistent.
There is an underlying truth in every relationship, organization, or government body, that being that there never will be enough resources to do everything that someone perceives should be done. With luck and management, a person will be able to accomplish what an overwhelming majority believes to be of the utmost importance and explain what would be required to accomplish some of the rest so that it can be planned for the future. Every road, every sidewalk, and every other part of our infrastructure isn't gong to be fixed at the same time unless the citizens wish to pay for it all at once, period.
Do you even know how the hiring process works in government? Who does the Mayor hire directly? Isn't it a fact that while the mayor may recommend, the choice is limited to people who have applied and subject to approval by other people than the mayor? Isn't there other people involved that can raise an objection to hiring a specific person for a position?
Oh, you might want to learn English, I've noted several posts from you about Times articles where the proofreading was substandard. I am not a female sheep.
As for the comments about Mrs. Bradshaw's wardrobe, at least she is comfortable with herself and doesn't feel the need to dress flashy to do her job. And the comment about hiring family, if you paid as much attention as you claim too, you would know she only has two relatives currently working for her. And I believe I said before that Brazil is a small town and the city employs a decent number of people, so having an in-law or a relative on the pay-roll is gonna happen. And Mrs. Bradshaw is not the first, and won't be the last Mayor to hire a relative. I think she has done a wonderful job. Thank you Mrs. Bradshaw!
How do you think Terry Harrison got hired his Uncle who was Mayor hired him. Need i say more.
Bowling: I don't think the lack of money would be an issue if she didn't turn around and say that all the sidewalks have been fixed. They're obviously not. The city is required to comply with the ADA act that says the sidewalks have to be accessible, so why lie about it?
Solana - The City was sued and specific conditions were formed into a project of sidewalk repairs that must be completed. It is this project that is nearing completion and freeing up some money to invest in repairing some streets that are in bad condition. It is not that all of the sidewalks are in perfect condition. It is a balancing act of what needs to be done the most. As I stated in a previous comment, the totality of our infrastructure will never be perfect at any given time, there will always be something that needs work.
What is reported is not always what has been stated verbally or in the proper context. Sometimes the meaning isn't clear.