I would like to respond to a recent letter to the editor “In Defense of Jordan” (Sept. 5) that supported our current mayor’s leadership regarding sustainability, the premise being that he has read many books on climate change and has participated in several meetings and forums on the subject.
While reading books about climate change and attending meetings is admirable, much more is required from the mayor of a city this size and the position we hold in the state for it to be called “leadership.” Fayetteville has long been known in our state as a green community because of our progressive citizenry. However, from the year 2000-2008 under the administration of Mayor Dan Coody, Fayetteville became known nationally as a leader in sustainability amongsmall cities because of the programs he implemented.
In his first year he replaced all the traff c signals with LED lights. He brought Fayetteville citizens together to design the 129-mile trail plan and formed an in-house design-build team for their construction. Mayor Coody led the charge to have all new city buildings to be LEED-certifi ed and developed a rating system encouraging builders to build more eff cient housing.
During his administration the city held two national conferences on climate change, paid for by private donations and totally free to the public; the conferences attracted public off cials from all over the country.
Another accomplishment was his asking the city fl eet manager to look at biodiesel for city equipment, which led to the innovative fueling station at the city shop.
Mayor Coody hired the fi rst sustainability coordinator in the state and one of the first in the south; the city saved $330,000 during the sustainability coordinator’s first year on the job.
Back on the national front, he was asked to speak to mayors from around the country thereby touting Fayetteville nationally as a sustainability paradigm, a city to watch for innovative green programs. During the Coody years Fayetteville secured 700 acres of green space and became a leader in urban planning.
Our urban plan won the Congress of New Urbanism Charter award in 2005.
These are only some of the many sustainability actions that were implemented in Dan Coody’s eight years as mayor. Since leaving offce he and his wife designed and built the most energy-effcient home in theentire United States, which has been independently certifi ed.
Standing in Mayor Coody’s footsteps and keeping these programs in “maintenance mode” is not the same as pushing the envelope and continuing momentum we once had. It is certainly not too late to renew this vision.
Reading books and attending meetings, a good first step, pales compared to bold actions taken by Dan Coody. So, if you are concerned about growing Fayetteville’s sustainability that also attracts established businesses and start-ups in this burgeoning fi eld, Dan Coody is the best candidate for mayor. He has leadership ability and a proven track.
This is one reason Dan Coody has my support for mayor.
MOSHE NEWMARK
Fayetteville
Opinion, Pages 5 on 09/21/2012