New Independent Candidate for Maplewood Twp. Committee

My friends and fellow Maplewoodians,

My name is Kurt Kiley, and with great pleasure I announce I am running for Maplewood Township Committee as an Independent. I respectfully ask for your support in the Township Election on November 5th.

It has been a little over two years since Carol and I decided to buy our first, and expected last, home here in Maplewood, and we know we made the right decision.

We live in a beautiful town. Maplewood’s strong sense of civic duty, openness and inclusiveness draws the best and brightest from across all races, religions, cultures and lifestyles. Travelling around the country reminds me how special Maplewood is. Our commitment to progressive values sets an example for the rest of the nation. The charm and character of our town is second to none.

We can all be proud we are from Maplewood.

At the turn of the 20th century the founders of modern Maplewood had a grand vision and strategy that lasted the test of time. They provided for homes of all sizes for people of all incomes and stages of life. Ample and beautiful parks were provided for recreation. Two commercial areas were developed to serve the needs of the residents.  We are all beneficiaries of their long-term plan for the future.

I am running because I believe that while we are great, we are not approaching our full potential. I believe moving Maplewood forward begins with restoring the type of complete thinking the founders had. I believe we can still retain our small town feel while addressing the challenges of today and having a grand vision for our future.

I am a strategic thinker who values the unique ideas and opinions of people. I started my management consultancy in 1992 to lead entities through reorganizations of their information infrastructure.  My successful strategy consists of setting goals that meet the client’s long term vision, considering the organization as a whole and tapping into the wealth of knowledge of its people.  We remove barriers to cooperation, foster transparency, and motivate people to work together so they can leverage the strengths of every department. This allows an organization to become lean and strategic, enabling them to provide the best service possible for their customers.

This is the type of thinking I will bring to the Township Committee.

The decision to run was not made lightly. Members of the Township Committee work extremely hard and have a direct impact on the lives of their constituents. I step into the ring humbly, knowing that my decisions on the committee will affect current and future generations of our great town.

As an Independent I am not constrained by political dogma. I will make decisions based on what’s best for Maplewood, not for a party.

I applaud the current Township Committee for their hard work and dedication to service. Without their dedication we would not be where we are today. But we are at a crossroads, and Maplewood needs leadership that can find solutions to short-term needs, like holding the line on taxes, that supports strategic future growth without compromising the long heritage of our community.

Maplewood’s best days are ahead of us. We should be excited about our future; we cannot settle for the status quo. Let’s move forward, and while moving forward, build upon and preserve our values and character.  

Let’s build a Maplewood that makes future generations proud.

Thank you.

Kurt Kiley

Please visit our website: http://www.kileyforcommittee.org, and Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/Kurt.H.Kiley I can be emailed at Kurt.H.Kiley at kileyforcommittee.org