Mass communications is expensive or at least it was prior to the internet, just as I am told it was once an expensive proposition to run for political office. I think I shocked a few people when I didn't buy a single yard sign or send out expensive political mailers in last years Dunwoody City Council election, yet won my citywide seat by a 66 to 34% percent margin. The use of the internet and my daily blog is believed to have assisted me in getting out my message (though I personally give credit to my wife who seems to know everybody). Now that the City of Dunwoody is entering it's next election season whereby three of the Dunwoody City Council seats are already up for re-election (Shortal, Bonser & Taylor) , it appears that blogging could once again be used to propel future perspective Dunwoody candidates.
From my untrained political eye, it looks like a few Dunwoody related blogs may have been started to possibly assist the writers in a future election bid. Of course this is pure speculation on my part, I have no knowledge of anyone besides Councilman Denis Shortal formally announcing for the November 3rd election.
The first obvious choice of a candidate who may be running is Mr. Bob Fiscella, a resident of the Springfield subdivision in district two who has a neighborhood blog named Springfield in Dunwoody which can be found at http://dunwoodyusa.blogspot.com. Bob ran a nice campaign the first time and has remained active by attending numerous City Council meetings therefore he looks to be a viable candidate who knows the issues if he chooses to run.
The second person who has possibly surfaced to run for a district one seat is Mr. Rick Callihan. Rick is very passionate about education and past zoning choices which have filled our schools to capacity, so much so that the former Austin parent now home schools his children. Rick has started a blog named Dunwoody Charientism giving his personal commentary on Dunwoody civic meetings in which he interjects his personality and humor while attempting to be informative. The blog can be found at http://dunwoodytalk.blogspot.com.
A third blogger who already has her hands in a number of city endeavors is Ms. Pattie Baker, the author of the Sustainable Dunwoody Blog and now chair of the City of Dunwoody Sustainability Committee. I am unsure what district Pattie lives in but if she were to run, she would be a very formidable candidate.
Finally my friend Ms. Donna Cannady Nall, who works for the Dunwoody Nature Center, is Chair of the Executive Council of Peachtree Charter Middle School PTA, knows how to blog and is directly affected by a rezoning being proposed, therefore she may now have a calling to throw her hat into the ring to run?
Did I miss anyone who blogs on the Dunwoody political scene? Mr. Thaddeus Osbourne Dabell from The Other Dunwoody passed away in his sleep so I don't think he will be running, though I guess he could be resurrected? Mr. DunwoodyPoliceWatch phased out and deleted his blog though I believe I still see him commenting from time to time.
For those wishing to run for Dunwoody political office, the official registration for candidacy starts on August 31st but I am sure that there are several individuals who are already looking very closely at the possibilities of running for office in November.
If anyone needs assistance in creating a personal blog for any reason, please read this and then I will happily answer any questions that you may have. Dunwoody needs more blogs and if I can assist in any way I am happy to do so.
As was once said in a similar case:
ReplyDelete"We thank you very sweetly
For doing it so neatly.
You've killed him so completely
That we thank you very sweetly."
Rest assured Dunwoodians, Thaddeus Osbourne Dabell is in a better place. Perhaps a library?
Do they still elect the dead in Chicago? If we did the same in Dunwoody, Thaddeus might have a shot (by the way, even though I never met him in person, I enjoyed reading Mr. Dabell's blog and sharing emails)!
ReplyDeleteAs for my political future, it is undetermined at this point in time.
Like John - who ran an amazing race last year - I am not willing (nor able) to pour tons of money into a political campaign (last year, my two opponents combined to spend $60,000 compared to my $1,300). But it was an amazing experience that was not only educating, but extremely rewarding.
Bob
Missouri elected a dead candidate, but methinks Chicago is known for the dead voting. Cynics might say that a better showing by either would improve government and Lord knows as the greatest generation passes, they're increasingly underrepresented.
ReplyDeleteWhile Dabell is gone, his spirit lives on in those critical thinkers who see past the happy smoke and beyond the horizon of those merely playing at adulthood.
Thanks for the encouragement, John. For the record, I have no issues with the quality of eduction at the Dunwoody schools. Although I do have issues with the way DeKalb County School System operates and makes decisions county wide, our choice to home school is not related to Austin (I think Austin is a great school and will continue to be).
ReplyDeleteRick
Blogger / Candidate Update...
ReplyDeleteIt looks like Rick Callihan will be announcing next week as to his decision on running for city council.
The link to Rick's entertaining site is http://dunwoodytalk.blogspot.com and his pending announcement is heard on the August 14th posting.
Thaddeus Osbourne Dabell of The Other Dunwoody may be gone but Ken Thompson is blogging in his place and is encouraging his readers who believe that the Dunwoody Police department is too large to take action in the next election. Is he now thinking of running? PS: Ken I was going to comment on your page but couldn't, I didn't pull any posts off my site. What was the subject I'll help you look.
Bob Fiscella on his Springfield in Dunwoody blog recently mentioned that he voted as a DHA Board member in support of the Vernon North lawsuit against the City (no value judgment by me, just stating fact) because he was not convinced that the city followed proper procedure. Is he angling for a run?
Candidate registration starts soon, is there anyone else out there thinking about running?