Terry Short Jr. wants to make the most of his final four years serving on Waynesboro City Council – hoping to move some “big rocks” before the end of his tenure.
“This was my last campaign for Council,” Short told AFP after his re-election in November. “I won’t run again.”
While he may not run for re-election again, he would like to see future candidates have more opportunities to get in front of the public and get residents more engaged in the process as a whole.
Short was an advocate of moving the city elections from May to November, in part because he was frustrated that local elections would only get an 18-20 percent voter turnout. Who you elect to your local City Council, he said, has much more of an impact on your life than anyone in D.C.
In the November election, for example, in the at-large race for City Council, there were 1,505 people who voted in the presidential election and didn’t vote in the at-large City Council race which left a lot of people scratching their heads in disbelief.
Short was very disappointed that Waynesboro also had far fewer City Council candidate forums than neighboring Staunton, as one example.
He’d like to see the creation of a non-partisan, Waynesboro-based non-profit organization that will ensure more community engagement and public-speaking opportunities for candidates so residents can go to the polls and be more informed.
“The community really didn’t get a chance to hear what are the goals and visions and dreams and aspirations for those that want to represent a community of 23,000 people,” he said of the November election.
Making efforts to engage the public isn’t anything new for Short; he has been a champion for the city having a social media presence and establishing a YouTube channel to livestream meetings.
Beyond setting the tax rate
There are many people, Short said, who believe City Council has one job: to lower taxes.
“The thing that gets me are folks that want to live in a community with the lowest taxes possible,” Short said. “And I want to do that but not at the harm and detriment of the community that I love.”
Not doing things can have major consequences too. Short gave the West End Fire Station as one example where the construction would have been “demonstrably cheaper” if it had been done 17 years ago when voters initially approved the referendum.
“My priorities have always been to try to move big rocks that can have long-term and very impactful positive enhancements to our quality of life and the direction of the future of the city.”
Short is excited about the composition of the City Council that will be seated in January which includes new members including Jeremy Sloat and Lorie Strother.
“I’m really excited about collaborating with my current members and the incoming members to sort of chart a course … but you know, we’re really fortunate to have some really smart and engaged and loving people on Council who really, really love not only the community that they are representing by ward but really city wide.
“So I’m really encouraged, and I think we’re in good hands.”
Short: Top priorities for final term
Short isn’t waiting for the organizational meeting next month to engage the new members of Waynesboro City Council. He’s been busy setting up coffees or lunches to start talking about priorities.
“I think affordable housing is absolutely right at the tip top of the list,” Short said.
He’d like to see additional staff added to the community development department so the city may pursue grants and explore more opportunities.
“You’ve got to have a vision, you’ve got to have a plan, and you have to continue to execute it,” he said. “We simply don’t have the staff resources to support the robust program that the community needs in this moment where we are.
“I’ve heard everything from we’re on the cusp of something, or that we’ve now crossed over the cusp. I’d like to think we’ve actually crossed over.
“I think that we’ve got incredible momentum to continue to do great things,” Short said.
He’d also like to see the final phase of the high school renovation project completed during his tenure on Council, and he’s advocating at the state level for the Virginia Museum of Natural History funding to “get that over the finish line.”
“Those are the big rocks,” he said. “I would stay this because if you get these things done, they’ll be transformative.”
Video: Terry Short Jr. talks with AFP’s Crystal Graham
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For more coverage, search “Waynesboro City Council” on Augusta Free Press.
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Crystal Graham
