ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY - 1/16/08

If you missed the announcement today, here is what I wanted to get across:


"Thank you all for being here today. I know it’s chilly so I’ll keep my remarks brief.

My name is Court Rosen – I am announcing today that I am seeking the nomination of our Democratic Party to be a candidate for Roanoke City Council in this May’s city election.

Roanoke has been changing for 125 years. Lately, the pace of change has been accelerating. We can see changes all around us, everyday, from the cranes in the sky over Reserve Avenue to the businesses that make Roanoke their home. One role of City Council is to help manage these changes, allocating resources wisely and strategically to make sure that people continue to benefit from quality services such as public safety, public health and attractive recreational opportunities. We want Roanoke to be attractive to the digital generation, but we must always remember that City Council represents all of our citizens.

I believe I can offer the fresh perspective of my generation, acknowledging that attracting this younger generation is an important component in moving Roanoke forward.

I believe we need to cultivate our very young through quality education. To do this we will have to continue to provide the resources needed to get the job done – keep materials and technology up to date, pay competitive salaries and be good stewards of our facilities. The entire community must be involved and have input in improving our schools.

We must work to promote our city’s growth through smart economic development.

One of Roanoke’s greatest assets is its magnificent beauty that affords everyone recreational and outdoor opportunities. Let’s harness and embrace this asset and use it to attract a new generation to help carry Roanoke into a positive, progressive future. It’s important as well that we take care of the quality of our air and water.

Service on City Council, to me, is about more than mountain top restaurants and amphitheaters – it’s about where we end up 10 and 20 years from now – how our citizenry grows and matures, and how we make the very best of our common resources.

I want to participate in our city government to offer a fresh perspective on Roanoke’s progress and the future of our city, our quality of life and quality of city services."

Thank you,

and thanks for those who attended the announcement.