Johnson runs unopposed
Published 11:24 pm Friday, October 19, 2018
Tim Johnson is the incumbent for the Holy Neck Borough on City Council, and he will be running unopposed in the Nov. 6 election.
This will be Johnson’s second term after he was first elected to the Suffolk City Council in November 2014, and he hopes he can continue to improve the city over the next four years.
“The reason I ran four years ago was that I wanted to take the politics out of being on council,” Johnson said.
For Johnson, being on City Council isn’t about being a politician; it is about being an advocate for the city.
Going into his next term, Johnson plans to focus on keeping Suffolk green, increasing roadway safety and controlled and positive economic development.
“I want to protect our rural nature and maintain our agriculture community,” Johnson said. “Before I get off of City Council, I would like to have an Agriculture Advisory Committee.”
Johnson’s borough encompasses a large number of country homes and farmland, and he wants to ensure that the rise in development won’t impede on Suffolk’s roots. Not only does he want to keep his borough filled with green space, but he also wants to see that across the city as well.
“When I think of a park, I don’t think of a playground. A park is a green space that we can never take away,” Johnson said. “If we are not careful, we will build away our green spaces.”
Route 58 is frequently discussed among city staff and City Council as a safety concern; Johnson wants it to be a top priority for future improvements. Route 58 stretches through a large part of the Holy Neck Borough.
“I am concerned about 58, because it is our home. I do want to see changes soon, and it is a big deal for me,” Johnson said. “It needs to be taken on as a top priority.”
Johnson wants to be the liaison for the Economic Development Authority before his time is up on council.
He wants to focus on economic development in downtown, even though that is not his borough.
“When you live in the country, you need a town to go to. I want to see it happen,” Johnson said.
While Johnson plans to continue to work hard as an advocate and be as accessible as possible to constituents, he wants to work on relationships with the council itself.
“I really want to build consensus. Once in a while we need to all be agreeable,” Johnson said. “My worst quality is not being able to have consensus with the council.”