Meet Mark
Mark grew up in rural southern New Jersey in a family of five siblings. After graduating from the University of North Carolina Wilmington, he went to work for a start up in the public safety software industry. Eventually he went into consulting and worked on a large wireless 911 deployment for the Commonwealth of Virginia. But the call of food was too strong to ignore. Chef was a title he loved and crafting sushi was a passion that led to opportunities to showcase his culinary skills.
Soon after he founded a company called Sora Partners, which helps solve technology issues for restaurants.
After many visits to Palm Springs and Cathedral City, he purchased a home. It became evident that the current representatives are not progressive and they are slow to move the City forward. The residents deserve better. Give me a chance to work for you. This is what my first 100 days in office plan would look like:
Someone asked me what my first 100 days in office would look like?
1) First we would hold some budget workshops and review priorities in the City budget plan. Its time to revisit our financial plan and even move this from a once a year event to once a quarter.
2) I would work with our State representatives to help us fund a new cross walk signal for Cathedral Canyon Drive and Ortega Rd and improve policing of this section of the road.
3) Present a plan to develop a small business development and opportunity center. This includes working with our community college to expand programs to help disadvantage people find a path to business ownership.
An example for us to follow or even improve upon would be this:
https://www.indio.org/departments/economic-development/indio-business-connect
4) Meet with all City department heads to understand and build consensus for budgeting and planning goals.
5) Meet with our facilities and parks management to see what plan is in place to improve our youth sports fields.
6) Goal is to introduce bills to get our economic engine moving forward
7) Introduce a bill to put in place a more detail oriented review process and/or transparency for discretionary funds spending
8) Host small business owners at City Hall to meet with staff
9) Work to bring more events to our amphitheater and City. We have a strong arts community. Lets support them and show everyone just how special and talented we are in Cat City.
10) Motion to require demolition of the Elks building as well as require retail centers to upkeep their landscaping with desert friendly xeriscaping.
11) Introduce a bill to require council members and the mayor to respond to calls and emails from residents within 48 hours.
12) Host office hours sessions at various locations in the City and engage with the Senior Center and visit all local schools to understand the needs of our youth.
13) Work tirelessly to build consensus with our residents for City goals with meet and greets, virtual town halls, and community engagement.
14) Host meet and greets with our representatives in Congress and work to ensure alignment on all City initiatives.