Councilman Massey announces political plans

Page 10 • August 13, 2020 • Edmond Life & Leisure Commentary ... We’re on YOUR Side

The bridge to Congress Inhofe sees Trump win (Editor’s Note: Edmond City Councilman, Nick Massey, is using the letter below to explain to the public his reasons for not wanting to seek public office again in 2021, either as councilman or Mayor.)

To the Citizens of Edmond

As many of you know, I have had the honor of serving as the City of Edmond Ward 4 City Councilman since March 2012 and as Mayor Pro Tem since May 2019.

I wanted to share some news with you about a decision I made earlier this year. Many have known that I was not going to run for re-election for my council seat, and that I was considering running for Mayor in 2021. After giving it considerable thought, and talking it over with my wife, Dr. Karen Mahlmeister, I decided in January of this year that I would not run for either position and will leave office when my term expires at the end of April 2021. I will have had nine years in office at that point and it is time for me to move on and someone else take it from here.

I decided to make this announcement now so that anyone who might be considering running for either of those council positions will have time to decide what they might like to do and can prepare for their campaign. The filling period for next year’s election is the first week of December, 2020.

My primary reason for running for city council eight and a half years ago was to be an advocated for business, promote a pro-business environment, and to help drive economic development in our great city. I am proud to say that I think I have accomplished a lot of that and hope I have had a positive impact on our community over these years. As an elected official, one of the things you always try to do is leave things better than when

Nick Massey

you started. Among the things I had a major or minor part in include: Creating the first Edmond Incentive plan for both primary and secondary business to bring in additional sales tax revenue and cause additional private development to occur. Participated through the whole development process, construction and opening of the Hilton Garden Inn and Edmond conference center. Instrumental in the incentive and development process that brought ShowBiz to Edmond. Instrumental in developing the financing structure for the Public Safety Center. Other city projects include Route 66 Softball Park, the MAC, new water towers, a major waste water treatment plant upgrade, and the railroad crossing quiet zones. 2018 saw the most commerBy The Oklahoman sters wrong Nov. 3.

A few weeks ago I pointed out Joe Biden a devout Catholic? Editorial Board “Start off with the fact Congresswoman Kendra Horn’s ubiquitous nature on television. I had hoped at the time she would have a new commercial and she does. It involves a bridge in the town of Jones. Apparently the mayor there is pleased that Congresswoman Horn helped him get a bridge in his town, which leads to a school. As he points out, he’s a Republican and Kendra is a Democrat and nobody took him “serious,” until Kendra got involved. I’m glad Jones got its bridge. And I commend Horn for helping Jones get the structure. Yet I’m not really sure how that plays into electing a representative for Congress. Do we want to give House Speaker Nancy Pelosi one more reliable Democrat vote just because the town of Jones got a bridge? I’d rather see someone there who will not vote to have Nancy as Speaker. And if Nancy is Speaker, I’d prefer someone who wouldn’t vote for frivolous measures such as partisan impeachment effort against the president. One other note. Money isn’t going to be a problem for Congresswoman Horn this election cycle. Her campaign is well funded. It tough to find a television channel without her ad appearing once or twice an hour. Steve Gust I wonder what kind of value people put or don’t put on truth anymore. Seems to me, truth has been replaced by “spin.” People love to spin the news their way. A case in point is the coverage last week given Joe Biden. President Trump attacked his rival saying that Biden was “anti-God.” I’m not sure I’d go quite that far, but Trump’s remarks set off alarm bells in network newsrooms everywhere. The journalists quickly rallied around their chosen candidate Biden and claimed (with a straight face) that Biden was a “devout Catholic.” I’m sorry but that just isn’t the case. If the stakes weren’t so serious, that allegation would be simply laughable. I’m not sure what Catholic teachings Biden actually agrees with, if any. For years, Facebook has been waging an ongoing debate on whether Biden should be excommunicated. Yet all of a sudden, anchors coast to coast were proclaiming Biden a devout Catholic. I think I’d reserve that term for people like the late-Father Stanley Rother, who was martyred, in 1981 for tending to the people of his parish in Guatemala. One thing is clear to me. The nation appears to be really divided. That’s most likely not going to improve much after the election. (Steve Gust may be reached at news@edmondpaper.com) Look at the polls and you see the prospects of President Trump’s re-election appear bleak. Trump is losing badly in battleground states he won narrowly in 2016. Joe Biden has a 7-point lead over Trump in the RealClearPolitics national average of polls; FiveThirtyEight.com has the margin closer to 8 points. However, talk to U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, R-Tulsa, and you get a different forecast. Inhofe’s prognostications generally take a glass-half-full approach regarding the GOP. Ahead of the 2012 elections, for example, he said he expected President Barack Obama to lose his re-election bid and for Republicans to gain control of the Senate. Inhofe went 0-for-2. But he believes Trump will again prove the pollthat the media hates the president. They’re going to do everything in the worst light as possible,” Inhofe said Wednesday. “The one thing that is not shown in the polls is depth. The individuals who are strong supporters of the president will walk through fire for the president.” However, one knock on Trump is that he has not widened his base of support. If anything, the base has shrunk in the past four years. Inhofe agreed that the base alone isn’t enough to carry Trump, or any candidate, but that Biden as the presumptive Democratic nominee presents an opening for the president. “I think the Democratic nominee is going to be exposed for his lack of knowledge and persuasiveness,” Inhofe said. “If the Democrats had a different candidate other than Biden, I would say that that would be a real serious problem. I think Biden has a lot of self-destruct in him. I look at the two of them and I think it’s going to change by (November).” Inhofe also acknowledged there is a bit of “wishful thinking” in his forecast, because of his concerns about what a Biden presidency would mean for issues dear to Inhofe, such as military spending. But, “that isn’t governing what I think is going to happen,” he said. “I think he’s going to pull it off, I really do.” Inhofe, seeking his fifth full term in November, is similarly optimistic regarding Republicans’ prospects of retaining the Senate, where the GOP has a 53-47 advantage. Flipping three seats would give Democrats control if they win the White House, because the vice president holds

Councilman won’t seek office again

the tie-breaking vote. cial activity in Edmond’s history.

One area that I am particularly proud of is growth and development downtown, including The Patriarch, Campbell Corner, The Zu (now The Mule) , Sunnyside Diner, Park 17, the Railyard, and Venue 102. Still in the works is the Ice House district, the Towns at Stephenson Park, and Stephenson Park redevelopment. A major goal of mine was to transform downtown Edmond into an entertainment destination for live music, dining and the arts and we are at the early stages of that happening.

I made this decision because it is time for me to spend more time with my family and more time running my business and taking care of my clients at Massey Financial Services. I am not one who is likely to fully retire and have no plans to do so anytime soon. However, focusing on a few less things at my age of almost 73 seems like the right thing to do. Besides, with a little more free time, maybe I’ll be able to play my music and perform a little more often. That side hobby of mine has turned into an unexpected success and I thoroughly enjoy playing my music for my many friends and fans.

While I will miss my involvement with the city council and the many friends I have made, it is time for me to move on. I have complete confidence that whoever is in that role after me will help take our city to even greater accomplishments. Serving our community and our citizens has been one of the great honors and privileges of my life and is a time I will always remember with pride and fondness. I’m not going anywhere though, so I look forward to seeing everyone around town as we continue to watch Edmond grow. NICK MASSEY