This week, we asked the candidates:

• What do you think is the biggest public safety concern for Dunedin residents, and how do you plan to address it, if you are elected? 

Heather Gracy responds:

When residents take the initiative to establish watch programs in their neighborhoods, the city and law enforcement should listen, support and investigate whenever and wherever possible. It appears to me as I listen to concerned Dunedin residents they want a safer environment on the streets and areas where they live. As recently as this past August, residents of Lyndhurst Street provide a shining example of an area taking proactive measures to increase community awareness of drug prevention. They are sending a determined signal to criminals that they will continue the full court press of reporting suspicious behavior [to the] the authorities. Current city officials should continue to follow and address crime related trends with the Pinellas County Sherriff’s Office. Depending on the publication of this article, I hope that you will join me in attending their next neighborhood watch meeting on Monday, Oct. 15th from 6-8:30 at the VFW Hall on Douglas Avenue. 

As I thought when I decided to run for City Commission Seat 3, neighborhood cut-through traffic and speeding in our neighborhoods continues to be a safety concern for Dunedin residents. The remedy to this disturbing trend lies in our collective ability to rise above neighborhood disagreements and focus on the fix. Does the City have suggested or preferred routes for busy and congested areas and can they be published? Can the Sheriff’s Office deploy details on bicycles for pedestrian and bicycle safety? Should the City Commission appoint a citizen-based task force in order to leverage ideas and safe practices within our community? My website, HeatherGracy.com discusses this very aspect. Closing taxpayer funded roads, in my opinion, is shortsighted, fiscally irresponsible and hardly encompasses an increase in quality of life that is fair for all residents. As residents of this charming coastal community, remind those around you to slow down and make time for the extra five minutes that allow for safety and quiet enjoyment.

See also, Commissioner David Carson's response.

Related Coverage:

• Heather Gracy on the Patch Podium: Quality of Life
• City Elections: Candidates Share Quality of Life Vision
• Heather Gracy on the Patch Podium: Experience
• City Elections: Carson Vs Gracy on Experience
• Heather Gracy Looking to 'Come in Fresh'