An Endorsement for Change and Citizen Power
A joint statement from Laura Lance and Donald Moniak
August 19, 2023
The Aiken Chronicles endorses Teddy Milner for our next Mayor of Aiken. We urge all registered City of Aiken voters to endorse Milner as a vote for change in the Republican Party runoff election on Tuesday, August 22. Since the Democratic Party again failed to field a Mayoral nominee, the victor in the runoff will be the next mayor of Aiken.
The Aiken Chronicles did not endorse a candidate for the August 8th Primary Election. Instead, we chose to submit a series of questions, compiled by contributors and readers to the candidates.
Only candidates Kathryn Wade and Teddy Milner opted to provide answers, which were reported in the Aiken Chronicles August 2, 2023 Online Mayoral Forum.
Among the answers provided by Ms. Milner that led to this endorsement over incumbent Mayor Rick Osbon are:
- A firm resolve to keep local government out of the commercial real estate business.
- A reduced reliance on closed-door, executive sessions by City Council and “meetings with invited stakeholders,’ about which Ms. Milner wrote, “This approach only undermines public confidence. Citizens deserve transparency and accountability from their government.”
- A commitment to address the integrity of existing services before expanding services north of the City.
- A recognition of the declining quality-of-life issues that the ongoing failures in the sewer and water infrastructure create for city and county residents. Ms. Milner wrote: “When citizens pay taxes to the City, they should reasonably expect the City to provide essential services to their own homes and businesses.”
- A courageous and principled willingness to work with the Aiken County Homeless Coalition to address Aiken’s growing population of unhoused citizens.
Simply put, a vote for Teddy Milner is a vote to restore public participation in the decisions that affect our lives; a vote to begin the process of returning Aiken to its citizens.
Unsubstantiated, hostile, harassing, and/or abusive comments by anonymous sources will be deleted.
I am still incensed that the mayor would liie so directly to me in front of such a crowd of people. I am annoyed that even this blatent falsehood loses him no support from the folk who are most affected by this divisive languafe. Maya Angelou said that when someoone shows you who they are, you should believe them the first time. There is also the saying, “Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me”. He has clearly shown who he is. Did he fool you?
You handled a difficult situation very well.
No one knew how to react watching a trusted authority figure lie like that. But you did. My impression was that you’ve dealt with bad school children who behaved the same?
I agree. I endorse Teddy Milner for Mayor of Aiken!
I pray when she is our new Mayor, our existing town employees, council members, AND city attorney follow suit and set a new standard of honesty and transparency. I hope for them, too; this will be a breath of fresh air. I worry it will be a challenge because of the city attorney’s law partners’ involvement in so many deals\favors, real estate acquisitions, developments/future developments in and around our great city; Let’s all support this new way forward and set things straight!
All eyes are now open.
Follow the facts !
Read the AC.
I can’t believe no endorsements for Osbon yet from Brita Sales Reps.
But the realtors was a no brainer
Amen, Sister Laura and Brother Donald. The much too-long reign of the incumbent (“Hizhonor”) has been a disastrous experience, financially and institutionally, for Aiken citizens. Voters now have available to them, in the person of Teddy Milner, the means to put the wayward train back on the right track.
Thank you for the endorsement of Milner for Mayor. I agree, she is the future for our city, removing the cloak of secrecy that surrounds Osbon’s shady, backroom deals. Teddy representls the real opportunity for Aiken citizens to become heard and for City governance to become a democracy, not an autocracy.
I agree wholeheartedly!
James Sector
230 Marion St Se