Letter: Ullman offers leadership on environmental issues

Posted on by Letters
Graphic by Lori Deaton

Climate change is the greatest challenge of our time. Maggie Ullman Berthiaume is the only City Council candidate with environmental or climate credentials, and she has two qualities we need: 1) leadership on environmental issues and 2) a proven ability to work with the city.

When my wife and I moved to Asheville in 2007, a goal I set for myself was to get involved in our community. I joined the city’s newly formed Sustainability Advisory Committee on Energy and Environment, serving one year as chair.

At SACEE, I met Maggie Ullman, a recent UNC Asheville graduate in environmental policy and management who was serving as Asheville’s first sustainability officer. Maggie immediately and consistently impressed me with her professionalism and effectiveness.

Maggie was responsible for guiding SACEE to ensure our community met our goal of reducing the carbon footprint of municipal operations by at least 4% per year. Under Maggie’s leadership, we exceeded that goal every year. The goal has not been met since Maggie left to work on regional and international climate change action.

At present, our city has a goal to implement 100% renewable energy by 2030. Unfortunately, the city is nowhere near achieving this goal. I sincerely believe that we could achieve that goal if we elect Maggie to City Council.

I support Maggie Ullman for City Council, and I hope you will join me and vote for Maggie in the nonpartisan primary on May 17.

— Dane Barrager
Downtown resident and business owner
Asheville

Editor’s note: Barrager reports volunteering for the candidate’s campaign.

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3 thoughts on “Letter: Ullman offers leadership on environmental issues”

  1. Taxpayer

    We need capable and experienced leadership to turn this tran wreck around. I’m not seeing a lot of that in any candidates for city council. This council full of “activists” has been the least active and least transparent council we’ve ever had.

    • Enlightened Enigma

      We have at least 4 new males for city council and mayor… YourTeamAsheville.com

      Climate always changes and all the BS is a gigantic hoax to take your money anyway they can !!! RESIST !!!

      1

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