We Ask the Candidates: What do you want to achieve on Council?
*Although John Flores did not respond to the questionnaire, we included his name and photo to show he is on the ballot and was not omitted on our part.
The Georgia Record was relaunched in June of 2021 and has been extremely successful fighting corruption in the state named after King George of England. The original paper was started in 1899 and published into the early 20th century.
In 2020, CDM (Creative Destruction Media) acquired Johns Creek Post and brought back The Georgia Record to better represent the state rather than just Johns Creek News.
Here we go again - another candidate who wants to pick and choose which residents he will talk to. Not all are worthy. I have never seen this guy at council meetings or events nor heard of him. What are his positions, beliefs, governing style. Is he going to be another puppet vote for the Mayor???
Q: Is he going to be another puppet vote for the Mayor???
A: Yes.
From what I understand and can see, Flores is being groomed by Bodker. Look at who is endorsing him and who his campaign manager is... and you can make your opinions from there.
Stacy M.
7 years ago
Jay Lin was a candidate in the last election that chose not to answer questions too.
He turned out to be a real dud on council.
John Flores, you don't speak, you don't write, you don't get my vote!
I'm an informed voter but I'm feeling woefully uninformed about my choices for city council. I have some familiarity with Mr. Coughlin based on some of the comments here and I remember him from before. However, I don't know anything about Mr. Flores. Does he have a website or anything that any of you can tell me about him? What is his record?
Flores only has his facebook page that I am aware of. A question regarding his positions and a website for more information on his facebook page has gone unanswered.
I encourage everyone to ask questions on his facebook page and inquire about his positions. I would like to see some engagement from him other than his resume and how he wants to grow Johns Creek.
Interestingly enough -- a neighbor who lives across the street from Flores -- commented on the post regarding requesting a sign for your yard/business. Within the post a neighbor stated she would love to meet him and his family as they are across the street from each other.
Someone comments "Good to know that he's so very involved in the community that he hasn't yet met his neighbors. Noted."
His wife answers for him -- and states they have been traveling, taking their girls to drs visits and our 4 month old " .. we are finally starting to get settled in and look forward to growing our community in Johns Creek."
Last time I checked -- Facebook is accessible from most anywhere. Traveling does not prevent you from answering questions or stating your positions.
I just know if I were to run for a public office -- I would ALREADY KNOW my positions and would be happy to state them. We should not have to pull teeth to get answers or half answers.
Correct me if I am wrong, but can anyone find real substance on Flores' Facebook page and/or answers. If so, please feel free to share, I would love to know both candidates.
Contrast and compare Flores to Coughlin.
Coughlin is very active on his page and answers questions.
Coughlin states his positions and he answers questions his constituents have asked. He does not hide behind his travels, his settling into the community (which by the way, isn't helping him) and he answers questions.
I find it interesting that Mr. Flores does not have a website, does not answer questions directly and only writes of his accomplishments. Which may or may not have been from cronyism.
Visit Johns Flores for Johns Creek City Council on Facebook (the only place to publicly reach him) -- and you will find that Mr. Flores has not answered any of the questions with a meaningful answer.
Visit Chris Coughlin for Johns Creek City Council on Facebook and you will find thought out answers and meaningful answers. I don't know if I am going to agree with Mr. Coughlin 100% of the time but at least I know I am getting someone who is willing to work with the citizens and protect our city from further commercialization of Johns Creek.
As you may already know, Broadbent, Davenport and Lin have already lent their support and endorsement to Flores.
In my opinion, Lin and Davenport are puppets put in place by Mayor Bodker. If you go back and review the meetings and the votes -- Lin and Davenport have never veered from their Puppet Master Bodker.
Davenport does not really add value to the city council and has only voted with Bodker. Lin has proven that he also only knows how to vote with Bodker.
Let's not forget Nazeera Dawood who was also a puppet for Bodker. She also never could answer a question on paper let alone in person. Dawood had her talking points and could not answer beyond it. Thank goodness the citizens in Johns Creek, who paid attention, realized she was completely unqualified and Stephanie Endres is and was the best candidate for the job. Dawood was also sold to us as a conservative, a person of integrity, a knowledgeable citizen. ...she was NONE of it.
Broadbent has voted with Bodker on most issues except for one recent one and that was regarding the millage rate. Thank goodness he made one decent vote in his career.
Flores will give Bodker the majority votes again and, once again, the citizens of Johns Creek are the losers.
With that said, Flores is also another puppet for Bodker. If you like the Billboards: if you like how our money is being spent (i.e., new logo, new signage, city manager, etc); if you like the puppets from Bodker .. then Flores is your man.
Clearly, Bodker has tried to put in friends who will support him and vote with him regardless of the needs and wants of the citizens. It is important that we are involved in local politics.
Please think about everyone that has been on city council lately and think about those who were put in place, endorsed by Bodker and think about their qualifications. Flores is probably the most qualified of Bodker's puppets in recent history but he meets the same issues as his predecessors and that is he does not answer questions; he is vague in responses; he has the same campaign managers; he is endorsed by Bodker or Bodker's lackeys; his interests are not for the citizens; and he will vote with Bodker.
So ask yourself, do you want another Bodker puppet on the city council?
I encourage you to make your own judgments and/or observations but I don't feel like mine are too off base.
If the guy can't take ten minutes to state his positions he does not deserve our votes. Maybe he has no positions and thus even more reasons not to vote for him. All we need is another Jay Lin talking head on council.
Ed Thompson
7 years ago
We've seen this before and we know where it will lead if we don't perform our civic duty. Get to know the candidates and their positions. Understand whether they have their own positions and if they align with your interests. Also seek to understand who has their positions based on core values, or whether they are only using talking points that have been prepared for them by a campaign manager.
We have done our homework and Chris Coughlin has earned the votes of our household.
A candidate should know what his positions are BEFORE running for office. We do not need another council member who decides on the fly what his positions are, and certainly not one who waits to hear what the Mayor's position is before they decide what their own position is.
There are too many important issues that need to be openly discussed and debated for the better of everyone in Johns Creek. Too often we have seen a lack of debate, a lack of serious discussions, and a willingness of some Council Members to go along with the "majority" for the sake of appearance.
Groupthink is NOT what this Council needs. We need members like Endres and Zaprowski who are willing to challenge the status quo and ask the questions that for the most part have not been asked during work sessions or council meetings.
Coughlin is one that will also challenge the assumptions, ask the right questions, and ask to see the "data" before moving forward. What we do not need to do is do and vote for projects because all of the other cities are also doing so.
We do not want to be like all the other cities do we? If we did, we should have just pick one and merge with them. Instead we wanted to have control of our own destiny.
Better decisions require better data and better analysis. Chris Coughlin is more than qualified and more than ready for this role.
Every day it becomes more apparent that the future of Johns Creek will be better with Chris Couglin joining the others and asking more questions on behalf of the residents of Johns Creek.
Here we go again - another candidate who wants to pick and choose which residents he will talk to. Not all are worthy. I have never seen this guy at council meetings or events nor heard of him. What are his positions, beliefs, governing style. Is he going to be another puppet vote for the Mayor???
Q: Is he going to be another puppet vote for the Mayor???
A: Yes.
From what I understand and can see, Flores is being groomed by Bodker. Look at who is endorsing him and who his campaign manager is... and you can make your opinions from there.
Jay Lin was a candidate in the last election that chose not to answer questions too.
He turned out to be a real dud on council.
John Flores, you don't speak, you don't write, you don't get my vote!
I'm an informed voter but I'm feeling woefully uninformed about my choices for city council. I have some familiarity with Mr. Coughlin based on some of the comments here and I remember him from before. However, I don't know anything about Mr. Flores. Does he have a website or anything that any of you can tell me about him? What is his record?
@Sleepless
Flores only has his facebook page that I am aware of. A question regarding his positions and a website for more information on his facebook page has gone unanswered.
I encourage everyone to ask questions on his facebook page and inquire about his positions. I would like to see some engagement from him other than his resume and how he wants to grow Johns Creek.
Interestingly enough -- a neighbor who lives across the street from Flores -- commented on the post regarding requesting a sign for your yard/business. Within the post a neighbor stated she would love to meet him and his family as they are across the street from each other.
Someone comments "Good to know that he's so very involved in the community that he hasn't yet met his neighbors. Noted."
His wife answers for him -- and states they have been traveling, taking their girls to drs visits and our 4 month old " .. we are finally starting to get settled in and look forward to growing our community in Johns Creek."
Last time I checked -- Facebook is accessible from most anywhere. Traveling does not prevent you from answering questions or stating your positions.
I just know if I were to run for a public office -- I would ALREADY KNOW my positions and would be happy to state them. We should not have to pull teeth to get answers or half answers.
Correct me if I am wrong, but can anyone find real substance on Flores' Facebook page and/or answers. If so, please feel free to share, I would love to know both candidates.
Contrast and compare Flores to Coughlin.
Coughlin is very active on his page and answers questions.
Coughlin states his positions and he answers questions his constituents have asked. He does not hide behind his travels, his settling into the community (which by the way, isn't helping him) and he answers questions.
Hope this helps.
Flores:
https://www.facebook.com/JohnFloresforJohnsCreek
Coughlin:
https://www.facebook.com/chriscoughlinjohnscreek
http://www.votechriscoughlin.com
I find it interesting that Mr. Flores does not have a website, does not answer questions directly and only writes of his accomplishments. Which may or may not have been from cronyism.
Visit Johns Flores for Johns Creek City Council on Facebook (the only place to publicly reach him) -- and you will find that Mr. Flores has not answered any of the questions with a meaningful answer.
Visit Chris Coughlin for Johns Creek City Council on Facebook and you will find thought out answers and meaningful answers. I don't know if I am going to agree with Mr. Coughlin 100% of the time but at least I know I am getting someone who is willing to work with the citizens and protect our city from further commercialization of Johns Creek.
As you may already know, Broadbent, Davenport and Lin have already lent their support and endorsement to Flores.
In my opinion, Lin and Davenport are puppets put in place by Mayor Bodker. If you go back and review the meetings and the votes -- Lin and Davenport have never veered from their Puppet Master Bodker.
Davenport does not really add value to the city council and has only voted with Bodker. Lin has proven that he also only knows how to vote with Bodker.
Let's not forget Nazeera Dawood who was also a puppet for Bodker. She also never could answer a question on paper let alone in person. Dawood had her talking points and could not answer beyond it. Thank goodness the citizens in Johns Creek, who paid attention, realized she was completely unqualified and Stephanie Endres is and was the best candidate for the job. Dawood was also sold to us as a conservative, a person of integrity, a knowledgeable citizen. ...she was NONE of it.
Broadbent has voted with Bodker on most issues except for one recent one and that was regarding the millage rate. Thank goodness he made one decent vote in his career.
Flores will give Bodker the majority votes again and, once again, the citizens of Johns Creek are the losers.
With that said, Flores is also another puppet for Bodker. If you like the Billboards: if you like how our money is being spent (i.e., new logo, new signage, city manager, etc); if you like the puppets from Bodker .. then Flores is your man.
Clearly, Bodker has tried to put in friends who will support him and vote with him regardless of the needs and wants of the citizens. It is important that we are involved in local politics.
Please think about everyone that has been on city council lately and think about those who were put in place, endorsed by Bodker and think about their qualifications. Flores is probably the most qualified of Bodker's puppets in recent history but he meets the same issues as his predecessors and that is he does not answer questions; he is vague in responses; he has the same campaign managers; he is endorsed by Bodker or Bodker's lackeys; his interests are not for the citizens; and he will vote with Bodker.
So ask yourself, do you want another Bodker puppet on the city council?
I encourage you to make your own judgments and/or observations but I don't feel like mine are too off base.
References:
https://www.facebook.com/JohnFloresforJohnsCreek
https://www.facebook.com/chriscoughlinjohnscreek
If the guy can't take ten minutes to state his positions he does not deserve our votes. Maybe he has no positions and thus even more reasons not to vote for him. All we need is another Jay Lin talking head on council.
We've seen this before and we know where it will lead if we don't perform our civic duty. Get to know the candidates and their positions. Understand whether they have their own positions and if they align with your interests. Also seek to understand who has their positions based on core values, or whether they are only using talking points that have been prepared for them by a campaign manager.
We have done our homework and Chris Coughlin has earned the votes of our household.
A candidate should know what his positions are BEFORE running for office. We do not need another council member who decides on the fly what his positions are, and certainly not one who waits to hear what the Mayor's position is before they decide what their own position is.
There are too many important issues that need to be openly discussed and debated for the better of everyone in Johns Creek. Too often we have seen a lack of debate, a lack of serious discussions, and a willingness of some Council Members to go along with the "majority" for the sake of appearance.
Groupthink is NOT what this Council needs. We need members like Endres and Zaprowski who are willing to challenge the status quo and ask the questions that for the most part have not been asked during work sessions or council meetings.
Coughlin is one that will also challenge the assumptions, ask the right questions, and ask to see the "data" before moving forward. What we do not need to do is do and vote for projects because all of the other cities are also doing so.
We do not want to be like all the other cities do we? If we did, we should have just pick one and merge with them. Instead we wanted to have control of our own destiny.
Better decisions require better data and better analysis. Chris Coughlin is more than qualified and more than ready for this role.
Every day it becomes more apparent that the future of Johns Creek will be better with Chris Couglin joining the others and asking more questions on behalf of the residents of Johns Creek.