Ward 3 Alderman Race: Jim Holtzman Says Economic Development Experience Would Benefit Him

Jim Holtzman is a lifelong Clayton resident.

"I've wanted to do this for a really long time," Holtzman said about running for the position of Ward 3 representative on the city's Board of Aldermen. Clayton-Richmond Heights Patch profiled on Friday; published Saturday.

He hasn't run for the office until now because he didn't want to be out of the house when his children were young. Both will be away at school this fall, so he wanted to make himself available.

Background

Holtzman and his wife, Cathy, are Mizzou graduates. He lives four blocks from downtown Clayton's World Trade Center building, where he serves as director of community development for St. Louis County. He has a son, David, who is a sophomore at DePaul University in Chicago and a daughter, Emily, who is a senior at .

Likes About Clayton

Holtzman said his favorite aspects of the city include its top-notch services. He walks downtown all the time—for entertainment, dining and shopping.

The city has great parks, he said.

He plays in a Tuesday night basketball league at the high school gym.

Challenges for Clayton

The city is well managed, and it has been for a number of years, Holtzman said. What's lacking has been the level of communication that elected officials have offered citizens.

"It's a slam on the aldermen, to be honest," Holtzman said. If elected, he said, one of his objectives would be to do a better job of communicating with those residents.

He holds a master's degree in public administration and has more than 20 years of experience in the areas of community and economic development. He has cobbled together financial resources and worked with neighborhood organizations and business districts.

"I feel I have the ability to build consensus and get projects completed," Holtzman said. In an age of declining resources, he said, he would be useful as an alderman.

Like his opponents, Holtzman sees value in addressing the city's budget deficit.

"We have to get our expenses back in line with revenues," he said. In addition, the city must build a healthy reserve.

He's also interested in preserving Clayton's neighborhoods. Many are under community or institutional pressure, he said, pointing to a by that has stirred up controversy in the Davis Place neighborhood.

Residents sometimes don't have much of a say in who buys a piece of property or what happens to it.

"We need to make sure that uses are compatible with existing neighborhoods," Holtzman said.

A Difficult Decision

Previously, Holtzman served as vice president for real estate development for Grand Center Inc.

In that role, he said, he was one of the people tasked with the difficult decision of determining whether to preserve the historic Beaumont Medical Building.

Environmental reports were compiled and renovation estimates taken. The group had the option of pursuing either historic preservation or new development.

Ultimately, he said, the group decided that what it would be able to create outweighed the historic preservation element. The Pulitzer Foundation for the Arts now sits at that location, as does Contemporary Art Museum St. Louis.

In the long run, he said, the group made the right decision.

New Police Station

Holtzman broached the subject of the city's new police station to illustrate his thoughts about communication between elected representatives and residents. He said the decision to eventually move the to a four-story building on Brentwood Boulevard effectively took a tax-generating property off of the city's tax rolls. The decision happened quickly, he said.

The issue has sailed, he said, and it's one he wouldn't bring up if elected to be the next alderman.

If elected, he said, he would collect residents' e-mails and give them a heads-up about important upcoming decisions.

Smoking Ordinance Lawsuit

When asked to comment on a over its ordinance that bans smoking in parks, Holtzman said he is fully supportive of the city's ban on smoking. He said he is concerned with litter, including cigarette butts that get thrown on the ground.

"We can't be too restrictive with smoking policies," he said.

Wydown Middle School

Holtzman declined to comment on the about the new , saying he didn't want to embarrass anyone.

Skill Set

Holtzman said the fact that he's lived in Clayton all of his life doesn't qualify him to be an alderman. But it does give him a historic reference point that makes him determined to make Clayton one of the premier cities in the area. He wants to leave the city in a strong financial position for the next generation.

"It's a great skyline for this area," Holtzman said.

There are many opportunities for development in the area, he said. He referenced Carondelet Village, the site of the old Schnucks grocery store and the now-vacant luxury apartment complex.

Knowing and using economic development tools, including experience working with state and federal governments, would be an advantage for him, Holtzman said.

On the Campaign Trail

Holtzman has started knocking on doors and planned to have signs for display as well. He planned to participate in at least two public events. A -sponsored candidates panel is planned from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 29 at , and a Mayor's Youth Advisory Council forum. That event is scheduled from 7 to 8:30 p.m. March 31 at , according to davisplacenews.com.

Holtzman said he would consider the role of an alderman public service, not politics. If elected, Holtzman said, it would be the highest office he desires to hold.