Skye Reymond

about 2 years ago

@FarrellPatrickJ @danieljohnsonuk you rock. Go herd 🤘🏼

Who to follow

Mayor of Huntington, West Virginia. Personal account. Views are my own.

Shailendra Sharma

@shail_sfdc

Salesforce Samurai (he/him)

@SFDCSamurai

6x Certified #AwesomeAdmin #DeclarativeDev Buckeyes | Browns | Indians https://t.co/vHgX8i4NYm

about 2 years ago

@GetOnTap @EERSNATION @mattnjas_RN4L @hannahr_brewer tell your husband to get an x account so he can see people admiring his work 🤣

141

skyereymond retweeted

over 2 years ago

Winning Comes First The skills required to effectively lead a city are not necessarily the same ones needed to win an election. To this point, I’ve focused mostly on learning about the key issues facing Huntington so I am prepared to lead after the election. However, in order for me to put the knowledge I’m gaining to good use, the first thing I have to do is win the election. This week, I've begun to seriously engage in more traditional political campaign activities. Here are some of the things I’ve been doing and how you can help. We ordered yard signs. Please get in touch with me if you would like one for your yard or window. We booked public speaking engagements and agreed to attend several “meet the candidates�� events. Please let me know if there is an event you think I should attend. We started talking about the best time to have our first fundraiser. Please let me know if you would like to help host a fundraiser or attend one when it’s planned. I have recently been meeting with important community leaders like church pastors and union leaders, and I'd like to meet with as many groups as I can. Please invite me to talk to your group, or introduce me to the leaders of your organization so we can set up a meeting. With only eight weeks until early voting begins, there's a lot to do. Rest assured, I'm going to continue doing deep dives into the core issues to ensure I'm ready to lead once I win. Winning, however, comes first.

FarrellPatrickJ's tweet photo. Winning Comes First

The skills required to effectively lead a city are not necessarily the same ones needed to win an election. To this point, I’ve focused mostly on learning about the key issues facing Huntington so I am prepared to lead after the election. However, in order for me to put the knowledge I’m gaining to good use, the first thing I have to do is win the election.

This week, I've begun to seriously engage in more traditional political campaign activities. Here are some of the things I’ve been doing and how you can help.

We ordered yard signs. Please get in touch with me if you would like one for your yard or window.

We booked public speaking engagements and agreed to attend several “meet the candidates�� events. Please let me know if there is an event you think I should attend.

We started talking about the best time to have our first fundraiser. Please let me know if you would like to help host a fundraiser or attend one when it’s planned.

I have recently been meeting with important community leaders like church pastors and union leaders, and I'd like to meet with as many groups as I can. Please invite me to talk to your group, or introduce me to the leaders of your organization so we can set up a meeting.

With only eight weeks until early voting begins, there's a lot to do. Rest assured, I'm going to continue doing deep dives into the core issues to ensure I'm ready to lead once I win. Winning, however, comes first.

923

skyereymond retweeted

over 2 years ago

We Built Our Field of Dreams The phrase “I'll believe it when they throw out the first pitch” will linger in my memory for years to come. It encapsulates the skepticism I often heard from rightfully disillusioned Marshall fans. For decades, they were promised a baseball stadium in Huntington, only to be let down time and time again. Today, however, marks a monumental shift for all those who needed to see it to truly believe it. When the first pitch is thrown this afternoon at Jack Cook Field, we will celebrate seeing a decades-old dream become reality. Today, we finally made it happen. I intentionally say “we” made it happen because it took unwavering perseverance from so many people. It took massive collaboration between city, state, and federal partners. It took public funds from taxpayers like you along with private resources from generous donors. It took the university’s current and former board members, presidents, athletic directors, alumni, and student-athletes. It would have taken us even longer to get to the finish line if not for the governor, mayor, and even Marshall legend Coach Bobby Pruett, who helped secure a huge portion of the funding and whose relationships inside CSX railroad made it possible to negotiate the deal to buy the land we needed. It has been a long time coming, and our day is finally here. What excites me most about today, and one of the reasons I am running for mayor, is the potential the stadium has to ignite a transformative economic revitalization in Huntington. The spirit of collaboration that led to the construction of the stadium can continue. If “we” do this right, the city-owned ACF property and the Marshall-owned properties along Fifth Avenue & 24th Street offer us an incredible opportunity to build the city we want. From the floodwall to Fifth Avenue, stretching through the heart of the Highlawn community, “we” have the power to rejuvenate our city, injecting new vitality into an area that once bustled with life. Here is my vision for what needs to be done next. The land where the baseball stadium was originally going to be built along Fifth Avenue was bought at a relatively low cost. Marshall is now positioned to use federal grants for site cleanup, enabling a sale to developers at a price well above the initial cost. These developers can then make significant investments to construct new buildings on the properties facing Fifth Avenue where you would typically see retail outlets and restaurants. These new stores will draw patrons, generate revenue, and subsequently contribute taxes to both city and state coffers. The empty parcels north of Fifth Avenue, the ones nestled between Third and Fifth Avenues along with the former ACF property that backs up to the floodwall, have much higher potential. Most universities located in cities become landlocked, so land adjacent to campus is too valuable to be used solely for retail establishments or coffee shops. Successful city and university partners fortunate enough to have available university-adjacent land take a strategic approach and use it to attract companies that are seeking access to the university’s talent and research capabilities. Working together, Huntington and Marshall can bring in these types of businesses to strengthen the city’s economy and add to the university’s success. As mayor, I will make sure we don’t squander the opportunity to build something great. We did that many years ago when Huntington’s civic leaders weren’t all on the same page, so the mall was built in Barboursville and we ended up with a Chi-Chi’s restaurant on the Superblock. While I enjoyed the chips and salsa, it serves as a sad testament to how cities can shoot themselves in the foot. It took decades before we finally came together with a common purpose. Now Pullman Plaza, along with the revitalization of the businesses across the street on 3rd Avenue, has transformed downtown Huntington into a regional magnet. This rebirth underscores the imperative to pursue strategies that promise not just immediate gratification, but also long-term economic prosperity. The kind of strategic development of the ACF and Marshall properties I’m talking about can be a catalyst for a similar renewal in the Highlawn community. With growth like this, people who work in the new district will need places to live. That will compel the city to tear down dilapidated houses and private developers to begin investing in residential housing again. New growth will push drugs and crime out of the neighborhood, and property values will increase. You may be thinking, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” I’m used to hearing that, and I’m running for mayor to show you we can make it happen. This vision for renewal is not just a dream; it's a real future we can achieve if we work together. By harnessing the collective power of “we,” we can replicate the success of the baseball stadium project to renew our city. My goal is to ensure ongoing collaboration between Huntington and Marshall, fostering an environment where people are eager to live, work, and raise their families. This vision for our city is within reach. With your support, we can make it a reality. #GoHerd

FarrellPatrickJ's tweet photo. We Built Our Field of Dreams
The phrase “I'll believe it when they throw out the first pitch” will linger in my memory for years to come. It encapsulates the skepticism I often heard from rightfully disillusioned Marshall fans. For decades, they were promised a baseball stadium in Huntington, only to be let down time and time again. Today, however, marks a monumental shift for all those who needed to see it to truly believe it. When the first pitch is thrown this afternoon at Jack Cook Field, we will celebrate seeing a decades-old dream become reality. Today, we finally made it happen.

I intentionally say “we” made it happen because it took unwavering perseverance from so many people. It took massive collaboration between city, state, and federal partners. It took public funds from taxpayers like you along with private resources from generous donors. It took the university’s current and former board members, presidents, athletic directors, alumni, and student-athletes. It would have taken us even longer to get to the finish line if not for the governor, mayor, and even Marshall legend Coach Bobby Pruett, who helped secure a huge portion of the funding and whose relationships inside CSX railroad made it possible to negotiate the deal to buy the land we needed. It has been a long time coming, and our day is finally here.

What excites me most about today, and one of the reasons I am running for mayor, is the potential the stadium has to ignite a transformative economic revitalization in Huntington.
The spirit of collaboration that led to the construction of the stadium can continue. If “we” do this right, the city-owned ACF property and the Marshall-owned properties along Fifth Avenue & 24th Street offer us an incredible opportunity to build the city we want. From the floodwall to Fifth Avenue, stretching through the heart of the Highlawn community, “we” have the power to rejuvenate our city, injecting new vitality into an area that once bustled with life.

Here is my vision for what needs to be done next.

The land where the baseball stadium was originally going to be built along Fifth Avenue was bought at a relatively low cost. Marshall is now positioned to use federal grants for site cleanup, enabling a sale to developers at a price well above the initial cost. These developers can then make significant investments to construct new buildings on the properties facing Fifth Avenue where you would typically see retail outlets and restaurants. These new stores will draw patrons, generate revenue, and subsequently contribute taxes to both city and state coffers.

The empty parcels north of Fifth Avenue, the ones nestled between Third and Fifth Avenues along with the former ACF property that backs up to the floodwall, have much higher potential. Most universities located in cities become landlocked, so land adjacent to campus is too valuable to be used solely for retail establishments or coffee shops. Successful city and university partners fortunate enough to have available university-adjacent land take a strategic approach and use it to attract companies that are seeking access to the university’s talent and research capabilities. Working together, Huntington and Marshall can bring in these types of businesses to strengthen the city’s economy and add to the university’s success.

As mayor, I will make sure we don’t squander the opportunity to build something great. We did that many years ago when Huntington’s civic leaders weren’t all on the same page, so the mall was built in Barboursville and we ended up with a Chi-Chi’s restaurant on the Superblock. While I enjoyed the chips and salsa, it serves as a sad testament to how cities can shoot themselves in the foot.

It took decades before we finally came together with a common purpose. Now Pullman Plaza, along with the revitalization of the businesses across the street on 3rd Avenue, has transformed downtown Huntington into a regional magnet. This rebirth underscores the imperative to pursue strategies that promise not just immediate gratification, but also long-term economic prosperity.

The kind of strategic development of the ACF and Marshall properties I’m talking about can be a catalyst for a similar renewal in the Highlawn community. With growth like this, people who work in the new district will need places to live. That will compel the city to tear down dilapidated houses and private developers to begin investing in residential housing again. New growth will push drugs and crime out of the neighborhood, and property values will increase.

You may be thinking, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” I’m used to hearing that, and I’m running for mayor to show you we can make it happen. This vision for renewal is not just a dream; it's a real future we can achieve if we work together. By harnessing the collective power of “we,” we can replicate the success of the baseball stadium project to renew our city. My goal is to ensure ongoing collaboration between Huntington and Marshall, fostering an environment where people are eager to live, work, and raise their families. This vision for our city is within reach. With your support, we can make it a reality.
#GoHerd

skyereymond retweeted

over 2 years ago

The ⁦new @herdbusiness⁩ school opens for classes next week. It looks amazing and I hope nobody forgets that Brad and Alys Smith were generous benefactors before coming home to help bring prosperity to our state. #WeAreMarshall

FarrellPatrickJ's tweet photo. The ⁦new @herdbusiness⁩ school opens for classes next week. It looks amazing and I hope nobody forgets that Brad and Alys Smith were generous benefactors before coming home to help bring prosperity to our state. #WeAreMarshall https://t.co/hSVNtVg7XF

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skyereymond retweeted

almost 3 years ago

I believe in Huntington's potential, and I believe in its people. I’m ready to fight to make our city a place where future generations can thrive and proudly call it home. That is why I am running for mayor in 2024 - to unlock the remarkable potential of our city and make it a place people want to work and live. I hope you’ll join the effort so we can tackle our challenges together. The City of Huntington’s population peaked in 1950 and has declined ever since. The reasons why people move away aren't easy to pin down, but most people are simply looking for a better job or a brighter future for their families. I’m convinced that if we can create a safer and more livable city, prioritize high-quality education, and invest heavily in economic development, then we can start to grow Huntington again. Much of this work has begun, and thanks to our city leaders, we’re seeing real progress. We won the title of America's Best Community and a $3 million prize in a community revitalization competition. Millions of dollars have already been allocated to the city’s water infrastructure, and after decades of frustration, the ACF industrial property is finally being redeveloped alongside the construction of a new Marshall University baseball stadium. The city made all of these strides while also leading the fight against the national opioid crisis and navigating a global pandemic. The list of good things happening in Huntington is a long one. You can see the improvements when you enter the city and in our lively downtown. The changes in the city are tangible, and they are happening now. They show us that we have what it takes to improve. Things can get better! But despite the exciting momentum, our population is still declining. To reverse the trend, we need to create a safer and more livable city. A good place to start is to help the people suffering from homelessness and addiction get off the streets, find shelter, and get the recovery resources they need. Another way I’ll fight to make the city safer is to fix our recurring flooding problems. No one dreams of living in a home where the basement floods every time there's heavy rain, and constant flooding harms our public health and quality of life. Cities that grow also offer high-quality educational opportunities, and it is no secret that West Virginia’s public schools are facing serious challenges. No matter how we look at it, our educational outcomes don't stack up well against the rest of the country. If we want to change that, we cannot continue to expect our teachers to also be counselors, nurses, and social workers. They need more support, and that support can’t come at the expense of our parks and libraries. These are our schools, our parks, and our libraries. They all contribute to making our community great, and I am committed to helping find the resources to support them all. Another hallmark of a growing city is robust economic growth. For decades we’ve thought that “good-paying jobs” is all we needed to grow, but most local businesses are short on talented workers and have plenty of job openings. So why do so many people leave the area to find work? It's because people want more than just any job. They want to work in their chosen field and get paid what they think they're worth. Too many of our kids can't find that here so they often leave to pursue their dreams somewhere else. Now is the time to change that. I’ve dedicated my career to investing in West Virginia’s economy, and I’ve led our community as a member of the Marshall University Board of Governors. I know what it’s going to take to turn things around, and I know the city’s best economic development strategy is to partner more closely with Marshall to add fuel to the exciting rebirth happening on campus. Enrollment is up for the first time in many years, and there is new construction at every turn. To grow, the city needs to find ways to keep students here after they finish school by ensuring we have companies here to hire them and affordable housing available for them to live in. Addressing all these problems calls for our community to come together with a unity of purpose. We need to recognize the same challenges, align on the same goals, and collaborate in genuine partnership. We can work together to grow our population and intentionally build a healthy community with a strong economy. We can be the Huntington generation that seized the opportunity and transformed the future of our city. This kind of change will only happen through the efforts of a whole host of people who are determined and capable of delivering. We need people who’ve never thought of themselves as public servants to step forward and run for the board of education, city council, and every other local office. We need to harness the power of our university and our healthcare system to start holistically nurturing our children from the earliest ages. And we need our business leaders to see the untapped potential the city has and to invest in its development. I’m running for mayor in 2024 because I see our potential, and I’m ready to lead the resurgence of Huntington. You can help. Pick one of the problems above and use your talent to serve our community in whatever way you can. Encourage the most capable person you know to run for office—or run for office yourself. Donate money to a law enforcement agency or drug treatment program. Volunteer at a school. Publicly offer up your own ideas for making Huntington a place where people find better jobs and brighter futures for their families. At the very least, share this essay with someone and then start a conversation about the city's future. We’ve got a lot to do, and we need your help.

FarrellPatrickJ's tweet photo. I believe in Huntington's potential, and I believe in its people. I’m ready to fight to make our city a place where future generations can thrive and proudly call it home. That is why I am running for mayor in 2024 - to unlock the remarkable potential of our city and make it a place people want to work and live. I hope you’ll join the effort so we can tackle our challenges together.

The City of Huntington’s population peaked in 1950 and has declined ever since. The reasons why people move away aren't easy to pin down, but most people are simply looking for a better job or a brighter future for their families.

I’m convinced that if we can create a safer and more livable city, prioritize high-quality education, and invest heavily in economic development, then we can start to grow Huntington again.

Much of this work has begun, and thanks to our city leaders, we’re seeing real progress. We won the title of America's Best Community and a $3 million prize in a community revitalization competition. Millions of dollars have already been allocated to the city’s water infrastructure, and after decades of frustration, the ACF industrial property is finally being redeveloped alongside the construction of a new Marshall University baseball stadium. The city made all of these strides while also leading the fight against the national opioid crisis and navigating a global pandemic.

The list of good things happening in Huntington is a long one. You can see the improvements when you enter the city and in our lively downtown. The changes in the city are tangible, and they are happening now. They show us that we have what it takes to improve. Things can get better!

But despite the exciting momentum, our population is still declining. To reverse the trend, we need to create a safer and more livable city. A good place to start is to help the people suffering from homelessness and addiction get off the streets, find shelter, and get the recovery resources they need. Another way I’ll fight to make the city safer is to fix our recurring flooding problems. No one dreams of living in a home where the basement floods every time there's heavy rain, and constant flooding harms our public health and quality of life.

Cities that grow also offer high-quality educational opportunities, and it is no secret that West Virginia’s public schools are facing serious challenges. No matter how we look at it, our educational outcomes don't stack up well against the rest of the country. If we want to change that, we cannot continue to expect our teachers to also be counselors, nurses, and social workers. They need more support, and that support can’t come at the expense of our parks and libraries. These are our schools, our parks, and our libraries. They all contribute to making our community great, and I am committed to helping find the resources to support them all.

Another hallmark of a growing city is robust economic growth. For decades we’ve thought that “good-paying jobs” is all we needed to grow, but most local businesses are short on talented workers and have plenty of job openings. So why do so many people leave the area to find work? It's because people want more than just any job. They want to work in their chosen field and get paid what they think they're worth. Too many of our kids can't find that here so they often leave to pursue their dreams somewhere else.

Now is the time to change that. I’ve dedicated my career to investing in West Virginia’s economy, and I’ve led our community as a member of the Marshall University Board of Governors. I know what it’s going to take to turn things around, and I know the city’s best economic development strategy is to partner more closely with Marshall to add fuel to the exciting rebirth happening on campus. Enrollment is up for the first time in many years, and there is new construction at every turn. To grow, the city needs to find ways to keep students here after they finish school by ensuring we have companies here to hire them and affordable housing available for them to live in.

Addressing all these problems calls for our community to come together with a unity of purpose. We need to recognize the same challenges, align on the same goals, and collaborate in genuine partnership. We can work together to grow our population and intentionally build a healthy community with a strong economy. We can be the Huntington generation that seized the opportunity and transformed the future of our city.

This kind of change will only happen through the efforts of a whole host of people who are determined and capable of delivering. We need people who’ve never thought of themselves as public servants to step forward and run for the board of education, city council, and every other local office. We need to harness the power of our university and our healthcare system to start holistically nurturing our children from the earliest ages. And we need our business leaders to see the untapped potential the city has and to invest in its development.

I’m running for mayor in 2024 because I see our potential, and I’m ready to lead the resurgence of Huntington. You can help. Pick one of the problems above and use your talent to serve our community in whatever way you can. Encourage the most capable person you know to run for office—or run for office yourself. Donate money to a law enforcement agency or drug treatment program. Volunteer at a school. Publicly offer up your own ideas for making Huntington a place where people find better jobs and brighter futures for their families. At the very least, share this essay with someone and then start a conversation about the city's future. We’ve got a lot to do, and we need your help.

524

skyereymond retweeted

almost 3 years ago

I love Huntington. I left to serve our country then came back home because I want to live and work here. That’s why I’ve been working for years to build our economy in the private sector. I'm running for Mayor to continue serving the city that I love. https://t.co/zb7Z9G6fm0

skyereymond retweeted

Shelley Moore Capito

@SenCapito

almost 3 years ago

.@Brenntag’s leadership has worked tirelessly to build connections throughout the community of Nitro, and the impact they make creates a meaningful difference in the lives of our residents. Proud to join their team today and cut the ribbon on their new upgrades.

SenCapito's tweet photo. .@Brenntag’s leadership has worked tirelessly to build connections throughout the community of Nitro, and the impact they make creates a meaningful difference in the lives of our residents.

Proud to join their team today and cut the ribbon on their new upgrades. https://t.co/HQI5Gnd97w

about 3 years ago

#weare 🦬

about 3 years ago

Let’s go! “…as of Thursday the university’s total headcount has grown 4.2% since last fall, and the total number of undergraduates has grown 4.4%. The number of new students enrolled at the university has grown 14.6% since last fall.” #WeAreMarshall https://t.co/3Su3AuJQj3

247

about 3 years ago

@FarrellPatrickJ That is my favorite part as well! Incredibly thankful for your mentorship and leadership that put me on this path

100