The New Orleans city elections are three months away. The city is at a crossroads and needs to move into the next phase of recovery with a steady, engaged and qualified leadership. No one in business would hire a key new employee without a job description against which to judge an applicant’s qualifications, and neither should voters.
This document is designed to help citizens consider what qualifications they are looking for in a leader and the city’s chief executive, and act as a tool they can use to evaluate candidates.
The qualifications were shaped by information gathered (this summer) at a two-day strategic planning design session that brought together a group of young leaders from a variety of ethnicities, professions, and geographic neighborhoods and by a survey of some 800 people aged 23 to 40, who live or work in New Orleans.
These qualifications were developed by the EngageNOLA steering committee, and were then shared with and vetted by the EngageNOLA supporting organizations.
The job description demonstrates the need for someone who not only is a capable administrator but a true leader, someone who cares about New Orleans, its citizens and can unite the community. Up to this point, it has been the community that has spearheaded the city’s recovery. Now, at the time of one of our most important elections, we are demanding the leadership that this city deserves.
EngageNOLA is not endorsing or commenting on any candidates or political parties. Rather we are working to elevate the level of discourse about the city’s future, and we are encouraging all qualified candidates to enter the race.
It is up to the voters of New Orleans to determine which candidates fill the qualifications. EngageNOLA demands a higher litmus test for our leadership than ever before in New Orleans and we demand it now!