Candidate Q&A: Bob Kovacs

About Bob Kovacs:

I was born and raised in New Jersey, where I attended New Jersey Institute of Technology and received a BS in Construction Management. 

I spent the late 90's in Las Vegas, before moving back to New Jersey in 1999, and later moving to Holly Springs in 2007. 

I'm a preconstruction director for Skanska USA Building, a commercial general contractor.  

My wife, Jennifer and I have been married for 13 years, and have two daughters- Madison, 11, and Samantha, 9, who attend Indian Knoll Elementary School.
 
Over the past five years, I've served on the Holly Springs Historic Preservation Commission and the Downtown Development Authority, and I currently serve on the Planning & Zoning Commission.  In addition to my work with the City, I'm also on the board of directors for Cherokee FOCUS, the Associated Builders and Contractors of Georgia, and the American Society of Professional Estimators.   My hobbies include woodworking, home remodeling projects, and working with my daughters to restore a 1969 Camaro that will be Madison's first car in 5 years.

What are Holly Springs residents telling you as you campaign for office?
 
I've gotten a great response from the people I've spoken with during my campaign.   The residents of Holly Springs are looking for proactive leaders who are involved in the community and understand their concerns.  Generally, they want to see growth in the community, but not at the expense of the "small town" feel the city currently has.   They want to be assured that their tax dollars are being spent wisely, and that Holly Springs will remain a safe place for them to live, while offering a variety of places to work, shop, and dine.  They also want leadership that is accessible, and willing to work with them to address any issues they may have.
 

What can and should Holly Springs do for its residents?
 
The city should ensure that it is a good steward of the tax dollars it receives, spending only on items and services that directly benefit the residents and business owners, and looking to keep taxes as low as possible without hindering the ability to provide necessary services.   The city should continue to provide a well-trained, responsive police force to ensure that Holly Springs remains a safe place to live, work and play.  We also need to continue to attract quality, new businesses to the city, in order to balance the tax burden, which is currently very reliant on the residential tax base.   Lastly, we need to continue to expand the amenties that are available to the residents, such as the park currently being designed on Hickory Road, while at the same time not burdening the residents with additional taxes to cover the cost of these amenities.
 
What are the top 3 needs for Holly Springs, and are these best handled by the city?
 
1.  We need to continue to be a safe city, which is definitely something best handled at the city level.  We have a fantastic police force that is very involved in the community, and we continue to have extremely low crime rates.
2. We need to continue to grow- smartly- with an emphasis on proper planning and zoning.  As the economy improves, there will be tremendous opportunities to bring new businesses to the city, and we need to ensure that this is properly planned and executed.  The Planning & Zoning Commission has done an excellent job of crafting a land use plan and regulations toprotect the character of the city.
3.  We need involved leadership that listens to the residents and business owners, and addresses their concerns.   Being an effective City Council member requires more than just attending two meetings per month- we need to be out in the community- meeting with residents and business owners, attending community functions, and understanding the needs and concerns of our constituents- only then can we properly serve the people who elected us, and help Holly Springs become what they want it to be.