Contributed Photo / Bill LloydSignal Centers Board President Bill Lloyd is running for Chattanooga City Council's District 4, promising better crisis management and communication for the battered district.
Lloyd and his family, like many other residents of District 4, lost their home in the EF-3 tornado that hit East Brainerd and nearby areas on Easter Sunday. Now, he sees the upcoming council election as a way to help move his district forward through both tornado and COVID-19 recovery.
"The residents of the East Brainerd area have suffered exponentially this past year. The April tornado devastated a large part of this area of our city and changed lives forever. Tragically there was loss of life and injury and the property damage will take years to remediate and rebuild," he wrote in a news release. "Overlaid on this is a global pandemic which has heavily impacted families and businesses across our city. The residents of District 4 deserve a council representative who is visible, proactive and provides ongoing and consistent communication not just in the midst of tragedy but at all times. I pledge to be that representative."
Lloyd says a primary metric in judging a public servant is how they respond during times of crisis. And if he were elected, he would focus on the overall economic recovery and recovery for individual families facing adversity.
"There should be stronger response and stronger visibility," he said Monday of the city's response to these crises. "What I can be is very vocal and very persistent. And I think I can be an incredible advocate for the people of our district."
Lloyd qualified for the race against sitting Councilman Darrin Ledford late last week. He has lived in the city for several years and is running on a platform of improving quality of life.
"My family and I moved to Chattanooga a little over 4 years ago because of the good quality of life, the courage that the leaders and citizens have put into action to reimagine what our city can be and the strong culture of philanthropy that sets Chattanooga apart from many cities. Chattanooga is a great city, and I believe its future can be even greater."
Lloyd is board president of the Signal Centers - a local early childhood and disability-focused nonprofit organization - and has spent his career serving similar organizations, working in banking and on a board of education for a school district in his past home of Illinois.
"I hope that my fellow citizens will take comfort in my experience which includes my long career in the financial services industry, my previous governmental experience as a publicly elected member of a board of education and my past and ongoing involvement with not-for-profit organizations providing early childhood education and services to individuals with disabilities.
"As Chattanoogans, we have much work to do to ensure we come out of the events of 2020 stronger than ever. I am excited and committed to working diligently for the bright future of District 4 and our entire city."
Contact Sarah Grace Taylor at staylor@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6416. Follow her on Twitter @_sarahgtaylor.