My dad thought that New Year’s required reflection on the past as well as promises for the future — that is, revelations before resolutions.

Having served on Salisbury’s City Council for a year, I’m going to reflect, then wish.

Revelations. This was a learning year. My goals were to make city government more transparent and accountable. I encouraged moving meeting times so more could attend, pushed to make public comment more accessible, talked about city finances, and tried to listen to all citizens.

Now, the hard part. Resolutions.

1. Fix Fibrant. Fibrant’s losses deprive Salisbury of virtually all discretionary financing opportunities. We need to educate the public, particularly vocal critics. Turning off or selling Fibrant is not a solution because the taxpayers still owe $30 million.

Hundreds of cities around the country, including Mooresville and Davidson, are investing in municipal broadband to avoid becoming an economic “have not.” Today’s model utilizes public-private partnerships where the cities build infrastructure and private sector companies manages operations. We are moving vigorously to do just that. Fibrant must be run like a business. Even so, Fibrant may never operate profitably but losses can be cut significantly The city should work with the state legislature to remove the handcuffs placed on Fibrant after it was built.

2. Confront crime, a critical issue on everyone’s mind. Would any of the recent tragedies have been avoided or would other tragedies have taken their place? We need public input and proactive approaches to these problems. Answers are elusive but law enforcement and communities need to live and work together. One idea is to “give” abandoned houses to police officers to embed them in our communities with full ownership after 10 years.

3. Create a vehicle to promote public input. Public comment may be the most important thing we do, but it can consume entire council meetings while citizens feel frustrated by three-minute time limits and lack of response. The public has important ideas to offer. A monthly public hearing to share and collect information that openly discussed specific issues – crime, Fibrant, finance, city schools, zoning issues, dog parks, charitable contributions – would allow council and the public to better understand thorny issues.

4. Create constructive dialogue with city detractors who want a better city though their commentary has the opposite effect, especially when outsiders Google us. Some of the reporting is, I believe unintentionally, “fake news” but it scares people away from Salisbury, makes economic development difficult, decreases our tax base, and erodes our quality of life. Let’s find a safe place to talk together.

5. Work with the county and the school board to improve city schools. Poor schools push employers and employees look elsewhere to live and work. Salisbury is Rowan’s largest population center and primary economic engine. We need to pull in the same direction.

6. Coordinate the literacy programs in the county. Literacy is THE most critical life-skill. Illiteracy is the surest path to poverty, unemployment and crime. Knox Middle School Principal Mike Waiksnis reported that 11 percent of seventh-graders were reading at grade level, double the number from last year. Despite the improvement, 11 percent may be an insurmountable hole.

Emily Ford wrote a column for the Post about my mother, Rose Post, telling her to make time to read everyday, regardless of other tribulations she faced. That article has been sitting on my desk for ten years. My kids’ schools rewarded them for the number of pages, by the thousands, they read. Emily, my kids’ reading, and the Appleseed program have inspired me to try to create a reading program to encourage and reward kids to read.

7. Salisbury is a majority-minority community, create an angel fund for properly vetted minority businesses. About 18 months ago, I asked Ralph Ketner if he’d partner with me to start one. With his usual excitement, he was all in. I dropped that ball. , I want to start this project with participation from private citizens, the city, county and banks.

8. Explore disincentives for the approximately two dozen long-term vacant downtown buildings that do nothing to attract retail or people-oriented businesses. Existing incentive grants encourage downtown development but, I believe, accelerate too quickly and should be spread out over larger committed investments.

9. Establish a downtown Fibrant presence. Invite the public to walk in. See it. Test it. Apple, Google, and “As Seen on TV” have retail storefronts. Why not Fibrant?

10. Start planning for future parking needs. The new planned downtown park will consume downtown’s largest parking spot, which serves public needs, several churches, and the library. Planning needs to start now.

11. Work cooperatively with county government. We are in this boat and will sink or swim together.

That’s an ambitious list. My dad will expect my revelations this time next year.

David Post is a member of Salisbury City Council.