Meet The Candidate: Dave Belgard Running For Gaithersburg City Council

GAITHERSBURG, MD — Gaithersburg voters will have the opportunity to elect a new mayor and two city councilors at the Nov. 2 election this year.

Patch has reached out to all of the candidates and asked them to share with readers why they think they're the best pick on the ballot. Dave Belgard, a candidate for the City Council, filled out this survey.

Early voting for the Gaithersburg election will be held at the Activity Center at Bohrer Park on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 23 and 24, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Regular voting will be on Nov. 2 also at the Activity Center.

Candidate

Dave Belgard

Age (as of Election Day)

44

Position sought

City Council

Party Affiliation

Democrat

Family

Julie (F 44), Nate(M 14), Jay (F 10), Ryan (M 8)

Does anyone in your family work in politics or government?

No

Education

BS International Business (UMD College Park); MBA (Loyola Maryland)

Occupation

Government Compliance (2), Data Analytics (20), Process Re-Engineering (15)

Previous or Current Elected or Appointed Office

None

Campaign website

www.DaveBelgard.com

Why are you seeking elective office?

Growing up I was taught that it is our responsibility to help others when we can. I’ve volunteered for nonprofits, I’ve worked on campaigns to help elect leaders I believed were good for our people, and I’ve served on city committees. Now though, I have reached a point in my life where I have the time and flexibility to do more. There are nearly 70,000 residents in our city and if I can help make their lives just a small bit better – then I feel I will have done a great deal of good.

The single most pressing issue facing our (board, district, etc.) is _______, and this is what I intend to do about it.

The pandemic has had a profound effect on our city just as it has the country. Before the pandemic we had a 9.4% poverty rate and a number of small businesses, especially on the East side of Gaithersburg were faltering. My top priority would be to strengthen our small business sector and build well paying jobs to help employ all of our residents.

What are the critical differences between you and the other candidates seeking this post?

In many ways our platforms are all very similar. The choice of which candidate to support is mainly about who you believe will be most effective in office.

I've been on city citizen advisory committees for the last five years and consistently attended and testified at City Council meetings. I have a history of putting the work in and showing up to serve our city. I will continue with the same work ethic and effort when serving our city as a councilmember.

When campaigning, candidates are often light on specifics about what they do and don't support. This can plainly be seen when visiting a candidate's Facebook page. Generally all you see are political 'fluff' posts.

While my facebook page does have plenty of 'fluff', I also have a number of posts that talk about specific polices and ideas that I support. I have made an effort to go on the record numerous times to ensure that my support or opposition for specific policies and decisions is documented.

If you are a challenger, in what way has the current board or officeholder failed the community (or district or constituency)

This is the first election in 14 years that there are no incumbents running for City Council. That's why this is such an important election. There WILL be two new councilmembers and who we select will be a major force in setting the tone for our council.

How do you think local officials performed in responding to the coronavirus? What if anything would you have done differently?

Gaithersburg has responded well to the effects of coronavirus on our city. I serve on the city's Community Advisory Committee. In many ways this committee was tasked with leading the charge to ameliorate the effects of the pandemic in our city.

Our committee recommended nearly a million dollars in funding for numerous non-profits for efforts ranging from mobile vaccinations to ensuring housing stability. The City Council voted to approve all of our recommendations.

Describe the other issues that define your campaign platform.

Supporting Small Business and Diverse Job Creation
Everyone deserves the chance to work close to where they live if they choose to. Whether someone is a doctor, a mechanic, a researcher, or a cook – Gaithersburg should have a job for them. I believe that the city must work with businesses to increase the availability of jobs for a wide range of skills and experience.

Enhancing Community Outreach and Engagement
I will focus on ensuring that Gaithersburg better leverages new technology, community relationships, and trusted messengers to connect with underserved and underrepresented populations to ensure access to information, resources, and programs.

Increasing Housing Affordability and Availability
People should be able to afford to live in the same city they work in. Housing of all types needs to be available to support the wide range of economic diversity in Gaithersburg. I will focus on bringing in more ‘missing middle’ housing into our city.

Expanding Environmental Initiatives
Minimizing environmental impact should part of every decision Gaithersburg makes. I believe that the city must work with its businesses and residents to adopt new technologies and practices to decrease Gaithersburg’s carbon footprint.

What accomplishments in your past would you cite as evidence you can handle this job?

I know the Area:
I have lived in Montgomery county for over 30 years, and I’ve been a Gaithersburg resident since 2010.

I've Served the City:
Since 2015 I have served our city as a member of several committees. First as a member of a committee to design a new park for the city and later as a member of both the Community Advisory and Police Advisory committees. I’ve been a regular attendee at City Council meetings and advocated on a number of important issues including the Lakeforest master plan and the CCOC.

I have Leadership and Business Experience:
I've run three different small businesses and Consulted to a wide range of industries from health insurance and finance to government and not-for-profits. Also, I've managed multi-million dollar and multi-country projects - I know how to balance competing priorities and needs.

The best advice ever shared with me was:

Failure does not have to be the end. It can be the beginning if you are willing to learn from it.

What else would you like voters to know about yourself and your positions?

I’m running for City Council because I want to continue the good work that our council has done for our city. I want to help make our great city even better. When my children are adults, I want them to be able to live and thrive in Gaithersburg just like I do.

I am the first generation of my family to not be born into poverty. From my father and my grandfather, I know about the sacrifices that families must make when they do not have economic opportunity. Because of my family's sacrifices I was able to grow up middle-class and attend college. I don't take those benefits and privileges for granted though. My family, and my history, helps me to see both sides of the economic fence, and because of that, I am committed to ensuring that there is opportunity for all of our residents.