Our neighbor across the street is William B. Vandivort, II. Forget that he is a prominent CPA specializing in trusts and oil leases and properties. What he really is is a community activist. He's involved in anything that has to do with Republican and his alma mater, Austin College in Sherman.
He also is the chairman of the Dallas Country Central Appraisal District.
So since Patty and I have only been living in Dallas for three years, Bill's my lifeline to the city's political history, what's going on and why, and who people are and how they fit into the puzzle.
Early this morning, we went to the monthly meeting of a club that evolved to serve those whose children are now grown, and that caused them to be former members of the Lake Highlands Exchange Club. Now they meet to hear from speakers who are on the cutting edge of what's going on in Dallas.
This morning, the speaker was Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price. Here's part of what the county court's web page says about him:
John Wiley Price brand of advocacy and activism can be summed up in this way: John Wiley Price addresses real issues, advances real change and achieves real results . He has earned the full respect of the constituents within his district and in the County at-large. Additionally, he has placed himself in the vanguard for those who have been historically locked out, especially for African-American people. He campaigned initially as " Our Man Downtown ", and has proven himself as such over the years.
John Wiley Price , in his sixth term as Dallas County Commissioner for District Three, became its 17th in the counties' 142 year history when he took the oath of office on January 1, 1985 . For 20 years now, Commissioner Price's service on the Court has been responsive to the needs of all of Dallas County citizens. Prior to his debut on the Court at Dallas County , his priority and pledge was to ensure that Minority and Women Business Enterprise (MWBE )ventures were accorded a fair share of Dallas Counties goods and services contracting. Since 1985 procurement via MWBE vendors and professionals has risen from a paltry $50,000 per annum to over $112 million through the fiscal year 2004.
I found Commissioner Price to be an extraordinarily good speaker, well-informed on the business of the governments and the city as a whole. And this guy starts his work day at 4 AM, 7 days a week.
I'd recommend to any civic organization that they schedule Commissioner Price to address their group at least once a year. My intuition tells me that he's a self-made man who has really made a difference.
BILL CHERRY, REALTORS
DALLAS
Our 44th Year Selling America
214 503-8563
800 314-7110
Bill, thank you for posting the real side of CJWP.
Commissioner John Wiley Price has helped me to help Ethiopians new to DFW/America for the last 27 years and I thank him for that.
Yeharer Gashaw
Founder & President of Ethiopian National Government In Exile (Ethiopiannationalgovernmentinexile.org)
Yeharer,
He impressed me as that kind of guy. I'm glad he's worked so well with you and other Ethiopians.
Bill