(August 25) Chrisopher Greene said he was motivated to run for the Victorville City Council largely because he believes Victorville does not offer sufficient amenities for faimiles.
“I want to improve the city and make it more family oriented,” Greene told the Sentinel. “I don’t see a whole lot going on in that way. My wife and I are teachers and we have the summer off, so we have travelled around the country. We saw lots of things other cities were doing which are more family oriented. I am running for city council to see if there is something I can do along those lines.”
A father of two, Greene said he was naturally interested in doing things around town with his children, but had not found much to engage them.  “We have the San Bernardino County Fair and the Slice of Life Festival and that’s about it.  We want to do things as a family, but family things just aren’t happening here.“
The solution, he said, is for the city to encourage and facilitate “cultural things, like theater arts. We have Old Victorville down on Seventh Street where we could put that sort of thing in there.”
Greene said he was not personally animated about much else, but that he had been listening to those around him since declaring his intention to run and that he had picked up some level of concern about other issues from others.
One of those did not fall too far from his theme of family values and orientation that was at the heart of his political impetus. “Some people have told me they are not happy with the planned parenthood clinic,” he said. “They are pro-life and from what I heard from them, I did not like it much that we have an abortion place there. I haven’t looked into the whole issue. I don’t know who would resolve the complaints at the moment. Obviously, the planned parenthood establishment is already theres. I’m not looking to take people’s jobs away, but that is one of the complaints I have heard.”
Greene said other issues mentioned and concerns expressed relate to “the water department and what is being done while we are in this drought.” Moreover, he said, he has Heard “complaints about various city departments.
“I attended meetings previously,” he said. “I really didn’t like what I heard and was seeing. About two years ago I decided I would do something. I wanted to run for council then but it didn’t work out at the time. Now running for me is a little more feasible.”
Greene said he sees the city as “unorganized” and that city officials are not doing things as they have promised. “I think one of the things they lack is straightforwardness,” he said. “If you look at politics in general that seems to be the case. One of the things I pride myself on is being upfront and honest. I don’t think anything should be hidden from the people who are trusting you to take care of things. If there’s something someone does not understand, I think those things should be clarified. If something needs to be said, someone should say it. If something needs to be done, someone should do it. I think I am open to receiving questions. I do not mind at all being called on the phone or meeting with people.”
Green attended and graduated from Hesperia High School. He and his wife are teachers at Silver Valley High in Yermo.