Occupation/Current Position
National Sales Manager
Education
Some College. Attended Purdue
Campaign Phone
574-850-4118
Candidate video
• 19+ years in law enforcement.
• Command staff on Federal Disaster Team
• 35 years managing local businesses.
• Four terms on the Penn Township Board.
• Exposed the criminal activity of the Penn Township
Trustee in 2011.
• Transformed the Penn Township Fire Department to a full-time department.
• Established the Penn Township ALS (Advanced Life
Support)
• I negotiated with the Town of Osceola to create the
Penn Township Fire Territory
• Built the new Penn Fire Station for less than 1/2 the
cost of a nearby station.
• Penn Township has the 3rd lowest taxing district out of
the 31 total taxing districts in St. Joseph County.
• 40+ years of developing budgets in both the private and public sectors.
• Over 32 years’ experience of experience as a first responder on the local and federal level.
My top priority is public safety. The County Police, to include the County Jail staff are undermanned and undercompensated in comparison with other local agencies. We need to establish a pay and benefit platform to attract and retain good people. This needs to be competitive with local agencies to stem the tide of lateral transfers of county officers to other agencies.
My second priority would be attracting good paying jobs. Our community will thrive if our residents have access to good jobs that come with great pay and benefits. We can only attract these types of outside investments if we have the infrastructure like schools, roads, parks, and low taxes. These are all intertwined to create a community where the total quality of life makes it a place where companies want to do business and people want to work and live.
As with all economic development, the first test should be “Will this make our community better”. Residents should and do always have a voice. That is the basis for our representative democracy. This form of government allows citizens to vote for representatives that will handle matters of government on their behalf.
When considering all projects, large and small, a thorough consideration of all impacts which include residents’ concerns along with cultural, economic, environmental, and infrastructure requirements among other things. It is incumbent to bring people to the table with expertise in all those areas to formulate a plan of action. To protect their interests, the residents always have the ultimate authority in the form of the ballot box.
I do not support a low-barrier approach as a potential solution to homelessness in our community. Research has not shown a low-barrier approach or otherwise known as a housing first approach to be effective in solving long-term homelessness.
If any government funds are to be spent dealing with homelessness, there must be protections in place and the inhabitants must be required to follow all local, state, and federal laws. Convicted violent felons, sexual and/or child predators should not be forced upon a community in a residential area, near schools, parks or near retail establishments.
Any solution must include addressing the root problem which in most cases is mental illness, substance addiction or lack of financial resources. Any proposal that does not address these causes is not a solution.
I think the current model with nine geographic districts works well. I would not recommend changing the system merely because other counties happen to do it differently.
With any project I have ever been involved in, I always put much thought into developing and implementing a plan. Many times, in the after-action review, things are identified in retrospect that may have been done differently. The bottom line is that the operation of Portage Manor became costly and unsustainable. As I was not involved in the process and had no access to all the facts that went into the final decision it would be irresponsible for me to second guess how the decision to close the facility was formulated or enacted.
All county government activities should be completely transparent except for those that may be protected by law. This could include some personnel actions with county employees as an example. In my first year in office on the Penn Township Board, I donated my salary to the township to establish a township web site that was used to post meeting dates, agendas, meeting minutes and township financials for the public to see. I have supported this from my first day in elected office and will continue to do so in the future. I offer my full commitment to continue to follow the Public Access Guidelines concerning open meetings and public records with my pledge for full transparency.
Occupation/Current Position
Professional Engineer
Education
Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from Notre Dame
Campaign Phone
5746077014
First and foremost I am a resident of district i in St. Joseph County, and have lived in our community for almost 30 years. The primary responsibility of a council member is to represent the voters in their district - to listen to concerns, seek answers to questions and ensure the county is responsive to voter needs.
I feel I bring valuable experience to this role. I have a Master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Notre Dame, a professional license from the State of Indiana and worked as an engineer for almost 30 years. This background will be helpful in understanding concerns such as building code, property surveying & zoning, infrastructure, roads & public works, water conservation & drainage. I also have experience as an army medic, EMT and firefighter which will provide valuable insight towards health and public safety.
Feedback from my district has consistently highlighted these three as main areas to focus on:
Promoting fiscal responsibility each year is essential for the county to maintain low tax rates without deficit spending to provide efficient basic services such as road maintenance and police presence that the community expects.
Protecting freedoms is as important now as ever and includes examples such as constitutional rights, a parent’s right to raise their children, an individual’s right to make their own health & medical choices and property owner rights.
Preserving safe, family-friendly communities is something all residents need each and every day. Stories about chronic crime in large cities make me feel grateful for our community. Whether it’s a household of ten or just a single person, each family is welcome and should feel safe.
Weighing job growth versus preserving neighborhood character is difficult. Industrial areas aren’t very compatible with residential ones. Metrics like employment rates, housing shortages and farmland preservation can help provide insight. The county should provide transparency and easily accessible public hearings so that all sides of this debate can participate and try to find common ground.
A good option is to simplify the county tax abatement process which provides temporary relief of taxes while a new business venture is started. The current process has all kinds of regulations that increase regulation and business expenses. Mishawaka, though smaller, has experienced strong, responsible growth with a simple abatement procedure.
Another option is to improve housing shortages by updating the county Comprehensive Plan.
Homelessness is an ongoing problem but is often concentrated in more dense urban areas such as the city of South Bend. I think the county may benefit in finding partners to support to help insure homelessness is addressed the best it can be. It should be a responsible effort that doesn’t unintentionally contribute to homelessness or other social problems. A public low-barrier center, one that doesn’t focus on rehabilitation, doesn’t seem to meet this challenging need. Perhaps private entities are more effective at managing this problem?
I do support the current arrangement of nine districts, which serves the different communities in our large county better. Counties with larger populations should have a different arrangement from ones with lower populations. The district boundaries should be decided by the county council, the legislative body elected by the voters of the county to create new laws. The process should be the same as any other new legislation, via very transparent and accessible public & community hearings, where key stakeholders and members of the public have extensive involvement.
My understanding is the county spent significant time and resources evaluating the 100 year old Portage Manor. Feedback from an initial public hearing was to extend this effort and investigate additional options, which the county did. In the end it was determined that Portage Manor could not be used in its present form, nor was it cost effective to invest in upgrades. Those few residents still remaining were transferred and are likely to find better care in more modern facilities elsewhere in our community.
I will 100% commit to meeting Indiana’s Public Access laws to ensure transparency and accessibility. The PAC advises government agencies and private citizens on accessing government public meetings and documents.
Resident feedback is gained through electronic communication and public meetings. For my district, public hearings held only at the downtown county-city building can be inconvenient. Having a virtual meeting attendance option, giving advance notice, multiple meeting location options and posting meeting videos online helps.
I have personally submitted two successful PAC complaints: one on St. Joseph not providing records from a 3rd party contracted to enforce county law, and another addressing secret meetings at public schools. These rulings apply to the entire state of Indiana. Government by the people, for the people!
Candidate has not yet responded.
Occupation/Current Position
Copy editor - University of Notre Dame
Education
Master's Degree in Business
Candidate video
I was born and raised in St. Joe County, as were my parents. I raised my 7 children here and my roots run deep within the local community. I grew up in my district and attended Penn Schools. I have a master's degree in business and a work history spanning 42 years at Notre Dame.
There are many important issues, but I would say the things most on my mind currently are the libraries, housing for the homeless, and mental health services.
Job growth is important, but no project should be approved until the local residents have been consulted and their concerns addressed. The citizens in our community should always have a voice and feel that their opinions matter.
Yes, I support the low-barrier homeless center. It would get people off the streets who don't qualify for other housing. I would need to do more research about locations, but the local residents who are impacted should have a voice in that decision.
I think the current model is better. Each council person should represent the district where they live. Boundaries should be drawn by a nonpartisan body to accurately reflect the population in each area.
In my opinion, Portage Manor should not have been closed, but renovated and restored instead. Not just because of the historical significance of the building itself, but also because of the stress caused by the disruption in the lives of its residents who had to relocate. This falls squarely under my campaign slogan, which is "leadership with community at the heart." Caring for our neighbors should be the top priority, and the decision to close Portage Manor was not in their best interests.
I am absolutely committed to transparency in government. The concerns of residents should always be listened to and understood before decisions are made. I am not the type to hide from the public or make decisions behind closed doors. Our democracy thrives when the people have a voice.
