VOTE411 Voter Guide

Leadership, experience, education, and licensure in drainage and land surveying are needed. Surveying and drainage/water resources work over 30 yrs, from survey crew during college through current work w/ highway asset management (pavement, bridges, & drainage culverts) working for consultants, local & state government, many universities, and US Peace Corps. Education: Notre Dame BS Civil Engineering, environmental engineering and water resources; Purdue MS Civil Engineering, environmental engineering and hydrology; and Purdue University land surveying classes. Professional Surveyor and Professional Engineer licenses. Leadership: directing staff and serving as president or chair for state-wide and national committees and organizations.

Proper, effective drainage is established and ensured through the use of best practices which involves the complete process of initial surveying and information gathering, engineering design and analysis, and then construction as well as long term maintenance of the design. Design codes should be consistent with the best practices. The physical infrastructure in place to ensure proper, effective drainage will most likely include a cost-effective combination of grading (slope of ground~earth) that promotes infiltration, swales, inlets and storm sewers, along with detention & retention ponds. Furthermore, well maintained legal drains in conjunction with creeks and rivers, unimpeded by debris such as at bridges and culverts, are needed.

Public outreach is an excellent method to increase effectiveness. Use of social media along with traditional media are the means that I would use with public outreach. Additionally, incentives such as drawing more attention to previous volunteers and their achievements and providing awards along with sponsorships create incentives for participation. Youth groups, environmental organizations, and families would be who I would make efforts to contact in particular, through social media focus, for participation with the volunteer opportunities. Furthermore, I would connect with my own personal network of individuals which includes teachers, leaders of youth groups, and involved community members.

Professional licensure as either a professional engineer or professional surveyor is essential for basic engineering knowledge. In addition, people skills are just as important for success in this position. These skills include providing effective leadership of the staff, forging trust and seeking collaboration with the Allen County Drainage Board, which includes the County Commissioners and the other elected officials, such as the County Council, County Auditor, and County Treasurer, and most importantly advocacy for and transparency with the citizens of Allen County.

Proper drainage is attained through a thorough development review process according to the Allen County Stormwater Technical Manual and Allen County Drainage Board policy. Both a water quantity and water quality hydrologist are reviewing every submission and approval does not happen until our standards are met.

In researching this question, the Surveyor’s Office has had no citizen volunteers in the last ten years. These volunteer opportunities are listed on our Water Quality website. We do have summer or winter interns, usually college students on breaks. These opportunities are being leveraged primarily to digitally archive our historical documents, which is a great benefit for Allen County.