My education and experience span behavioral neuroscience, public service as a City Council member, and leadership as an Army Reserve Civil Affairs officer. I hold a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan and work in brain injury research at Michigan Medicine, where I conduct research, coordinate operations, and support compliance. In Civil Affairs, governance, infrastructure, and continuity of essential services are central to my work, and I carry that same mindset to Council. I bring those experiences together by testing assumptions against data and long term trends, acknowledging the tradeoffs behind decisions, and considering how those decisions will actually work for my community over time.
My goals are sustainable fire funding and more approachable reporting on city priorities and progress. Fire service costs are a long term budget challenge, and I will keep raising the issue until we reach a workable solution. Because the interlocal structure requires agreement among communities, that will take negotiation and compromise. I am open to less conventional approaches if they make financial sense over the long term. Dexter already publishes records, but years of detail can obscure larger trends. I would build on the tools we already have through clearer summaries and periodic updates on long term trends in major issues, helping residents see how issues evolve, why Council addresses them, and what their tax dollars accomplish.
A major challenge is maintaining reliable fire and emergency services at a cost Dexter can sustain without crowding out roads, parks, and other infrastructure needs. I will keep pressing for a long term funding model that is fair to Dexter taxpayers and workable for participating communities. That requires good faith negotiation and a willingness to consider alternatives when the current approach no longer meets today's needs. We must change our approach to afford this service rather than assume the status quo is our only option. I will push for clear forecasts of where the current model is taking us, clear discussion of the tradeoffs of alternatives, and an agreement that remains sustainable as the community's needs change.
Dexter's greatest asset is its people. The range of backgrounds, experience, and ideas in our community gives us considerable knowledge and capability. Our physical setting is another strength: a historic downtown, local businesses, parks, Mill Creek, the Huron River, and regional trails. Mill Creek Park shows how these assets can work together, with active public spaces and playground improvements alongside areas where natural habitat and the creek corridor are protected. My focus is to preserve that breadth by maintaining what we have, improving accessibility, and working with businesses, schools, volunteers, and conservation groups so Dexter can keep growing without losing what makes it distinctive.
DISTRICT
City of Dexter
Number of years as resident
32
Associate Degree from Washtenaw Community College. I served on the Dexter Village Parks commission 1999-2001. I worked over 27 years for the Washtenaw County Sheriff, and also served as a paid on call firefighter for Dexter 28 years. I volunteered for the Dexter Area museum for 25 years and delivered Christmas baskets for faith in action for a number of years . I have lived and been a property owner and tax payer in Dexter for 32 years.
I have worked hard over the years, and have had boots on the street to understand the issues and quality of life in Dexter.
Making sure we have the funding for maintaining and improving infrastructure. Public safety, water and sewer and road maintenance should be the first priority. We should make sure we are taking care of and meeting the statutory requirements required by law. We should always be looking for grants and other ways for funding. We can not always "milage" ourselves out of issues or bad council decisions. Work to live within our means.
In talking with residents and my own personal observations, traffic problems stick out the most. Speeding, not stopping at stop signs and not stopping for pedestrians at crosswalks. Working with the sheriff's office and consulting engineer's for enforcement and reassessing road design. Communication and work on better relationships with businesses and charitable organizations in town.
Having a walkable community has been a valuable asset for the quality of life in town. Having historical sites like Gordon Hall the Dexter Mill, the Cider mill among others and the work at the Dexter Area museum help us connect and be apart of a 200 year Dexter history.
