Brown County Council at Large Choose 3
Members of the county council are elected to serve staggered four-year terms. Three council members at large are elected by the voters of the entire county. Four council members are elected from separate districts, chosen by the voters of their district alone. Council districts must be redrawn every 10 years and may be done in any odd-numbered year.The financial powers of a county are placed in the county council, which serves as a check on the Board of Commissioners and Board of Finance.The County Council has fiscal control over all county officers, boards and commissions and appropriates funds used by the county and its officers. Powers and duties include, but are not limited to, the following:· Approving annual operating budgets of all county offices and agencies, including establishing salaries and other compensation· Fixing property tax rates, establishing levies, establishing rates for the county adjusted gross income tax (CAGIT); county option income tax (COIT), county economic development income tax (CEDIT), excise surtax and wheel tax· Authorizing the borrowing of money through bonds or notes· Authorizing purchase or sale of certain county property· Making appropriations of public fundsMembers of the county council are elected to serve 4 year terms, staggered. Three council members at large are elected by the voters of the entire county. Four council members are elected from separate districts, chosen by the voters of their district alone. Council districts must be redrawn every 10 years and may be done in any odd-numbered year. The financial powers of a county are placed in the County Council, which serves as a check on the Board of Commissioners and Board of Finance.The County Council has fiscal control over all county officers, boards and commissions and appropriates funds used by the county and its officers. Powers and duties include, but are not limited to the following:Approving annual operating budgets of all county offices and agencies, including establishing salaries and other compensationFixing property tax rates, establishing levies, establishing rates for the county adjusted gross income tax (CAGIT); county option income tax (COIT), county economic development income tax (CEDIT), excise surtax and wheel tax
Biographical Information
1. What role, if any, does working with the Town of Nashville play in County Council responsibilities? Please explain.
Candidate has not yet responded.
2. Please explain what, if anything, the County Council can do to facilitate public input into important County decisions.
Candidate has not yet responded.
3. What do you view as the biggest financial challenge(s) for Brown County this year and for the next five years and how might you address these challenges?
Candidate has not yet responded.
4. What actions, if any, would you take to address the need for affordable housing?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Biographical Information
1. What role, if any, does working with the Town of Nashville play in County Council responsibilities? Please explain.
Candidate has not yet responded.
2. Please explain what, if anything, the County Council can do to facilitate public input into important County decisions.
Candidate has not yet responded.
3. What do you view as the biggest financial challenge(s) for Brown County this year and for the next five years and how might you address these challenges?
Candidate has not yet responded.
4. What actions, if any, would you take to address the need for affordable housing?
Candidate has not yet responded.
Biographical Information
Campaign Mailing Address
796 Harrison Ridge Rd
Nashville, IN 47448
Nashville, IN 47448
Campaign Phone
317-908-2510
Email
pnielander7@ymail.com
Education Background
MSM-Business Management, BS-Healthcare Administration, Minor-Criminal Justice
Occupation
Retired-Law Enforcement (about 38 years)/Healthcare
1. What role, if any, does working with the Town of Nashville play in County Council responsibilities? Please explain.
Cooperation is a very valid most important role for the county council . Everything has cause and effect. Planning, development, and resources for both entities relates to governance in an efficient manner for all.
2. Please explain what, if anything, the County Council can do to facilitate public input into important County decisions.
Solicitation of the public to attend County Council meetings is the most efficient way to involve the public. First hand information is always the best.
A motivated public is an informed public. The concerned interested public will attend to give their input.
3. What do you view as the biggest financial challenge(s) for Brown County this year and for the next five years and how might you address these challenges?
Inflation is a financial challenge for government and families. Both governments and people feel the current tight insufficient monetary resources. We should explore to find ways to create income without injuring families including businesses. We need driven to creating services that generate income without an additional tax burden for the people.
4. What actions, if any, would you take to address the need for affordable housing?
Affordable housing is a very complex topic. There is no simple answer. The topic must first be absolutely defined. It has not yet been done. Affordable is a definition that is relative to individuals and circumstances. I am open to that discussion. That is why electing people with the education, knowledge, and experiences is so vital. That’s why I am a candidate.
Biographical Information
Campaign Mailing Address
3431 State Road 45
Nashville, IN 47448
Nashville, IN 47448
Campaign Phone
8123208798
Email
Judyswift@yahoo.com
Education Background
Many years of experience working in county goverment and several classes through AIC on budget and finance for local government.
Occupation
Retired from local government 31 years
1. What role, if any, does working with the Town of Nashville play in County Council responsibilities? Please explain.
While the town is a separate entity from county government, I do support working together and cooperatively as needed.
2. Please explain what, if anything, the County Council can do to facilitate public input into important County decisions.
Allow public input in our meetings. Making agendas available 1 week in advance of meetings via public spaces, and on website.
3. What do you view as the biggest financial challenge(s) for Brown County this year and for the next five years and how might you address these challenges?
We have many challenges. Our Emergency Services is one of our biggest funding challenges for our community. Finding a way to support Emergency Services via different avenues other than our local tax base. Such avenues though are legislative in nature. Keep pursuing those legislative avenues.Maintenance of our buildings and infrastructure of buildings. Managing our health care benefits and trying to navigate the best we can can afford without breaking the bank and keeping the employees in mind.Building our county cash reserve funds. Having a new financial advisor and a plan is the right direction.
4. What actions, if any, would you take to address the need for affordable housing?
That is a difficult question to answer. We have many challenges to address. This isn’t solely a council issue. It’s multifaceted with many agencies to be involved.
Biographical Information
Education Background
Indiana University, School of Public and Environmental Affairs
Occupation
Small business owner
1. What role, if any, does working with the Town of Nashville play in County Council responsibilities? Please explain.
The county seat of Brown County plays an important role. It is the county's government seat, main commercial center and most densely populated area. With that said, its also a very small town, and has fewer resources than the county. The resources it does have, however, are very important.
Those resources include a water and sewer system, a road system, and the ability to provide attainable housing with those utilities. The entertainment, shops and food provide a quality of life that is somewhat unparalleled in other rural counties, and contributes to people wanting to continue to live in the county. These are all important resources in reducing the county's brain drain. Cooperation within the county is essential to improve housing.
2. Please explain what, if anything, the County Council can do to facilitate public input into important County decisions.
The council is required by law to ensure an open, fair and transparent process in all of its proceedings and decision making. The public entrusted the council with this responsibility and its part of the oath that we take as council members and our duty. In my role on County Council I will continue to uphold the open door laws, advertising and posting of meetings, and provide opportunity for public input on important decisions. I consider this to be a minimum operating standard for the council.
In addition, the council can do things like post our meetings online, increase our engagement with the public in our decision making processes, and provide for ample input on any issue that is important to taxpayers.
3. What do you view as the biggest financial challenge(s) for Brown County this year and for the next five years and how might you address these challenges?
The biggest 5 year challenge for the council is balancing the county budget. Thoughtful financial planning will be essential to our success and will allow the county to spend within taxpayer's budget. The county needs to continue to identify and pursue the numerous grants that are available to the county through various sources, and increase our capacity to track and account for new funding. This will avoid the county having to pursue new taxes, and bring in funding for previously identified needs that are currently unfunded. Utilizing best practices for public input and transparency will be important so that taxpayers can be involved in the process. After all, every penny of the county's budget is taxpayer funded.
4. What actions, if any, would you take to address the need for affordable housing?
Improving housing of all types in Brown County is clearly an issue that we need to address. I played a vital role in one of the most important housing related projects in the county's history, by securing a significant investment in broadband to thousands of homes across the county, just before the pandemic arrived. This investment ensured that not only people living here could continue to do so, but also allowed our family members and friends to move home, and work from home, thus improving income potential and new job opportunities for residents. The community rallied to support the cause and was able to accomplish something everyone said was impossible. We did it with a comprehensive community approach. Vote Scott Rudd for Council!