Biographical Information
Occupation/Current Position
National Sales Manager
Education
Some College. Attended Purdue
Campaign Phone
574-850-4118
Candidate video
What experiences and skills qualify you to be on the county council? Please be specific.
• 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.
What are your top two priorities as county council member if elected? Why these?
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.
After the EV battery plant was announced last year, more companies showed interest in commercial development near New Carlisle. How should the county weigh potential job growth versus some residents’ concerns for preserving their small town and its rural character? What specific actions do you propose to promote and retain good jobs there and elsewhere in St. Joseph County?
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.
Do you support a new low-barrier homeless intake center in St. Joseph County? If not, why not? If so, what role, if any, should the county play in funding the new center and where should it be?
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.
Do you support the current model of electing a county council from 9 geographic districts or should the council be elected with 4 districts and 3 countywide as they are in 89 of 92 counties? If you advocate keeping districts, who should draw the district boundaries?
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.
How well did the county do in evaluating and handling the closure of Portage Manor as the county home for people with disabilities and mental illness? Is there anything you would do differently today?
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.
How committed are you to conducting the public’s business transparently so residents can offer meaningful feedback before decisions are made? How will you solicit resident feedback, and do you commit to follow guidance from Indiana’s Public Access Counselor on open meetings and public records?
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.
Spring 2024 Candidate Video: