Biographical Information
Campaign email
pennygithens@gmail.com
Educational background
BS Chemistry and math education; MS Educational Psychology
Occupation(s)
Monroe County Commissioner
1. City and town residents are also residents of the county. How would you work encourage communication and a good working relationship among city, town, and county elected officials? (750 characters/~125 words)
Monroe County Government already works with Bloomington and Ellettsville on multiple projects: waste reduction, animal shelter, dispatch, trails, and transit. We hope to work with Bloomington officials on ways to jointly use opioid settlement money. We combined our Human Rights Commissions to simplify the process for residents. By the time this is published, I expect the interlocal agreement for the Monroe Convention Center expansion to be signed by all parties, along with an easement for a City trail. The county needs a new correctional campus. The Commissioners are in regular talks with the Sheriff and other County officials on this issue. Residents should know that we also work with the entities like the BEDC, DBI, United Way and Beacon.
2. Beyond public statements at meetings, letters, and email messages to you, how would you plan to hear from all the citizens of Monroe County? (750 characters/~125 words)
As my sons were growing up, I helped with their school activities and served as a volunteer special education advocate; I remain in contact with many of those families. As a Commissioner, I hold 2 virtual office hours every month, 1 in the middle of the day and 1 in the early evening. I attend many events in the community, such as the Ellettsville Chamber of Commerce and BEDC meetings, along with the Canopy of Lights and the Monroe County Fair. When there are rezone requests, I often drive out to the property so that I can see first-hand what the issues are. I do volunteer work, such as delivering food for Pantry 279 at Thanksgiving and assisting with drive-through food distributions. In short, I’m an active member of this community.
3. What do you view as the biggest financial challenge for Monroe County this year and next? (750 characters/~125 words)
There are 3 big financial challenges facing Monroe County in the upcoming years. The 1st is building a new correctional campus. We know we need to build a new jail. While it will be costly, it will cost less to build offices for other parts of our correctional system if we do it all at once, and it will save money on the staffing needed for inmate transport. The 2nd is developing a transit system that meets the needs of all residents of Monroe County. Residents outside of Bloomington should be able to take public transportation to and from Bloomington for work, dining, recreation, and healthcare. The 3rd is the expansion of the Monroe County Airport and upgrading of its terminal, something that is needed by local industries, Crane and IU.
4. What approaches would you favor to address the problems of homelessness in Monroe County? (750 characters/~125 words)
I recently learned that if an unhoused person is medically stabile before being housed, they are more likely to remain housed. Healthnet-Bloomington has a street-outreach program, and when I asked what their greatest need was, they said they needed another vehicle. Monroe County quickly donated a truck to them. We are active partners with groups like Heading Home, Beacon, New Hope for Families, and the Community Kitchen. We hope to use opioid settlement dollars to add beds for individuals in recovery. We donated land to Habitat for Humanity for Osage Place to increase affordable housing, and we are working with them on another possible neighborhood. Finally, we are looking at where it is environmentally safe to increase housing density.