VOTE411 Voter Guide

If the voters entrust me with representing them on City Council, my top three priorities will be creating safer streets, improving playgrounds, and incorporating green infrastructure for stormwater management. My main goal is to improve the lives of the people of Bowling Green and make a positive difference for them. Safe Routes to School Funding projects will have a big impact, but we also need more painted crosswalks at busy intersections, especially around our schools. The Parks and Recreation Department will soon be updating its 5 year plan. We have a fantastic, inclusive playground at Carter Park, but equipment at Ridge and City Parks has begun to wear out. Our kids deserve to have great places to play. As the City considers new safety facilities and changes to Downtown, I will promote the use of green infrastructure to collect and filter rain water. These features don’t only help with stormwater management, they also provide beautification and ecosystem services.

Currently, Bowling Green has a reservoir that can hold 170 million gallons of water and has purchased land to build a second reservoir capable of storing 100-150 million gallons. That is enough water for approximately two months of use. In 2002, Bowling Green put water restrictions in place. Residents were told to limit non-essential water usage and were not permitted to water lawns three days a week. I would support those restrictions. An extended drought could threaten Bowling Green’s water supply. I would like to see the City plan for this possibility by looking into the feasibility of alternative or back-up water sources as mentioned in the Climate Action and Resiliency Improvement Plan.

I would like to see the City evaluate its efforts up to this point, and consider what other communities have done, then make changes accordingly. I support extending the building fee moratorium previously passed by the City Council. The City should continue to fund the Community Development Block Grant home repair and rental rehabilitation programs for low- and moderate-income residents. One goal of the zoning code update was to increase housing affordability. At the five year mark, the City should evaluate what impact the changes have had on affordability. The City should do what it can to facilitate the production of smaller, more affordable homes.

Many of the items I have previously mentioned, bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure improvements, green stormwater management, and considering a back-up water source, are recommendations in the Climate Action and Resiliency Improvement Plan. I have asked the City to consider designing the new/renovated safety facilities to have areas that could be used by residents as heating or cooling centers during extreme weather events. Another recommendation I would prioritize is embedding funding into the annual budget to be better prepared for issues when they arise. Should grants requiring matching funds become available, we would be positioned to apply quickly.

First among my priorities is maintaining the high-quality infrastructure and essential public services the city consistently provides, while thoughtfully adapting to ever evolving technologies, and embracing new opportunities for enhanced connectivity throughout the city. Secondly, I will continue to actively work to address critical housing issues within the city, placing a strong emphasis on factors such as overall quality and availability of homes, and the variety of housing options available to meet the diverse needs of all residents. Although housing is a national issue, there are things we can do at the local level to encourage development and seek solutions. Finally, we need to continue to explore a variety of economic growth opportunities within the city to assure the financial security of the city and its citizens moving into the future. If a community is to going to thrive it's residents need to have employment opportunities that allow them to build the future they envision.

The health and safety of residents is the priority. The City of Bowling Green has invested, and continues to invest, in the city’s infrastructure, including the water treatment plant and its facilities. This includes the acquisition of an additional 39 acres of land for the purpose of expanding the city’s reservoir. In the event a prolonged drought led to a shortage of water, I would defer to the mission statement for the City of Bowling Green’s Water Treatment Plant, which defines its mission as the following: “To provide the highest quality drinking water to the citizens of Bowling Green and surrounding communities. The City is committed to improving and expanding water treatment systems to assure this vital resource is available for future generations to come.” The key phrase being “quality drinking water.” In the event of a prolonged drought which results in a water shortage, the priorities would be given to citizens' drinking water and safety services over the needs of industry.

Though the lack of housing in the United States this is primarily a national problem, there are some actions that can be taken related to housing at the local level. The city’s updated zoning code was a first step in addressing the issue by allowing more flexibility in density and options such as ADUs. In recent years, the city has also taken steps to streamline permitting, waive fees, and reduce barriers for development. The use of Community Reinvestment Areas when tied with tax abatements can be a tool to allow the reinvestment of future gains in taxes to subsidize current improvements and attract development. Working to fully understand our specific local demand across income levels, housing types, and neighborhoods is essential.

The Climate Action and Resiliency Implementation Plan is a roadmap moving the city into the future, and, as a result, all the findings and recommendations are important. There are areas the city can address first to create momentum and reaffirm the city’s commitment to sustainability. Upgrading municipal facilities to reduce emissions while saving energy can serve as a model for private-sector homes and businesses, while also offering immediate benefits. Diversification and transitioning to renewable energy sources will improve the city’s energy resiliency while reducing its overall carbon footprint. Through this plan, Bowling Green has adopted a comprehensive and forward-thinking plan which is bold in scope, community-focused, and useful.

Broadly, my top three priorities are: 1) Safety Services Facilities Upgrades. Specifically m0ving forward with the new fire stations and the police station renovation. 2) A budget that adequately funds critical city services. As chair of the finance committee, I am committed to working with the city administration to ensure that the 2026 and future budgets adequately fund safety services, street maintenance and repair, and our public utilities. 3) Reviewing the zoning code at least annually to ensure that the recently enacted changes create enough opportunity for new housing development in all residential housing categories.

BG is fortunate to have a public utilities department established in §30.45 of our code, which states that the Board of Public Utilities shall be responsible for the management and operation thereof. Meta will be a customer of the District and use BG City water. The District requested 600,000 GPD for the Meta project. Meta is building a 2 MG elevated water storage tower, which will increase BG’s 4.5 MG of tower storage to 6.5 MG. Abbott’s water usage is estimated at 648,000 GPD. When the Meta and Abbott estimates are added, the total is 1,248,000 GPD, which is within BG’s capacity rating. BG is studying options to expand the raw water reservoir from the current 170 MG, preparing to add 3.0 MGD of membrane treatment, and is working to add 7 MGD to pump station capacity. I will encourage the city to re-start discussions with The District and Perrysburg about an Emergency Interconnection that would be on SR25 just south of Five Point Road where the District has adjacent waterlines.

The most effective tool that Council has to positively affect housing is the zoning code. The revised 2023 code creates opportunity for development in R1, R2, R3, and mixed use zones, and the P-R, University, and Gateway districts, and we are seeing positive results. Council also waived fees for new residential construction, but these fee waivers expire in December. I will support legislation to extend the waivers for another two years. The positive impact of these measures is clear - 40 new housing starts this year and 48 in 2024. This compares to 24, 22, and 29 housing starts respectively, in ‘21, ‘22, and ‘23. We are making progress on the housing front, and I will endorse a review of the zoning code at least annually to ensure progress.

I would prioritize the completion of work that is on-going at the water treatment plant, including following through with improvements to the treatment plant and increasing raw water storage capacity. BG is studying options to expand the raw water reservoir from the current 170 MG. We should ensure that the study is timely completed and, upon completion, that steps are taken to appropriately move forward with the expansion of the raw water reservoir. Simultaneously, we need to move forward with an emergency water interconnection with adjacent water sources. We can begin by re-starting discussions with The District and Perrysburg about an Emergency Interconnection on SR25 near Five Point Road where the District has adjacent waterlines.