WEBSITE
www.markdaltomare.com
Campaign Phone
734-531-7599
Number of years as resident
12
My BA, MBA, and Grad Cert Finance and Accounting have given me essential knowledge for this role. My 40-year career experience has provided practical opportunities to apply and strengthen the skills needed for Township governance.
A Psych degree fosters critical thinking, problem solving, effective communication, understanding and interaction with people holding diverse points of view.
My graduate degrees taught financial analysis, organizational behavior, data analysis and decision making, strategic thinking, team building, and leadership.
My career leading small and large organizations, project management, human resources, operations, union negotiations, risk assessment, contract negotiations honed these essential skills for governance.
My short-term goals are less about new policies and more about restoring the proper functioning of government. As such, limited resources will be less of an obstacle.
My priorities include:
•Restoring the statutory responsibilities of the Supervisor, Clerk, and Treasurer in alignment with the standards defined by the Michigan Townships Assn
•Supporting the new Director of Operations in managing township staff effectively and creating a safe and supportive workplace
•Strengthening oversight and communication around township finances
•Improving relationships with the Fire Department and its union via regular, open, and honest collaboration
•Creating Townhall meetings with residents to encourage open, honest exchanges and community involvement
We face challenges:
• Administrative dysfunction has slowed progress and eroded public trust
• Growth and land-use pressures threaten our rural and historic character
• The need to protect our environment and water quality through continued Gelman Plume monitoring
• Utility and infrastructure demands, including hiring a Utilities Director, improving roads, and strengthening the Fire Department by adding internal EMS capacity
• The need for stronger financial transparency and accountability
I will work to restore professional standards, improve communication, strengthen accountability, keep the Master Plan current employing smart-growth principles, and ensure township management is transparent, responsive, and focused on long-term planning
Its people. Scio has an engaged, thoughtful community. People here show up for public meetings, for planning and volunteer committees. Decisions are shaped by residents who care deeply about the township’s future. We must ensure that community participation in government is encouraged and valued by our Trustees.
Natural Beauty. Woodlands, wetlands, the Huron River, parks, preserves, and open spaces. Our strong commitment to protecting these resources helps make Scio a highly desirable place to live.
Financial Resources. Scio Township has a steady property tax base, inflows from state shared revenue, and revenue from fees, permits and utilities. We must invest these resources wisely to ensure Scio remains a place people want to live and work
WEBSITE
gillisforscio.com
Campaign Phone
7342770818
Number of years as resident
15
I have been with the Township since 2018, was Deputy Clerk for 5 years, and have edited the Township newsletter and website since 2019. My knowledge of Township operations and responsibilities is wide and my ability to communicate effectively is proven. I have worked in some capacity with nearly all staff and each elected official, and have attended every Board of Trustee meeting since 2020. These experiences will enable me, if elected, to hit the ground running. My previous careers in publishing and in clinical psychology trained me to be a sensitive observer of people. I am an experienced writer, another tool I expect to rely on regularly as an elected official.
I would like to see the goal of a just transition to a more carbon-neutral future permeate Board decisions. This means supporting public transit and eco-friendly building practices despite higher up-front costs in some cases, because the long-term goal is so vital to our collective future. Installing a new geothermal HVAC system at Township Hall is one example of this type of thinking. With the promise of higher up-front costs to be reimbursed by state and federal authorities the Board made a decision that will save money on heating and cooling costs for many years and reduce our carbon footprint immediately. I anticipate solar panels on the roof of Township Hall in the near future with the same outcome.
The Gelman dioxane plume has recently been designated a SuperFund site, shifting the responsibility of public officials to staying on top of cleanup operations to ensure they occur with sufficient speed to prevent the Plume from reaching municipal water supplies. A second serious problem facing Scio is uncertainty around ambulance service. With the lack of a contract with HVA, we have no assurance that service to our residents will continue beyond today. Like other communities facing this situation we may look to our Fire Department, since a good number of firefighters are trained paramedics. However, the cost to operate an ambulance service is beyond the level of current funding, which will be an area of focus for me if elected.
I think the Township’s greatest asset is our residents, particularly those members of the Parks Committee, the Land Preservation Commission, and the Environmental Sustainability Task Force. These resident volunteers have preserved nearly 2000 acres of land, acted as stewards of these lands and waters, and this year earned for Scio Gold-level recognition of our commitment to sustainability in the Michigan Green Communities Challenge. By engaging our residents through the newsletter, our website, programming and volunteer opportunities in the parks, public engagement events, and empowering our committees, I believe we can leverage the power of the people to improve life in Scio for all.
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