Education
Cleveland State University, B.A. in Communications (minor in Business), Summa Cum Laude GPA 3.91, wrote for The Cauldron school newspaper.
Experience
25+ years business experience in banking, business development, human resources, and sales/marketing/public relations. 12 years on Chardon City Council (two as Mayor), Chaired Finance, Legislative, and Economic Development Committees. Board Member, Board of Elections.
Volunteer/Community Service
Five years on Chardon Planning Commission, Heritage House and Maple Highlands Trail Committees, Geauga Lyric Theater, Geauga County Republican Party Chairman since 2014.
Geauga County has a 400-page Comprehensive Plan (reviewed annually, with major updates every five years). It includes these main points: (1) Land Use, (2) Housing, (3) Natural Resources, (4) Infrastructure, (5) Economic Development, and (6) Community Facilities. All of these points overlap and affect one another. As a County Commissioner, I will focus mainly on Economic Development, Housing, and Infrastructure as priorities. These areas are intricately connected to each other. Geauga County is a mix of rural and suburban areas, and villages and one city. Improved housing (especially for seniors), better infrastructure, and additional good paying jobs will keep our quality of life and public services high, and our taxes stable and low.
It is unacceptable that weekly meeting recordings were halted many years ago by our Commissioners. All meetings should be recorded and available to the public on the BOCC website in a timely manner. Weekly BOCC meeting agendas should include a separate numbered public comment item to allow for the public to speak on any topic they choose. I am in favor of having occasional Commissioner meetings in various locations throughout the county. Communication is a two-way street and public officials need to be transparent and accessible to residents and business owners in Geauga County. As soon as meeting minutes are adopted by the Commissioners, they should be made available on the County's website within a few working days.
County Commissioners should be collaborating with our elected representatives in Columbus to help property owners navigate these EPA regulations. Also, Commissioners need to explore alternative financial solutions to homeowners and businesses, especially retired seniors or those with low incomes. Residents who cannot afford to comply may be forced out of their homes, which would create a terrible housing crisis. Likewise, onerous EPA regulations may hurt or destroy small businesses which are the lifeblood of our economy. Public infrastructure improvements are very expensive and those costs are usually passed onto the consumer. Ohio residents cannot afford more government regulations or unfunded mandates during these tough economic times.
Without having inside knowledge of current BOCC administrative practices, it is hard for me to say what I would change. I have always approached my job as a public servant with open eyes and to evaluate as much as I can before making any changes. As in the private sector, the most valuable resource any organization has is its labor force. It is also the most expensive part of any organization's budget. Having worked in human resources, performance evaluations and annual reviews are essential, so employees know what is expected of them. Employees need regular feedback to be able to improve their job performance. Public employees need to be held accountable. County Commissioners should also be given a performance review - every four years!
Geauga County is a wonderful place in which to live, raise a family, and to have a business. But we can always do better. We need amenities and strong public school systems to attract younger families to move here and stay here, and we need more affordable high-quality housing for that population. But we also need more options for retiring residents who no longer want to live on a large property or take care of one. We have an aging population here and many of that generation are finding out that they must move out of Geauga County to find affordable senior housing that meets their needs. There is a market here in Geauga for both. As Commissioner, I will focus on Economic Development, Housing, and Infrastructure because that is our future.
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