Education
B.A. Telecommunications - Indiana University 2005
Occupation
Monroe County Councilor, District 4
Current priorities should be the following:
1. Finding a location for jail/justice center that is within city limits and close to social service programs and organizations, which I believe, once we find a location, we can start to move out of this decades-long lawsuit.
2. Ensuring the county spends down all the ARPA dollars given to the county by the federal government by the end of the year (or else we are responsible for giving unspent dollars back to the government).
3. Working to build TRUE affordable housing within the county and different types of housing!
4. Getting to the root and core issue of homelessness with ALL stakeholders in local government
5. Partnering with city colleagues to collaborate on issues & funding initiatives
Yes, our roles and responsibilities often overlap, and it benefits us to work together instead of remaining in our own silos. To be effective elected officials, we need to improve communication and understanding. It's essential to identify issues and problems as they arise, sit down together, and find common ground.
We demonstrated this approach a few years ago when both the commissioners and the council established the Capital Improvement Board (CIB) for the expansion of the convention center, which is scheduled to open in January 2027. I believe that if we apply the same principles that unified us during the creation of the CIB, we can achieve success with the future jail and justice center project.
It’s frustrating that a lawsuit hanging over the county since 2009 remains unresolved. This issue was on our agenda when I joined the council in December 2021, and it persists. After rejecting the Northpark proposal in October 2025, we communicated our preferences to the commissioners through a resolution in February. We realized the initial $225 million price tag is unaffordable; our estimated costs, based on SB1's bonding capacity, are now between $117 million and $135 million. Next steps should be looking at county-owned property, collaborating with city officials, and selecting a location for the project. The commissioners have indicated that the responsibility is now with us, and I'm eager to advance this project to the finish line.
Recently, we have experienced unusual weather changes due to climate change. The county has to improve communication by appointing a dedicated communications officer. This person should explain emergency situations, detail the aftermath (like cleanup and shelters), and provide contact information for public inquiries, and our outreach has to go beyond social media in these cases. Our emergency management team does great work in response, but their focus should not be on communication. Designating a communications officer to share information through various channels will help significantly. Additionally, collaborating with local townships post-storm is vital, as their resources can be limited, as we learned after last May’s tornado.
Monroe County is successfully attracting businesses to boost the local economy. However, job growth must be matched with affordable, especially workforce housing, to keep income circulating within the community. Additionally, the county missed the chance to revisit 13 potential amendments to the Comprehensive Development Ordinance (CDO) passed in December 2024, despite community concerns. Revisiting these amendments to the CDO to improve rezoning and housing development. The county must also take action to address housing needs.
Creating a land trust was discussed in relation to ARPA funding & we should revisit this option. I still rent & I’m passionate about helping working families achieve homeownership without financial strain.
