The intent for this page is to provide a summary of the positions referenced in my strategy – See Why Serve?
I’ll likely end up including the positions in an Excel spreadsheet that (if elected), I will use to provide status updates through a plan of action with milestones (POAM).
Responses to questions asked by the League of Women Voters and published in the Brown County Democrat. Questions covered the county relationship with the Town of Nashville, Supporting public input on major decisions, Financial challenges, and affordable housing.
Financial Management. The selection of a new financial advisor was a needed improvement. Five-year comprehensive planning, savings goals, and monthly meetings to review the plan’s status are critical for achieving financial sustainability. Challenges this year include the need to fund a capital improvement plan, develop a new county comprehensive plan, and consider applying for a Stellar Grant to support projects that benefit everyone. Financial Sustainmnet Plan (version 1) 200 pages
Impaired Waterways, Septic Sytems, Sewer Expansion. There will be public meetings (forums) where the county wastewater strategy and watershed study will be presented. Citizens will be encouraged to ask questions and provide input. Answers will be provided. The information presented will be documented and a report “For the record” will be published. Any follow-on actions requiring decisions by elected officials will be discussed at public meetings and citizens will be allowed to provide comments. The county’s Position on “Agriculture” will be identified in a new and needed County Comprehensive Plan.
Indian Hill. Develop a practical engineering plan for reopening the Indiana Hill railroad crossing that will be approved by INDOT. Identify funding strategies and a plan of action for reopening. More info: Position: Indian Hill—Re-Opening the Crossing and Road.
Brown County Music Center (BCMC).
- Excess Revenue. Elected officials with input from citizens provided at public meetings, should determine how excess revenue from the Music Center will be determined, distributed, and invested. Why shouldn’t 100% of excess revenue be returned to the county?
- I support Commissioner Sanders in holding public meetings to gather citizens’ input on selling the venue.
- The current admin agreement identifies that 75% of excess revenue will be given to the Brown County Community Foundation (BCCF) and 25% to the county. A proposed change is a 50/50 distribution. Why not 100% to the county?
- Given that the county-owned and operated music venue brings in more visitors that generate additional revenue for tourism businesses such as hotels, tourist rental cabins, bars, and restaurants, the owners of these establishments are not limited to the amounts they can donate to the Brown County Community Foundation.
Expansion of Sewers – Eastern Corridor – Helmsburg to Bean Blossom, to Woodland Lake. I support an independent assessment of the justification of the need. Although a septic system may be functional, residents will be forced to hook on to a sewer system and pay a monthly fee. Fees can also be charged during construction. Waivers are only temporary and easements will have to be approved by the residents. The intent is to provide citizens with assurance that the extent and scope of the proposed changes are necessary. Additional Information: Indiana: Internal Controls – Request for Review – State and Federal
School Referendum Regardless of whether or not the School referendum is passed in the May primary, I would support public forums in 2024-25 that will address the concerns and questions that the public has raised on the issues.
Safety and Security – Brown County Sheriff’s Department. When costs exceed the level of services that can be provided, a review of missions, functions, costs, and a risk assessment can be helpful. I’ve been through a few of these in my career.
Indiana’s Open Meeting Laws. Citizens will not have to file a formal complaint with the Pubic Access Counselor (PAC) to get a copy of a public document. I like to share more information than my fellow citizens may want to review. I also intend to have more “working session” meetings to invite citizens to share their ideas on needed improvements.
Bicycle Safety. Put up the Signs. Mitigates risk and makes the roads safer for residents and visitors.
Voluntary Term Limits.
- Two four-year terms for commissioners or council should be more than sufficient. Better practices and operating procedures will reduce the learning curve for officials and will produce better results. Successes may encourage more people to run for office and volunteer.
Health Insurance Benefits – part-time elected officials – council, commissioners. This benefit was added to encourage more citizens to serve. The cost per official/employee of the health insurance benefit has ranged from 14K to 18K per person. (The state is paying around 20K). I made a formal request to the commissioners and their new assistant in December 2023 for the specifics on costs. It’s been an entertaining process.
- The council’s salary is $5,814, and the commissioner’s salary is $20,552.
Voter Responsibility. One responsibility of citizens is to serve as a jurist. Citizens are sent a summons for jury duty and are expected to show up and serve. As a jurist, you are expected to listen to the testimony, understand the facts and evidence, ask questions, understand both sides of the argument, and make a decision. This is a good example of the expectations of voters. Learn about the positions and qualifications of the candidates, ask questions, and make a decision.
- My opponent in the primary is Jerry Pittman who is running for an unprecedented “Third” term. If elected in the primary, my opponent in the general election will be Justin Schwenk – the chair of the local Democratic Party.
Systemic Improvement requires a Systemic Approach. When you put good people in a poorly performing system, the system wins most if not all of the time. Think about a stock car racing team that enters every race but never wins. Do you blame the driver and pit crew or the individuals responsible for determining the design and performance of the car? Systemic Improvement is supported through the application of proven methods and tools. More information: BrownCountyLeaderNetwork.com
- In Brown County, we have a one-party monopoly on political power (“republican”), Too often, this power is abused to implement policies that benefit the few at the expense of the many. This “car” will never be capable of producing results where everyone can benefit, or at least, will not be any worse off. Additional information: SuccessThroughQuality.com
Analysis and Decision-Making – Position and Explanation. I support a fact-based decision-making process where major decisions are supported by documentation. Public forums will be used to collect and share information representing all sides of an argument. People may not always agree with the final decision but will have confidence that the process was as fair and objective as possible.