Come voting day, not only are we voting for two Township trustees but also a replacement levy for the Leroy Township Fire Department.
All members of the Leroy community need to get out and vote as both these topics are important to our Township and require everyone’s involvement.
There were 2,439 registered voters in Leroy Township as of Sept. 29, according to the Lake County Elections Board.
The two trustees who are elected will begin four-year terms on Jan. 1. They will make $16,136 a year, according to township Fiscal Officer Alexandra Brown.
Info source News-Herald
Via the News-Herald
If re-elected,
Shelton would propose hiring a part-time township administrator. She said an administrator would help the trustees follow state Sunshine Laws, provide all trustees with the same information and be available to answer resident questions. She would propose paying for the role by reverting to the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office for legal issues.
She also intends to increase outreach to seniors in the community, including new senior-oriented events and a “neighbors helping neighbors” program for seniors.
Shelton would also like to make more improvements to Leroy Park, including the fencing, bleachers and playground equipment. She said improvements would also be needed to use the old school building for soccer fields. She would seek grant funding for the work.
Should you be re-elected, what are three specific areas you’d like to change, address, improve or further research, and how specifically would you go about it?:
I would like to propose the hiring of a part-time Administrator. Trustees are to conduct the township’s business with complete transparency and over the past four years that has proven to be a challenge.There are Sunshine Laws that must be adhered to when conducting township business and an Administrator would facilitate this as well as make the meetings more efficient, informative, and would ensure that all trustees are being given the same information in which to make decisions, as well as being available to the public for general questions. Trustees are not to speak about items that require a vote outside of a public meeting. Two trustees engaged in conversation about public business creates a quorum and should be avoided to ensure integrity and transparency of the board. A newly hired part-time administrator would assist with this and could also address the Human Resource needs of our administration. To offset the cost of this position I propose we revert back to using the Lake County Prosecutor’s Office to address any legal issues when they arise. There is no cost involved with using their services and this would make available the funds being used for our current legal expenditures.
Community involvement has been a priority of mine with the introduction of Outdoor Movie Night and working with our Leroy Recreation Board to present holiday events along with the summer concerts. A second item for which I would like to implement change would be our outreach to the seniors in our community. My interactions with my father as well as my involvement with other seniors I encounter as a nurse have opened my eyes to the needs of an underserved population. Monthly dinners/bingo/ craft night are just a few ideas I would like to promote. In addition, I would also like to coordinate a “Neighbors helping Neighbors”program. This would involve identifying those seniors in our community that are vulnerable, isolated, and /or are in need of assistance. I have seen first hand the out pouring of support and assistance that this community offers our fellow citizens when the opportunity arises.
In addition to the new park path and paved parking lot, which were made possible with CBDG funds I secured on behalf of Leroy Township , I”d like to make further improvements to our Leroy Park. Our community youth sports involvement is growing and the need to maintain/improve the park grounds for community use is also increasing. Our Leroy Park is in need of fencing, bleachers, new concrete under pavilion, concession building repairs and playground equipment. In order to use the old school property for soccer fields we need a gravel parking lot, shed, and mulch for playground. Dollars required to make these improvements would need to come from grant dollars as to not burden our budget. I successfully applied/utilized the grant dollars we have received for parks over the past twelve years and I’d like to pursue additional grants to make these much needed improvements.
Whether for past accomplishments or future goals, why should voters elect you?:
For the past twelve years it has been my pleasure to serve my community as one of three township trustees. I have taken the responsibility given to me by my constituents very seriously. To better serve Leroy Township I have made it a point to expand my knowledge of township government and graduated from the Ohio Township Leadership Academy (the only trustee on the board that holds this distinction).
I routinely attend the Lake County Township Association meetings to remain in communication with the other Lake County TownshipTrustees and other community leaders as we seek solutions for the challenges facing the township form of government as a whole and what we can do to strengthen our voice here in Lake County. I was the only Leroy Township Trustee to speak at the Lake County Commissioner’s meeting to show support and advocate for funding to reopen the Ford Rd. bridge project as well as the Paine Rd. project. During my tenure, parks and zoning have been the areas designated for my oversight. I have written and secured several grants that have allowed us to refurbish the South Leroy Meeting House and add a handicap accessible park path with parking lot to our Leroy Township Park. (Securing Approx. $350,000 in improvements). During the past twelve years of overseeing the Leroy Township Zoning Board I was instrumental in working with our Leroy Township Zoning Board and the Lake County Planning Commission to complete two successful comprehensive plans. The first plan instituted a 3 acre minimum lot size which I feel continues to be instrumental in preserving Leroy Township’s unique rural atmosphere. This will continue to be my focus moving forward if given the opportunity. I ask for your vote this November.
Original link News-Herald
Via the News-Herald
If elected,
Greig said he would research the township’s insurance deductibles, address its roads and research how it can improve its operations and potentially save money.
He said that he has learned teamwork over more than 40 years of business and partnerships. He is also used to receiving different opinions from people with more experience in a field.
Should you be elected, what are three specific areas you’d like to change, address, improve or further research, and how specifically would you go about it?:
Research Township Insurance Deductibles
Address the roads
Research new ways to do what we are doing to improve and also possibly save money.
Whether for past accomplishments or future goals, why should voters elect you?:
I have been in business + partnerships for over 40 yrs. I have learned teamwork and when the majority votes to move in a certain direction, then that becomes a “we” decision + I will work to accomplish that goal even if I didn’t agree with it at first, it is now “our” decision not “their” decision.
I am used to getting different opinions on a project from people who have more experience in that field because sometimes you don’t see the forest for the trees in front of you.
Original link News-Herald
Via the News-Herald
If elected,
Keeney said he intends to do more with the road department using the money that the township has. He believes that bringing in new officials can help with that goal.
“Being a road worker for Geauga County does give me some knowledge on roads and how they should be maintained,” he said later.
Keeney also would work to keep the township rural by keeping current zoning regulations and helping with needed zoning changes.
He would also focus on transparency and resident communications. He said that residents should feel like they are talking to a friend or neighbor when speaking with the officials who handle their tax dollars.
Should you be elected, what are three specific areas you’d like to change, address, improve or further research, and how specifically would you go about it?:
1. Get more things done with the road department working with the money we have. I believe having new people with fresh eyes and a different way of looking at things could help with this.
2. Keep Leroy rural. Our zoning laws are setup in a way that allows this and I will help maintain that or help with any changes that could be needed to keep it that way.
3. Transparency and communication with residents. We are a Township with a small population. The folks of Leroy should feel as if one of their friends or neighbors is handling the money that is forcefully taken from them and be able to reach out to them with any feedback and get a response that feels like its coming from a friend or neighbor and not a politician or government official.
Whether for past accomplishments or future goals, why should voters elect you?:
I have no political experience and I am not a politician. I am just a fellow community member who cares and wants to try to do right and help make our Township the best we can make it be. I have nothing negative to say about our current administration but we do need new blood in there and I hope to help inspire younger and newer people to take interest in the future. Being a road worker for Geauga County does give me some knowledge on roads and how they should be maintained and that can help when it comes to making short and long term plans on maintaining and repairing the roads we have now and setting them up to be upgraded in the future. We would all like to see our roads properly paved one day and not gone back to gravel.
Source the News-Herald
Via the News-Herald
If elected,
Burhenne said she would continue efforts to modernize the township’s government, fix road department deficiencies and seek more grant funding to serve township residents.
“I have a long history of helping to fix struggling agencies,” she said. “I would like to apply that experience in turning things around in my home town.”
Should you be elected, what are three specific areas you’d like to change, address, improve or further research, and how specifically would you go about it?:
Should I be elected, I would like to focus on continuing to modernize Leroy Township government, fixing deficiencies in the road department, and working to pull in more grant money to assist in providing better service to township residents.
Whether for past accomplishments or future goals, why should voters elect you?:
I have a long history of helping to fix struggling agencies. I would like to apply that experience in turning things around in my home town.
Original link News-Herald
TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE ELECTION
I am Stephen Todd, candidate for trustee. I entered the race for two reasons.
1) A definite need for change in leadership.
2) I have the skills and demeanor needed
With seven candidates now running for two positions I have come to the following decision. We need a change in leadership with the current dysfunction, as too many decisions and actions are based on Emotion, Grudge, Opinion, Spite.
Leroy needs levelheaded, fair minded, unbiased, fact-based, cooperative trustees. With other very qualified candidates like Roy Greig and Linda Burhenne to choose from, I am suspending my candidacy and endorsing these two for township trustee.
Glad to see people found it helpful to to able to listen to the event if you did not make it in person.
Looks we have 313 hits to date on the audio page, so good interest for sure but still many others voters out there need to hear from the candidates themselves to make an informed decision when casting their vote.
Well for only having a week to get this together I feel it went well and I served my fellow neighbors by making sure their voice was heard if they choose to submit a question.
As for traffic, there was lots of lookers that maybe did not have a questions but wanted to see what updates come from such events so maybe this can be a platform used again.
What a great event, was super to see so many Leroy residents show up and want to hear and be heard, For never doing something like this because I think it was well organized and went smoothly.
Each candidate had time to express their vision for Leroy, hearing each point of view shows us the future is bright for all of us that call Leroy home.
You can listen to the event audio here