PLATFORM
"I am a proud member of this community, and I believe that we the citizens need to be heard"
LIST OF ISSUES
Transparency
In politics, transparency is used as a means of holding public officials accountable and fighting corruption. When a government’s meeting is open to the public, its budgets may be reviewed and decisions open to discussion, where there is less opportunity for the authorities to abuse the system for their own interests.
We need to make sure that our board is transparent in all of the decisions they make. I plan on changing the current practices in which the public is usually the last to know about things that are going that will affect our community and our tax dollars.
Ethical Violation
Our board has refused to consider signing the Model Ethics Ordinance contract. It is important as leaders of our township that our current and future boards are held accountable.
By adopting the Model Ethics Ordinance for Michigan Local Units of Government, it would outlaw elected officials from voting to purchase property or grant tax breaks to individuals or businesses who are campaign contributors.
It would also prohibit elected officials from directly negotiating price, purchases, tax, water and sewer breaks with campaign contributors.
Communication
Communication is lacking in our township between the board and the citizens. The community is made aware of issues that are placed on the board agenda, sometimes at last minute. The board, at times, will vote on matters even before the community has a say.
We need to make sure that the board provides the community with agenda items at least a week before the trustee meetings. This would allow the board and citizens time to research the agenda topic when it is presented.
In addition to this the board needs to allow the citizens the opportunity to speak about every new and existing board agenda items, before it is ever voted on.
I would also like to have the community informed by the township as to the progress of each job that has been on the board agenda until it is completed.
Community
Community is a big part of who we are and our Park & Recreation is a large part of that equation.
It’s that special irreplaceable connection that we have that makes each of our community families (Washington, Romeo & Bruce) better than any of the cities around us.
Working together for the betterment of our tri-community we can accomplish more together than we could ever do alone.
I would like to make sure that we strengthen our tri-community family, by not only making changes to Parks & Recreation but also how the community is intertwined with our tri-community and our schools. Moving our community on the forefront for what a community could and should be.