QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS:

What, if anything, will you do to make your office more accessible to the public?

Solutions to infrastructure problems should be made with as much community input as possible. Projects and the standards that predicate them should reflect our community's wishes and values. Users of our transportation facilities can offer observations that may be otherwise overlooked. I will seek and be responsive to suggestions during both the planning and the design stages to insure that expectations are met and the public is not surprised at the final outcome. In addition to the current policy of meeting annually with each of the Township Boards, I will personally attend County Council meetings and work sessions to insure coordination of our efforts and to be accessible to the public. Additionally, I will attend Council district meetings to provide information and receive public input. Owners abutting an improvement will also be invited to comment and attend meetings during planning and design stages of all projects. Implementing these methods of improved access and input solicitation will encourage citizen involvement and improve the public'&#x0080&#x0099s understanding of decisions made.

What’s the boldest idea you have for the office?

I will make our transportation system safer and more efficient; not just for cars, buses and trucks, but also for pedestrian and bicycle access between our neighborhoods, schools, parks and shopping areas. A safe, efficient and convenient multi-modal transportation system will not only improve the standard of living for our residents, it is a key element to attracting employers to our communities and improving opportunities for economic development. The unincorporated areas of our county are predominately urbanized, creating a need for urban transportation amenities such traffic signals, safe speed zones, walkways and bikeways. Many residents have expressed a desire for safe walking and cycling access from their homes to shopping, schools and parks. I will insure that every improvement proposed by the County Engineer is designed to achieve these goals. I will also work to implement a program of interconnecting neighborhood streets with walkways and/or bikeways so that we can visit our neighbors without the need to travel on busy highways or cutting through someone's private yard. Make our roadways safer and more efficient; not just for cars and trucks, but also for pedestrian and bicycle access between our neighborhoods, schools, parks and shopping areas.

What are the major issues facing the office you are seeking?

The costs for roadway construction and maintenance operations are increasing at a rate much faster than increases in revenue making it more important than ever that we improve operational efficiencies.

Local traffic and safety services have been negatively impacted by construction of the SR 8 Corridor improvements making it important that we find a solution that will satisfy local needs.

The unincorporated areas of our county are becoming increasingly urbanized in nature creating a need for urban transportation amenities such traffic signals, safe speed zones and construction of walkways and bikeways.

Drainage basin boundaries cross political subdivision boundaries and yet there is currently little or no countywide coordination of stormwater management practices or public improvement projects.

Our local economy is nearing a state of crisis with jobs lost and families losing their homes. Bringing more state and federal public improvement funding to our county and keeping it in our county needs to be a priority.

Why are you running for office and if elected what changes or improvements would you like to bring to this office?

As a lifelong resident of Summit County, I hope to utilize the resources of the office of County Engineer to make our roadways safer and more efficient; not just for cars and trucks, but also for pedestrian and bicycle access between our neighborhoods and our schools, parks and shopping
areas. A safe, efficient and convenient multi-modal countywide transportation system is a key element to attracting employers to our communities and improving opportunities for economic development.

Added emphasis on stormwater management practices on a countywide basis needed. This is due to the urbanization of our county causing increased pressures on the storm flow capabilities ofour storm sewers, waterways, creeks and streams.

Engineering solutions should be made with as much input as possible from the public and their community leaders. As county engineer, I will do better at soliciting from the users of our transportation facilities their understanding of what is wrong and what needs to be done to make it better. Improvement projects and the design standards that predicate them should reflect ourlocal communities wishes and values.

COMMUNICATE WITH RESIDENTS

• Seek community input in the planning and design stages of improvement projects
• Meet annually with each of the Township's Board of Trustees for Township improvements
• Personally attend county council meeting and work sessions
• Personally be available to the public
• Hold an annual public meeting in each county council district
• Send letters to all property owners abutting an improvement inviting them to comment and attend a meeting to solicit input and inform the property owners.

COUNTY IMPROVEMENTS

• Make our roadways safer and more efficient; not just for cars and trucks, but also for pedestrian and bicycle access between our neighborhoods, schools, parks and shopping areas.
• Create a safe, efficient and convenient multi-modal countywide transportation system .
  • key element to attracting employers to our communities and improving opportunities for economic development.
• Addition of and improvements to: urban transportation amenities such as traffic signals, safe speed zones, walkways and bikeways.
  • Required improvements due to the unincorporated areas of our county becoming increasingly urbanized
• Dedicated to developing safe walking and cycling access from county resident's homes to shopping, schools and parks.
• implement a program of interconnecting neighborhood streets with walkways and/or bikeways so that we can walk or bike to see our neighbors without the need to travel on busy highways or to trespass by cutting through someone's private yard.