Previous Offices Held
Somerset County Judge of Probate (elected 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, and 2012). Somerset County commissioner District 4 (elected 2022)
Top Three Priorities
1. Support and oversight of effective, well-run county departments and offices 2. Public safety with support for the sheriff’s office and county law enforcement 3. Fiscally responsible budgeting and spending to keep county taxes as low as possible
Why are you running?
I have lived almost my entire adult life in Cornville. I have a strong attachment and affection for this county. I have been privileged to serve the people of Somerset County as an assistant district attorney, as a private attorney, as probate judge and now as commissioner. I hope to continue to serve.
What is the biggest challenge facing your town/county? The biggest opportunity?
Keeping down costs and the impact on taxpayers is always the biggest challenge. Inflation, labor costs and increasing public safety costs, caused by increasing demands for service, insufficient state funding of county jails and the reduction of state police rural patrol, all demand that the commissioners keep a watchdog eye on spending and produce tight, balanced and efficient budgets. Our biggest opportunity may be finding regional solutions to problems that challenge our towns/their budgets.
If you could change one thing about how the town/county functions, what would it be and why?
In general, our county functions well, in large part due to our effective management team working across all departments.
Do you support more development – i.e. more housing construction and business building in your town/county? Why or why not?
I support sensible economic development in the county while at the same time preserving and promoting our natural resources and environment, which form the basis of our economic vitality.