VILLAGE OF ENON
For Member of Council
(Vote for not more than 2)
TOWNSHIP OF MAD RIVER
For Fiscal Officer
(Vote for not more than 1)
TOWNSHIP OF MAD RIVER
For Township Trustee
(Vote for not more than 1)
VILLAGE OF ENON
For Member of Council
(Vote for not more than 2)
Voters in the Village of Enon will be selecting two members for the council seats in November. Incumbent Steve Trout is requesting to be re-elected. Other candidates for the council seats are Mitch Oliver and Jeremy Whitacre. Current council member Jerry Crane did not opt to run for re-election.
Due to a problem beyond our control, Mr. Whitacre was omitted from the article that appeared in the October 21st issue of the Enon Eagle concerning candidates for Enon Village Council. We extend our apologies to the candidates regarding this miscommunication.
Mitch Oliver
holds a BS in Secondary Education from Georgia State University. Oliver has more than 25 years business experience where he has “learned to create, manage and meet budgets; collaborate with folks having varying opinions and ideas to achieve common goals; motivate employees and set and attain long range goals.”
Why are you running for a seat on Enon Village Council?
My wife Troy and I have raised two children in Enon. They both went through Hustead to Greenon and then on to college. The Village has been a great place for us to live and enjoy our lives. I’d like to work with others to preserve the hometown values of community, safety and security that allowed us to raise our family without many of the worries of surrounding areas.
What do you see as the greatest challenge to the Village of Enon?
Financial security. Many smaller governments are and will continue to feel the pinch of less revenue and increased need for services. We’ll have to be fiscally responsible while continuing to set, monitor and attain long range plans and goals that maintain a high level of services and sound infrastructure.
Explain some new ideas and programs proposed
My initial goal would be to work with, learn from and leverage my business experience towards helping evaluate plans and direction of the current leadership in order to support the positive direction the Village is heading such as - Continue to support a strong and visible police force, maintain our water utility and promote community activities.
The Village of Enon is currently considering the request by Speedway to vacate a street allowing the company to build a bigger store and gas station in the heart of the village. Do you believe that this is responsible growth for the village and why?
As an employee of Speedway, I would recuse myself from any discussion on this topic so as not to allow a concern of, or even the appearance of, a conflict of interest.
How would you improve communication with residents if you are elected?
In addition to the existing tools of our website, availability of Village administrative personnel during the day and our open meetings, I’d plan to make myself available at community functions.
Drug problems have come to small town America and areas of Clark County are no exception. How do you see the role of the village council in keeping drug problems from dominating the community considering the close proximity to I-70?
A strong and visible police force is critical to serve as a deterrent to anyone attempting to spread illegal drug activity in our community. Additionally, a strong and visible police force provides essential safety and security that attracts and retains our citizenry.
Enon like other political subdivisions has begun to feel the effect of decreased funding from the State of Ohio. What do you see as the greatest budget challenge for the village over the next four years?
The challenge will be to remain fiscally responsible by weighing needs, wants and services provided against expense. Priorities should be those services that support a sound infrastructure that will attract and retain families and continue to provide the sense of safety and security we enjoy today.
Residents have questioned the need for a full time Village Administrator supported by a number of “staff” positions in Government Center offices. Do you believe that the village is over staffed in the area of office support staff?
There’s a great deal of work that goes on behind the scenes to provide the quality of services we have come to expect in the Village. I continue to learn more and more about meeting those needs. The Village currently does a good job of balancing full time and part time employees. As with any and all expenditures, employee expenses should continue to be evaluated against benefit, expense and expectation of services.
Steve Trout
is seeking re-election to village council. He is a graduate of Paris-American High School and the University of Maryland, Munich, Germany campus. He also lists Wright State University and the American Institute of Banking on his credential list. Mr. Trout has over 40 years of business management, finance and budgeting experience. He served for over 7 years as the Enon Village Clerk Treasurer and has served 3 terms on council. He has served as Council President during his tenure and as Chair of the Finance Committee.
Mr. Trout is running for re-election because he “feels he can still contribute ideas and guidance” while helping the Mayor “achieve his goals”. He feels that he has a “vested interest” in keeping “fiscally sound government in Enon”.
What do you see as the greatest challenge to the Village of Enon?
Providing the services wanted and needed by the residents with a fixed Village income.
Please explain some of your ideas and new programs that were implemented during your current term in office. Please comment on additional ideas you would propose if re-elected.
Once again we were able to stabilize the Village Government and get all the departments back on track to providing services at levels the residents should expect.
The Village of Enon is currently considering the request by Speedway to vacate a street allowing the company to build a bigger store and gas station in the heart of the village. Do you believe that this is responsible growth for the village and why?
The possible expansion of the downtown Speedway by Emro would cause us to lose the use of a small portion of the thru street, but it will eliminate the fact that we have a large vacant building in downtown Enon, with no other apparent buyers in the picture. I think we can all say that the station needs to be on a bigger foot print and it very well may become the gem operation of the company.
How would you improve communication with residents if you are elected?
We/I have worked on this for many years. The Enon Eagle does a credible job of communicating the Village business, but not every resident subscribes; Springfield News has less Village business information. We have tried short notes on water bills; improved our website that is still a work in progress. Electronic communication will ultimately be the way everyone receives the information. Yet, attendance at Council or Committee meetings is still the best way for residents to see their Village at work.
Drug problems have come to small town America and areas of Clark County are no exception. How do you see the role of the village council in keeping drug problems from dominating the community considering the close proximity to I-70?
The Drug issue requires an up to date highly trained police force. Chief Wilcox and Mayor Howard have made that a priority since day one. Occasionally, Enon does have issues arise due to drugs, much of it from out of town sources, but we have our home grown version also. Our Police Department has done an excellent job - and has done much to quash it or pursue it vigorously and will continue to do so.
Enon like other political subdivisions has begun to feel the effect of decreased funding from the State of Ohio. What do you see as the greatest budget challenge for the village over the next four years?
Decreasing income has been an issue for several years. Local government distributions are being shrunk by the state; property valuations are changing. The primary source of the Village income is via property tax including the Village levies for general operation and the Police Department levy. New properties are not being established, yet expenses are growing. Wages, benefits, supplies and materials are all going up. The water dept. sustains itself; the rest of the Village operation is paid for by the tax levies. That is the challenge every year that the Mayor, Council and Department. Managers must go through to put together a workable budget. We cannot operate in the red.
Residents have questioned the need for a full time Village Administrator supported by a number of “staff” positions in Government Center offices. Do you believe that the village is over staffed in the area of office support staff?
Full time Village Administrator? Who will you call when you have no water coming out of your faucet or your street hasn’t been plowed? I have not heard any resident say or ask me why we need a fulltime Administrator. Our office support “staff” is comprised of 3 people -- one full-time person who is the water billing clerk, also serves as the clerk of courts along with being the police department assistant and 2 part-time office assistants. You should ask these “mystery” residents to visit the Government center and ask to meet with the Administrator and review his “project board” -- that should put an end to this question.
Jeremy Whitacre
is a Greenon High School graduate with an Associate of Science degree from Clark State. He also holds a BS in Management from Park University. He currently oversees a $40 million budget as a Program Analyst at Wright Patterson AFB. He has experience in researching and following government regulations for various programs.
Mr. Whitacre is seeking public office because he has been a lifelong resident and intends to remain in the village. His goal to seek public office was set while still in high school. He would like to “help make Enon even greater than it is today."
What do you see as the greatest challenge to the Village of Enon?
The greatest challenge to the Village of Enon along with all other local governments is to stretch every dollar we receive to the furthest extent. Our residents work hard for every penny they earn and it is our job to make sure we are not wasting the money that comes into the village. It doesn’t always have to mean doing more with less but being smart and responsible with what our money goes towards.
Please explain some of the ideas and new programs that you would propose if elected.
One of the things I would propose is to start a quarterly newsletter that could be mailed to village residents with information from meetings similar to the newsletter that is sent out by the Greenon School Board. Another thing I would like to see happen is to get more young people involved in events in the village. The support the village receives from longtime residents is great but at some point the younger generations are going to have to get involved as well so we can learn the tried and true practices that have made Enon what it is today.
The Village of Enon is currently considering the request by Speedway to vacate a street allowing the company to build a bigger store and gas station in the heart of the village. Do you believe that this is responsible growth for the village and why?
I believe this would be a win-win situation for both Speedway and the Village residents. Speedway has showed great belief in our community by having their Corporation building so close to us. If they were given the opportunity to build a bigger gas station in Enon it would not only show our appreciation towards them but it would also be an enormous convenience for the residents of Enon.
How would you improve communication with residents if you are elected?
As mentioned before I think a great way to reach all residents would be to have a quarterly newsletter. Although it is great the village is taking advantage of social media and local newspapers to spread the word on important information, not everyone in the village receives the newspaper or has a computer to find this information. A quarterly newsletter could include information discussed in council meetings as well as a calendar with important upcoming dates (i.e. council meetings, village events).
Drug problems have come to small town America and areas of Clark County are no exception. How do you see the role of the village council in keeping drug problems from dominating the community considering the close proximity to I-70?
Although the village council cannot do much for this problem on their own, one way we could help is to make sure our police department has all the resources they need to help combat this national problem. I believe to prevent drug problems in our area it starts at home with teaching our children rights and wrongs and also the education they receive in school through different drug programs.
Enon like other political subdivisions has begun to feel the effect of decreased funding from the State of Ohio. What do you see as the greatest budget challenge for the village over the next four years?
I don’t have enough knowledge of the current status of funding to comment right now. This would be the first thing I would want to be brought up to speed on if I were to be elected though. Overseeing large budgets in my current job has taught me to look forward at potential funding problems in the future and to research ways to take care of these problems before they arise. One of the most important parts of being a Village Councilman is to make sure we are spending our resident’s tax dollars in a responsible and economical way and I would do everything I could to make sure we do that.
Residents have questioned the need for a full time Village Administrator supported by a number of “staff” positions in Government Center offices. Do you believe that the village is over staffed in the area of office support staff?
Without knowing the current amount of staff and duties that they are required to complete I don’t feel I should answer one way or the other. If it is a concern for the residents of Enon then it is definitely something I would research if I were to be elected into office.
For Fiscal Officer
(Vote for not more than 1)
Mad River Township Fiscal Officer position has four candidates hoping to win a majority of the votes in November. Incumbent Maralee Leonard is being challenged by Jackie Ashworth, David Rudy and Jennifer Wendling. Leonard did not respond to our request for participation in the annual election edition.
Jackie Ashworth
has an Associates Degree in Business Management with certification in accounting and organizational leadership. She also holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration/Human Management. Ashworth is an Ohio Certified Paramedic / Firefighter. Ms. Ashworth has served Mad River Township as a Fire & EMS Administrative Assistant Chief for 15 years. She is responsible for various accounting and scheduling duties with the department. She also brings a background in budget preparation and administration, capital project management and oversight, personnel hiring and evaluation and other experience from her 30 years of public employment in utilities and facilities.
Ms Ashworth is seeking the position of Fiscal Officer because she believes it is “vitally important to all aspects of how Mad River Township functions and conducts business”. She suggests that the office needs a “positive change” noting that an individual must “place the needs of the township, employees and residents above their own personal agenda”.
What do you see as the greatest challenge to Mad River?
The greatest challenge for Mad River Township is regaining confidence in the Fiscal Officer. Vendors, staff, and the public have questioned the inefficiency and ineptitude of this office; bills and reimbursements are excessively late in payment, wasting township funds (tax dollars) on late fees and interest, and a significant lack of access to township public records. The Fiscal Officer needs to be pro-active instead of re-active to township needs and business.
Please explain some of the cost saving ideas that you would propose if elected.
First, the work of the Fiscal Officer will be done from an established office at the Township Building. I will have established work hours each week. Files will be organized in order to provide transparency and efficiency. Documents will be readily available for all Department Heads and Township Trustees. I will be saving tax dollars by simply ensuring that bills are paid on time. I plan to look for opportunities to save additional township dollars. For example, renegotiating any service contracts for better rates, investigating collaborative purchasing with other townships to lower costs for supplies / materials, and NOT hiring an assistant to do the work that the Fiscal Officer was elected to perform.
Do you believe that elected officials should be using a personal e-mail account to conduct government business? Do you believe that a third party should be receiving township e-mails and distributing them?
No to both questions. The responsibility of the Fiscal Officer is to handle all records, accounts and transactions for the board of township trustees. In order to fulfill the requirements and expectations as established by the Ohio Revised Code, the Fiscal Officer should conduct business with a township authorized email account, and to respond to emails directly without the intervention of a third party. Simply put, ensuring the importance of transparency in government operations.
Do you believe that the township needs a part time office staff member to work during the day at the township offices?
NO. With an established office and work hours within the Township Building, there is no need for a part time office staff or assistant to the Fiscal Officer. Once elected by the taxpayers of Mad River Twp., I will assume the duties and responsibilities of the office of Fiscal Officer and perform them efficiently and effectively.
What changes would you make to avoid late payments and deposits of township funds if elected to office?
I will change the current practice of working from a private home and have ALL township documents and work product located in the Township Building. The office will be organized in order to conduct business in a timely and efficient manner, without the distractions that working at home can potentially create. I will work with the Department Heads and Trustees to established procedures to ensure bills are paid and bank deposits made that eliminate late fees and lost paperwork / checks.
Do you have enough time to fully execute the duties of Township Fiscal Officer without the benefit of a taxpayer funded assistant?
Yes! I have been a dedicated township employee for 36 years, and will approach this position with the same enthusiasm, dedication, and efficiency as I approach my current work as the Mad River Twp. Fire & EMS Administrative Chief. I have the support and endorsement of Township Trustees Bob McClure and Joe Catanzaro, who can attest to my abilities to successfully perform the duties of Mad River’s Fiscal Officer.
Maralee Leonard
Leonard did not respond to our request for participation in the annual election edition.
David Rudy
has a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting & Finance from Wright State University. He is a self employed accountant and tax professional. He has served as Treasurer for a number of soccer associations. He has worked with a Fiscal Officer in another township to assist in resolving some issues.
Mr. Rudy is seeking the office of Fiscal Officer because he feels that he can “bring a solid work ethic and some stability to the position”. He stated that he has a responsibility to his clients to assure that income and business taxes are completed in a timely manner.
What do you see as the greatest challenge to Mad River?
I think the greatest challenge will be to regain the confidence of the township residents. They need to know that tax money is being used to provide all of the Township services timely and efficiently.
Please explain some of the cost saving ideas that you would propose if elected.
Once I am elected and I have the opportunity to go through the current processes and communicate with the Trustees, I will then be able to identify and propose cost saving strategies.
Do you believe that elected officials should be using a personal e-mail account to conduct government business? Do you believe that a third party should be receiving township e-mails and distributing them?
I would not feel comfortable using a personal email account to conduct township business. I will use and check the email account assigned to me as the Fiscal Officer regularly to ensure all information is addressed timely. I would not expect the communications to go to a Third Party to be disseminated out.
Do you believe that the township needs a part time office staff member to work during the day at the township offices?
Prior to the issues that have developed recently, the Fiscal Officer and Trustees were able to complete all township business without the benefit of an additional office worker. I do not see any reason if I am elected why that standard would not be returned.
What changes would you make to avoid late payments and deposits of township funds if elected to office?
Without getting too much into what has transpired, I think communication is the best way to prevent the late payments. I expect all of the reporting departments to communicate their needs timely and would make sure that each bill received is date stamped.
Do you have enough time to fully execute the duties of Township Fiscal Officer without the benefit of a taxpayer funded assistant?
I would not be running for the office if I did not feel I would be able to handle the duties of the Fiscal Officer. Since I am currently self employed, I know what it is like to continuously shift your schedule to make sure deadlines are established and met.
Jennifer Wendling
holds a Master’s Degree in Leadership Development from Wright State University. She currently holds a leadership manager position and has experience in meeting deadlines and managing a multi-million dollar budget. She has been a co-owner of an office service business and handled the accounting for the company.
Mrs. Wendling is seeking public office because she feels she “has the townships best interest at heart” She would put the spending of tax payer money as a priority and would “make smart and informed finanacial decisions”.
What do you see as the greatest challenge to Mad River?
The greatest challenge I see for the Mad River Township, will be to continue to maintain great services while at the same time keeping expenses at a minimum. As a new fiscal officer the greatest challenge will be to reconcile and make sure the accounts are accurate, and implement new processes to maintain the budget.
Please explain some of the cost saving ideas that you would propose if elected.
If elected I would maintain a close working relationship with the trustees to insure efficient spending, cost reductions and seek ways to collaborate with local organizations to promote efficient use of the townships tax dollars. I will make it a priority to find alternative revenue sources through business partnerships and securing grants.
Do you believe that elected officials should be using a personal e-mail account to conduct government business?
No.
Do you believe that a third party should be receiving township e-mails and distributing them?
No, as part of the position, you should be responsible for checking your own assigned township email.
Do you believe that the township needs a part time office staff member to work during the day at the township offices?
No.
What changes would you make to avoid late payments and deposits of township funds if elected to office?
The basis to paying accounts on time is to insure that requests and/or requisitions are promptly and accurately processed. Insuring that they are dated and noting when payment is due is of highest significance. A payment schedule needs to be set and followed to insure timely processing. I feel that township funds should be deposited in a timely manner.
Do you have enough time to fully execute the duties of Township Fiscal Officer without the benefit of a taxpayer funded assistant?
I am a motivated, confident and energetic person. The fiscal officer position requires many hours and I have no doubt that I will have enough time to fully execute the duties without an assistant. I have the ability to effectively meet challenges and the flexibility to handle this challenging position.
For Township Trustee
(Vote for not more than 1)
Voters in Mad River Township will have two candidates hoping to win your vote for the one seat open on the Board of Trustees this November. Kathy Estep is the incumbent and Stuart Young is her challenger.
Kathy Estep
holds a BS in Education from Wright State and an MS in Education from the University of Dayton. She is a retired American Government and Social Studies instructor from the Greenon Local district. She has participated in a number of seminars related to her position as a township trustee and completed the Ohio Township Assoc. Leadership Academy. She represents the township on several local boards and committees in Clark County. Mrs. Estep served on Enon Village Council in the 1990s before seeking a seat on the Board of Trustees. She has served as trustee since 2000.
Mrs. Estep is running for re-election because she “believes in the importance of community service”. She notes that she is available to residents and attends many meetings and hearings for the township. She would like to continue to address the needs of the residents if re-elected.
What do you see as the greatest challenge to the Mad River Township Board of Trustees?
Our greatest challenge is continuing services, especially in the important areas of Fire/EMS and township roads, without raising taxes. We are receiving less money from the State of Ohio Local Government Fund at the same time that our costs are steadily rising. Our challenge is to make adjustments as necessary to live within our budget.
Please explain some of your cost saving ideas that were implemented during your current term in office. Please comment on additional ideas you would propose if re-elected.
I have applied for and received hundreds of thousands of dollars in grants for road reconstruction from the Ohio Public Works Commission and Community Development Block Grants. Next year we will be repaving Rocky Point Road with an OPWC grant. I am currently working on a grant for Joseph Drive. I will continue to research grant opportunities and apply for any we can use to meet our needs.
Do you believe that elected officials should be using a personal e-mail account to conduct government business? Do you believe that a third party should be receiving township e-mails and distributing them?
Most local government officials (including myself) use personal email accounts. We do not deal with any top secret classified information. Personal email accounts are subject to the same Public Records Law regulations as government accounts. Trustees are required to take training in Public Records Law and HIPPA. I have done so, and my Certification is on file. Mad River Township has a website coordinator who is also a Dispatcher. She checks email received through the website and forwards it to our respective personal email accounts. Although she is not compensated for this task, she has the necessary Certification in the event that any of the emails contain restricted information.
Residents have been asked to increase taxes for roads during the last four years. Do you believe that the township should ask voters to increase taxes during the next four years? If yes, please explain.
I appreciate that voters approved our road levy last year. It allowed us to do much needed repairs on some of our worst roads this summer. I have applied for several grants that will help stretch those dollars and get more roads repaved in the future. I would be very reluctant to ask voters for additional tax money unless it was absolutely necessary after exhausting all other sources of revenue.
Do you believe that the township should have a part time person staffing the offices during regular business hours? Do you believe this would address the Fiscal Officer’s admitted failure to check mail and other correspondence in a timely manner? Please explain your answer.
Ideally, it might be a service to our residents to provide staffing for regular office hours. However, for a township our size, I don’t think it would be cost efficient. Our funds can be better used elsewhere. Currently, phone calls received at the township office are automatically forwarded to a trustee. Personal phone numbers for each trustee are also on the township website.
With the improving economy, do you believe that now is the time to look at growth of businesses and residential subdivisions in the township?
As the economy improves, I expect residential development and corresponding business growth to occur. We have a township land use plan that calls for planned development and farmland preservation to protect our rural character and enhance our property values. Development will happen. It is our job as trustees in partnership with developers and township citizens, to ensure it is done properly and within the best interests of our residents and all concerned.
Stuart Young
is a graduate of Greenon High School and completed coursework at The Ohio State University. He is the Farm Manager for Young’s Jersey Dairy a family business located on the east side of the township. He has been a member of the Hustead Fire Department for 34 years holding the offices of Lieutenant, Captain and Assistant Fire Chief. Mr. Young has been appointed to the Ohio Consumer Counsel Board of Directors by the Ohio Attorney General. He has also served on the county Rural Zoning Board. He is involved with the Clark County Farm Bureau serving on their board. He has also served on the State Farm Bureau’s Policy Development Committee.
Mr. Young is seeking a seat on Board of Trustees because he would like to “expand his service to the community” beyond the local schools and other community organizations. He believes that the “atmosphere has changed” at the township meetings. He would like to return to a welcoming and inviting meeting format with more open discussion by board members at the meetings if elected.
What do you see as the greatest challenge to the Mad River Township Board of Trustees?
The need for services in this township has grown dramatically over the last 15 to 20 years as well as the cost for equipment to provide these services. For example; the last tanker for the Hustead Fire Department cost well over $300,000.00 and it replaced one that cost $80,000.00. Continuing to provide the high level of service without having to constantly ask for more money in tax revenue is the biggest challenge facing this board.
Please explain some of the cost saving ideas that you would propose if elected.
First, I want to look at some grouping of purchases for each department. Working with other townships to bulk purchase supplies or share equipment is one item. Second, the township is spending over $70,000.00 on health insurance for 3 trustees and 2 employees. This needs to be shopped as other township officials around us have done like. On every board I have been on I am known as the budget hawk. I look forward to being elected and really getting to look at the budgets of the township.
Do you believe that elected officials should be using a personal e-mail account to conduct government business? Do you believe that a third party should be receiving township e-mails and distributing them?
Personal e-mail should never be used for public government business. If it is used then that e-mail account is subject to public records request. Allowing a third party person to answer and distribute information is a recipe for problems. Miscommunications, not getting proper information and delays are all problems that can come from such a practice. Not on my watch! I will read my own e-mails. The township has a web site and each trustee and the fiscal officer should have township e-mail accounts attached to that site for use in conducting township business. The web site has not been updated for over a year, I find that there are e-mail accounts that I spoke of for each individual so personal e-mail accounts should not be used for township business.
Residents have been asked to increase taxes for roads during the last four years. Do you believe that the township should ask voters to increase taxes during the next four years? If yes, please explain.
No
Do you believe that the township should have a part time person staffing the offices during regular business hours? Do you believe this would address the Fiscal Officer’s admitted failure to check mail and other correspondence in a timely manner? Please explain your answer.
Mad River Township is not so complicated that we need a person staffing the office. As trustee, I want all bills from each department turned in to the board of trustees. They can be reviewed and then as trustee I will hand them to the fiscal officer for payment. As it stands now the trustees don’t see the bills until they are attached to a check to sign.
With the improving economy, do you believe that now is the time to look at growth of businesses and residential subdivisions in the township?
We have a new development up on the hill called the Bluffs which might take years to complete. The important thing as Trustee is to make sure that anything new is done right. I do feel that we have areas of the township where business/light industry can call home. Creating some close to home job opportunities for our residents should be welcomed.