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Who's in this election for the good of this Community?
There are:
(2) seats available in the Township Trustees race.
(4) seats available in the Pickerington City Council race.
and
(3) seats available in the Pickerington School
Board race.
More than at anytime in recent memory, Americans need to go beyond the expression of flag waving and remembering the words to songs and anthems by express one of the true virtues of being a free nation with their participation at the ballot box.
The people chosen during this election will represent YOU. Or will they?
With the past message of uncooperative officals, not allowing citizen referendums or listen to the will of the people, cast your vote wisely. In some of the races your choices are limited. An uncast vote (i.e. a vote not cast for a less than desirable choice) is like another vote for your own candidate.
Vote on November 6th.
I have been concerned about current actions of the various governing bodies (ALL OF THEIR ACTIONS EFFECT ME IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER), spending a good deal of time in following the issues, not just relying on the ''just before election rhetoric''. I remember office holders past decisions and actions. Please wisely cast your vote. I certainly intend to do likewise.
I will post my thoughts regarding the candidates in the following discussion section.
By Violet
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Township Trustee
Trustee Position
Terry Dunlap - Current Trustee, very knowledgeable about the issues, knows the ups and downs, the ins and outs. I believe we need him to continue the fight for our township against an aggressive city who continues to bulldoze their way through, taking whatever they want, with no planning or foresight. Terry has a vision for our future. He was instrumental in forging the Cooperative Economic Development Agreement with Canal Winchester. This is the first CEDA established in Ohio. It has become a model for others to emulate. While Pickerington was wavering on annexation and merger smoke screens, the Township and the Village of Canal Winchester were actually talking about planning and emerged with a CEDA. Craig Maxey stated that he and Terry Dunlap had meetings and discussed issues, they emerged with nothing. The Township and the Village have offered Pickerington to join in the CEDA, Pickerington has not made any attempt to work with them. The township has offered to work with the city on a separate CEDA, the city has not responded. Instead the city is trying to move to RT33 by annexation, amicable or hostile. They believe they need to be near a highway to have a successful business park, I say no, I have seen failed business parks along highways. I say they have missed opportunity after opportunity to develop business parks. Behind Kroger, along Diley just barely North of the multi million dollar interchange that the state is building at 33 and Diley. They, instead are allowing hundreds of new homes on those hundreds of acres. And they have 9 million dollars in grants from the state to improve Diley Road. Hmmmmmmm, what's wrong with this picture? The answer is clear Mister?’s Maxey, Monebreak, Parker, and Wright, among the other Council member that continue to sell our community of to residential developers. I can tell you one thing, I will not vote for these men. They have proven, with their actions, that residential developer needs are the only concerns they take seriously.
Jeff Fix - Jeff sees the lack of cooperation between the entities as the biggest issue and has very good ideas for ways to work together and forge a unified plan of cooperation for our future. His main focus is to implement a REAL growth management plan that considers the needs of all entities, unincorporated Township, City, and our School District. Jeff was involved in many issues over the past 18 to 24 months. I had the opportunity to work closely with Jeff and I strongly believe in him. He is very meticulous and thinks about his actions like a chess player thinks about his next move, he considers the implications, both positive and negative. He believes that an action that the people speak out about, is probably an action that needs more review and possibly is not such a good action. Annexation into the next school district with TIF?’s and abated taxes is a very good example of something the people made noise about, and Jeff jumped in and helped work through the issue and the issue came to the right conclusion. Jeff is a doer.
There are 2 seats open for Trustee, Terry Dunlap and Jeff Fix would be ideal for them.
By Violet
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Pickerington City Council
Pickerington City Council - 4 seats open (you should only cast 2 votes)
David Shaver - Like Jeff, David believes in a planed future. Cooperation among the government entities in our area is paramount. In the papers 'meet the candidates' I can read right through the current council member rhetoric, But David shows his knowledge of the issues and the desires of the people.
Ted Hackworth - Like Jeff and David, he also believes in working together. He has been involved in the issues and understands what is happening to the city. He has some great ideas on how to steer the city into the future, a bright future not a bleak one, as with the current state of affairs.
Ted is the only Council candidate that took to the streets in the recent efforts against the re-zoning of the land behind Kroger and he current Council?’s actions to keep annexing land with ?“pre-annexation deals?” in place with endless residential developers. Hundreds of City residents sign petitions related to those issues, while current Council members denied your abilities to vote on these issues through the Referendum efforts that would have given citizens voices a chance. The other 2 council seats should go un-voted, only vote for Ted and David.
There are 4 seats open for City council, David Shaver and Ted Hackworth (write in) would make ideal additions to the council to help get new blood and a better perspective.
If votes are cast for the others, it essentially voids the votes for a positive change toward cooperative efforts and managed growth.
By Violet
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Pickerington School Board
Pickerington School Board (3 positions available)
Gail Oakes - Current Board Member- Has dedicated 4 years, endured the wrath of limited thinking board majority members and fought against the issues of waste of taxpayers funds and arrogance of ?“this is always the way we do it!?” mindsets. She promoted the potential of funding our much need classroom space by using and architectural firm that promised building the new high school & junior high school for $10 Million dollars less and 1 year faster to provide a reasonable solution to overcrowding problems. By 3-2 she lost and so did we all. She fought for renovating our East Street School site for the amounts that were earlier indicated to the voters ?– and those renovation expenses be used for classrooms. We now have the entire 3rd floor in offices, not CLASSROOMS at a $7 million dollar figure, not the levy indicated $3.4 million dollars. Another 3-2 boondoggle. She voiced her disapproval for contractual raises for administrators while our teachers went to work without a contract. Gail has proven time and again to make the RIGHT votes. Gail also took to the streets on the automatic rezoning of lands to R4 in her efforts to let citizens?’ vote upon the burden this issue places upon our schools.
We need her on this board to continue to make the right decisions.
Bill Powers ?– Bill, a concerned resident who has helped this School District in the past, with his work on former Superintendent Dan Ross?’s Finance Commission, needs to be a voting voice in our ever expanding School District. Work via this commission found a $4 million dollar budgetary error and avoided an unnecessary levy. His 25 years of financial background as a CPA is exactly the type of person that can make the challenging decisions to keep our schools top notch and the costs affordable. I would even be willing to wager that we will improve our student?’s performance under the decisions that Gail & Bill would make. Both Bill & Gail understand that this School Board must make use of these positions in voicing the impacts of other governing bodies on our zoning and subdivisions, which creates too high a load upon our schools.
There are 3 seats open for School Board, Gail Oakes and Bill Powers are exactly what our School Board needs for a better perspective and a positive change.
If votes are cast for the others, it essentially voids the votes for a positive, forward change.
By Violet
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