Why I Filed to Run
On January 5th, I filed to run to continue serving on the Monroe County Council. As this post explains, I did this to continue my work investing in the community, and I will continue to do so in three main ways:
1. Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion
I’m running for reelection to continue the vital work in promoting DEI in Monroe County, Indiana. I understand that I am a white male with a lot of privilege, representing the entirety of the 1st Council District. My goal is to listen and work with colleagues in the community to find meaningful ways to increase equity, diversity, and inclusion in Monroe County government.
Should I be fortunate enough to win election this year, I plan to work on the following areas:
Monroe County Council should incentivize department heads to hire a diverse workforce.
The Council should continue to implement the Sequential Intercept Model, which details how individuals with mental and substance use disorders come into contact with and move through the criminal justice system. This includes ways that we can approach those in crisis with equity, including but not limited to the STRIDE Crisis Center, Pre-Trial Diversion, ReEntry Program, the Problem Solving Courts, and a mobile crisis team.
The Council should continue to closely watch Dr. Eric Gromman’s study into the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Department, which the Department initiated.
The Council should invest in enacting the pending recommendations from the Guarden LLC.
2. The Climate Crisis
I’m running for reelection to acknowledge that we are in a Climate Crisis. The science is conclusive that the climate is changing and that humans have driven and continue to drive this change. We also have a dearth of local data, thanks to the researchers working with the Indiana University Environmental Resilience Institute. It is my goal to invest in the following concrete actions by working with community partners in Monroe County:
Recruit and hire the inaugural Sustainability Director for Monroe County, Indiana.
Fund, collect and publish the inaugural community-wide Greenhouse Gas Inventory.
Write, collaborate, and publish the first edition of the Monroe County Climate Action Plan (CAP).
Implement the action items from the CAP.
3. Public Health
I’m running for reelection to continue to invest in our public health system. The COVID-19 Pandemic stretched thin that system, our hospitals, and health care staff. Our Health Department staff have put in hundreds of hours of overtime. And tragically, 246 Monroe County citizens lost their lives to this virus, and the Delta and Omicron variants are still creating havoc in our community.
In addition, there are health crises still playing out in our community, including the opioid crisis and an outbreak of sexually transmitted infections, per the Monroe County Health Department annual reports. To protect our community, my goal is to invest in the following concrete actions by working with community partners in Monroe County.
The Council should continue to invest in support for those in financial need through the Township Trustees.
The Council should work with the commissioners to publish the ARPA plan for Monroe County.
The Council should continue to reinstate its support for the Harm Reduction Programs
The Council should continue to support and invest in strong health outcomes and health factors.
Ensuring we are making progress with the Heading Home Plan to make homelessness brief, rare, and non-repeating.
If these areas resonate with you, support my campaign with a recurring donation by clicking below.
