The Party of Division & The Party of Purpose

Given recent, unfounded attacks on party affiliation aimed at the “woman” running for Tyrone Township Trustee in the Tri-County Hotlines, it’s time to be very clear with residents about the choices I’ve made and why I’ve made them. Since I am the ONLY woman running for Trustee here, it’s apparent that these attacks are aimed squarely at me. Transparency is important, full stop. With information straight from the candidate, you can decide if you’re comfortable casting your vote in my favor or not.

Never in my life have I affiliated myself with a political party until filing to run for Tyrone Township Trustee. I have voted on both sides of the aisle in my adult life. I have made those decisions based on my own perceived character of the candidate for whom I was voting, the issues that were important to me, and a great deal of critical thought.

I filed to run for Trustee with the purpose of serving this community to the best of my ability. I was inspired to dive deep into community service because of the way I saw the people in Tyrone come together to fight against the asphalt plant. It didn’t matter what political party you supported, what mattered was working together to protect the place we live and love. This same inspiration is what led me to form RCP, continue with community service, and to work with the Historical Society to preserve local history. It’s been a labor of love to do as much good for Tyrone Township and the people that live here as I possibly could. This work has not been red or blue, this work has transcended political division lines, and I couldn’t be more proud of that.

There certainly are candidates who yell, scream, and point fingers with far louder voices than I. That is the party of division. I am not loud, but I have been effective in doing good things for this community. I’m not afraid to vote my conscience even if it’s not what the rest of the Board thinks, and I am not afraid to take a stand when it’s necessary and I have demonstrated that ability in my work against the asphalt plant. That is the party of purpose. I have aimed to lead by example and stay focused on the good I can do rather than screaming about the faults and failures of everyone else. I learned quickly that those tactics would destroy trust and lead nowhere. The decision to lead by example was a conscious one that I stand by without regret.

So ultimately, why did I file as a Republican candidate? I was raised in a conservative home with conservative values. I put a lot of thought into the role of Trustee here in Tyrone Township and the issues that will come across the Township Board’s table. I wholeheartedly believe in being fiscally conservative with taxpayer dollars. That has been exemplified in the fact that I spent the last three years of my life voluntarily fundraising and grant writing to fund the Town House move so that burden would not fall on the backs of taxpayers. I did so with a team of amazing residents who, again, came together regardless of party affiliation to do something good for our community. I also believe in the fight to retain local control in matters of zoning and development and limiting the size of our government. I believe in hearing the voice of the people and forming healthy working relationships so that the work we do in serving on the Board reflects the community they want to live in. I believe in transparency and strong communication. I would like to see our Board and Planning Commission be more proactive in protecting the community, updating ordinances, and revising the Master Plan to more fully reflect the vision expressed by the residents. To me, these beliefs ARE a reflection of conservative values and that is why I filed the way I did.

Smear campaigns filled with misinformation without actual conversations with the person (people) being attacked are cowardly. Constantly tearing people down and creating a culture of division serves no purpose other than breeding hatred. Trust has completely eroded between residents and leaders to the extent that nothing good for our community can be accomplished until we move past this behavior, actually talk/listen to one another and begin to rebuild a better dynamic. We have work to do from both sides.

I don’t expect every resident to agree with me, nor do I expect every resident to be comfortable voting for me. I can commit to serving as Trustee in a way that is fair, logical, levelheaded, and open to hearing perspective of others. I can commit to serving ethically, honestly, and with integrity. I don’t know how to be anything other than sincere. I’m not a politician, I’m an educator and I’m here to serve the community with purpose.

Whether you cast your vote for me or not, it’s important to exercise your democratic right to vote on August 6th in the primary. Turn-out is critically important. It’s not enough to say you support a candidate. You must show up and vote.