Working Together to Keep Our Country a Community.

I care deeply about Jefferson County. Before settling here in 1981, I moved around a lot because I grew up in a military family. Jefferson County has provided me with a sense of community that I treasure.
 

I believe the following actions are essential if Jefferson County is to grow as a vital, attractive community:
 
We need economic development that fosters careers, not just hourly wage jobs. Competing with nearby regional economic centers is going to require a well thought out plan that identifies sites that are well served by transportation, sewer and water lines and are zoned to meet the needs of the 21st Century marketplace. I have commuted to the Washington area for my career. I would be very happy if my children followed in their father’s footsteps and became 4th generation farmers. I do not want them to follow in my footsteps and become second generation commuters. We need more employment opportunities in the county.
 
We need to make sure public utilities and roads are planned and funded to support planned growth areas. The extension of sewer, water and road construction priorities should implement our shared vision of where, when and how growth should occur.
 
We need to make sure farming continues in our county. We do not want the only reminders of our agricultural heritage to be crumbling silos and rusted farm machinery. This means recognizing that modern day agriculture is more than just cows and corn.
We need to ensure that new residents live in neighborhoods that offer a mix of housing types, affordable housing, tot lots, parks, green spaces and retail space.
 
We need a parks, recreation and open space plan to guide acquisition of park sites. We need to pay closer attention to our green infrastructure: streams, rivers, forest cover and wetlands. We must become better stewards of the environment.
 
We need to have responsible fiscal planning to assure we are getting the most bang for our tax dollars. We are in uncertain economic times. The county needs a multi-year budget that prioritizes expenditures based on expected revenue.
Jefferson County is a great place. By working together, we can make sure the next generation feels the same way!