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In a recent conversation with a friend, I was asked to summarize my ideal government leader. Regardless of the type or quantity of resources available--small town, big city, the whole nation--I believe this philosophy will lead to success:
-
My Government Leadership Philosophy
- integrity and ethics matters more than anything;
- stay out of things not in your purview;
- be frugal; spend the money like it's yours (cause it is);
- have a budget;
- spend less than you make;
- earn trust, then dish it out liberally unless and until the situation demands otherwise;
- be honest and direct with the people you represent;
- collaborate where possible;
- hire as few people as you can, but as many as you need, and only hire the absolute best people;
- fire quickly when you've made a hiring mistake, someone's demonstrated incompetence or violated your trust;
- lead from the front and be seen;
- remove roadblocks that keep good employees from delivering;
- make quick decisions with the information that's available, then implement and move on.
- be accountable up and down the chain of command.
While there are many critical issues affecting Deerfield Township, below are my thoughts on the key issues I'll use to guide my efforts. Click the folders to see more details:
-
Safety
Services
- Law
Enforcement
- Maximize service provided to residents: incident & accident response, crime prevention
- Fire
& Rescue
- Maximize coverage for entire Township
- Finalize plans for Station 59 in northwest
- Improve interagency coordination (with Mason, Liberty, Symmes)
- Homeland
Security Posture
- Ensure proper interagency coordination
- Practice and conintuously improve crisis/disaster response plans
- Law
Enforcement
- Prosperity
- Economic
Growth
- Defend Township independence
- Attract
& retain quality development
- Complete update of zoning rules & map
- Effective use of tax structures to enhance services and infrastructure and attract high quality development
- Promote high quality re-development in line with recently completed comprehensive plan
- Complete long-term planning for special areas of interest identified in recently completed comprehensive plan (Kings Mills, Loveland Park, Montgomery Road)
- Enhance
property and home values
- Enance services & amenities to improve our reputation
- Work with other agencies to minimize impact of recent home abandonment and foreclosure trends
- Expand reach of higher grade utilities to entire township
- Improved
Governance
- Limit government intervention and minimize tax burden
- Improve image of Deerfield Township
- Enhance relationships with other governing bodies
- Quality
Educational Opportunities
- Improve relationship with Kings, Mason, Princeton schools
- Support initiatives to improve local schools
- Identify opportunities to enhance post-secondary educational opportunities
- Economic
Growth
- Quality
of Life
- Parks
& Recreation
- Update and refresh Township parks plan
- Continue refining currently owned parks
- Identify opportunities for additional green space and recreational parks
- Continue implementing recently completed plan for integrated hike/bike trails
- Maximize interagency coordination (Mason, Warren County, Loveland, Symmes)
- Support healthy, fun, family-oriented activities
- Traffic
- Minimize
traffic burden at Fields Ertel
- Fix I-71 interchange and traffic patterns
- Improve traffic flow onto and on Mason Mongtomery Rd
- Widen/improve intersection at Columbua & Fields Ertel
- Improve traffic flow on and onto Wilkens Blvd
- Work with Symmes, Hamilton & Warren Counties to improve access control along Fields Ertel
- Realign Irwin Simpson at Wilkins Blvd
- Widen/improve intersection at Columbia & Socialville Foster
- Expand Western Row I-71 interchange
- Extend Kings Island Drive north of Kings Mills Rd/741
- Ensure thorough consideration of traffic impact on all future development
- Minimize
traffic burden at Fields Ertel
- Parks
& Recreation