Smart Growth Development
I believe in smart growth: A plan that will help Daviess County prosper in the future, help improve our quality of life, while preserving what makes our county special.
I am the only candidate with both real estate sales and appraising experience, and I will evaluate land use decisions that benefit all county residents.
Land for Development
County officials have stated they are looking for large tracts of land for commercial or industrial development, but they can't find an owner willing to sell. I am very good at finding land that is suitable for development so I say - send me out to negotiate, and if the time is right for the landowner, I can get the job done.
I have spent decades helping business owners find their perfect locations, including involvement in the early stages of the Highway 54 development and the site that eventually became the Palomar Shopping Center in Lexington.
We need to re-think how we are developing Daviess County. When we look at recent developments, it’s hard to know if we’re really growing or just moving pieces around on the board. Some of the recent projects led to unnecessary traffic congestion, higher taxes, and no taxpayer gain.
As your County Commissioner, I plan to use my experience as a real estate professional and small business owner to shine a bright light on our development strategy.
Workforce Development
It’s alarming that we have over 1000 job openings here yet people claim we have “no jobs”.
I recently spoke with the Executive Director of the Bowling Green Downtown Redevelopment Authority about the new auto battery plant that is planned. While their community is excited and happy about the news, he expressed concern that there won’t be enough skilled workers to fill the jobs.
It has happened here, too. Potential employers don’t just look at availability of land and roads – they need skilled workers. We are not located directly on an interstate or have a major four-year state university here. We will have to compete in other ways. One way we can complete and win is to develop a world-class, talented work force. We have the building blocks to do this now, with OCTC, and the upcoming Workforce Innovation Center.
I believe the days of low-skill, big paying factory jobs with minimal initial training are over. More manufacturing today is done robotically and with advanced automation, therefore less manual labor is needed. Skills are the key to high paying jobs now, and we should build our workforce to meet this new reality in areas like manufacturing and health care.
Revitalize Existing Areas
We need more incentives to rebuild and revitalize our existing business districts. And we need fewer tax giveaways for developers who want to destroy prime farmland and country homes to build more strip malls and convenience stores. When this happens, families lose farms, people lose their homes and prime commercial properties are abandoned and are allowed to deteriorate.
Reform Planning and Zoning
My contacts in the business community have told me for years that Daviess County has a reputation for not being “business friendly”. This is a key reason we don’t rebuild and revitalize. Our local zoning process often interprets state zoning rules so strictly, it frustrates entrepreneurs who try to open new businesses.
I am for a comprehensive review of Planning and Zoning, which I believe inhibits growth in this town more than any other issue. Many businesses fail to ever open or select a different county in which to operate because of Planning and Zoning restrictions.
Stop Leaving Areas Behind
Our community can’t flourish without growth, so let’s take what we have and make it better. It’s time to stop building new developments without clear plans to revitalize the areas left behind. South Frederica is a prime example. We should ensure smart traffic and transportation needs, and preserve our county’s unique character and quality of life.
Let’s be SMART in our future development.
Read more:
Why I'm Running
My Conservative Credentials
Why I'm Different
