ISSUES
SUPPORT FOR SAFETY
Establish a standing Wood County Fire and EMS Collaboration Council to provide a consistent space for communication and coordination.
Hold quarterly meetings that bring together fire chiefs, township trustees, mayors or city administrators, EMS providers, County EMA, dispatch and 911 leadership, and county finance and grants staff.
Use the council to surface shared challenges, explore regional solutions, and identify opportunities for coordinated planning and outside funding.
Provide county support for neutral, third-party feasibility and governance studies when communities are exploring collaboration.
Ensure communities considering shared services, joint staffing, or district formation have access to clear, objective financial and operational data.
Support decision-making that is transparent, informed by facts, and driven by local needs rather than assumptions.
Offer targeted micro-grants that encourage departments and jurisdictions to work together.
Support shared training opportunities, joint equipment purchases, standardized EMS protocols, and regional specialty teams.
Reduce unnecessary duplication while strengthening response capability and service quality across the county.
Assist communities that choose to pursue joint districts under ORC 505.371.
Help connect communities with technical, legal, and financial resources during planning and formation.
Emphasize long-term sustainability, transparency, and measurable improvements in emergency response.
SMART GROWTH, INFRASTRUCTURE, & LOCAL CONTROL
Require fiscal and infrastructure impact analysis for large-scale developments.
Fully account for impacts on roads, bridges, utilities, emergency services, and long-term maintenance costs.
Prioritize growth that makes efficient use of existing infrastructure and minimizes long-term public liability.
Oppose development patterns that generate short-term revenue but long-term public expense.
Seek clear agreements so new growth does not shift infrastructure and service costs onto existing residents.
Prioritize maintenance and reinvestment in existing infrastructure before expanding outward.
Provide county-level planning, engineering, and fiscal analysis to townships and municipalities when requested.
Help local leaders evaluate complex or fast-moving proposals while preserving local control.
Ensure local officials have the information needed to make decisions that reflect their community’s priorities.
Support early and meaningful public input on major development proposals.
Ensure residents have access to clear, understandable information about fiscal, infrastructure, and service impacts.
Promote open decision-making processes that build public trust and accountability.
Partner with residents for input and ideas by holding Quarterly Community Conversations around the county.
Encourage development that aligns with workforce availability, infrastructure capacity, water and energy use, and public safety resources.
Respect community priorities, environmental considerations, and quality of life.
Promote countywide and regional planning to address shared challenges.
Encourage cooperation among communities to strengthen long-term fiscal health and infrastructure stability.
Avoid competition between communities that undermines long-term fiscal health and infrastructure stability.
FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY
Prioritize the use of carryover funds and reserves for capital improvements, infrastructure needs, and technology modernization.
Avoid reliance on one-time funds for recurring operating expenses.
Maintain healthy reserves to protect taxpayers from emergencies, economic downturns, and sudden tax increases.
Treat cybersecurity as a core component of responsible financial stewardship.
Invest in prevention measures, system redundancy, and staff training to reduce risk.
Support regular risk assessments and cost-benefit analyses for major IT systems and upgrades to prevent high cost failures.
Develop a multi-year funding strategy for bridges, roads, and county facilities.
Address maintenance proactively so small issues do not become costly emergencies.
Coordinate county investments with available state and federal funding programs to maximize impact.
Support economic development strategies that broaden and stabilize the county tax base.
Reduce pressure on residential taxpayers by growing commercial and industrial investment responsibly.
Use cost-benefit and return-on-investment analysis when evaluating tax incentives.
Favor incentives that are performance-based, time-limited, and tied to measurable outcomes.
Encourage coordination with employers, schools, and regional partners on workforce development.
Establish clear, objective criteria for what constitutes a responsible bidder.
Award contracts based on demonstrated ability to deliver quality work on time and on budget.
Use prequalification standards that consider experience, financial capacity, safety record, and past performance.
Support reporting practices that ensure compliance with tax and labor laws.
PARKS & RECREATION
Support Wood County Parks, trails, and cultural resources as essential public assets.
Advocate for sustainable funding and long-term planning that protects these resources for future generations.
Support river access projects, water quality initiatives, and trail connections.
Expand safe, inclusive recreational opportunities along the Maumee River corridor.
Encourage coordination between the county, park district, municipalities, and townships.
Help communities leverage grants, share best practices, and align park and recreation investments.
Use community input, surveys, and usage data to guide park and playground improvements.
Ensure investments reflect actual resident needs and priorities rather than assumptions.
Promote walkability, connectivity, and accessibility in park planning.
Consider the needs of families, seniors, and people with disabilities across Wood County.
Economic Development That Works for Wood County
Support economic development that strengthens the local tax base and helps reduce the burden on homeowners.
Prioritize projects that deliver long-term, sustainable public revenue rather than short-term gains.
Carefully evaluate tax abatements and incentives to ensure clear benefits for residents, schools, and local services.
Encourage a broader range of housing options, including downsizing-friendly housing for seniors and attainable housing for young adults and families.
Support redevelopment and infill housing that makes efficient use of existing infrastructure.
Work with local governments to remove barriers to housing that reflects current demographic and workforce needs.
Support partnerships between schools, colleges, and local employers to create clear career pathways.
Encourage internships, apprenticeships, and workforce training programs that help graduates stay in Wood County.
Promote quality-of-life investments that make Wood County a place people of all ages choose to build their futures.
Focus economic development efforts on supporting existing businesses and encouraging local entrepreneurship.
Align economic development strategies with workforce availability, training capacity, and local labor market realities.
Use economic development incentives thoughtfully, transparently, and with accountability.
Coordinate with school districts, municipalities, and townships to ensure incentives do not create unintended fiscal impacts.
Measure outcomes to ensure public investments deliver real returns for the community.