INDIANA ASSOCIATION OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Tips & Tales from County Commissioners
TIP 1 David Byers Tippecanoe County Commissioner 9 th Year in Office
David Byers, Tippecanoe Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis Have fun while doing the job Like Comment Share
TIP 2 Therese Brown Allen County Commissioner 7 th Year in Office
Therese Brown, Allen Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When long-ago administrations leave you in a tough spot with zoning requirements You realize the only way to fairly address & solve the problem is to bring in all the players and create a taskforce for a collaborative solution Like Comment Share
TIP 3 Jerry Tippy Lake County Commissioner 1 st Year in Office
Jerry Tippy, Lake Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When your Speed Limit signs AND Weight Limit signs don t match your County maps OR your County ordinances It takes both the Highway Department and Legal Department to get the issues resolved Like Comment Share
TIP 4 Tom Murtaugh Tippecanoe County Commissioner 9 th Year in Office
Tom Murtaugh, Tippecanoe Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis Be a friend to your team members, instead of a boss Like Comment Share
TIP 5 Kevin Walls Johnson County Commissioner 3 rd Year in Office
Kevin Walls, Johnson Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When a local developer installs drainage pipe at his own expense, but hits a legal drain (that wasn t accurately plotted on the map) you may not get the problem solved until you have a new Surveyor who is willing to compromise for a solution that suits everyone Like Comment Share
TIP 6 Suzie Weirick Elkhart County Commissioner 1 st Year in Office
Suzie Weirick, Elkhart Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When you have angry constituents storming meetings, creating negative Facebook pages, and putting signs in their yard with YOUR name on them Remember at the end of the day, it s your duty as Commissioner to facilitate the process to an effective solution Like Comment Share
TIP 7 Tim Yocum Vermillion County Commissioner 4 th Year in Office
Tim Yocum, Vermillion Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When you have a local high school full of your community s future leaders Create and facilitate a Commissioners Mentoring Program to get them engaged in and excited about local government Like Comment Share
TIP 8 Mike Yoder Elkhart County Commissioner 13 th Year in Office
Mike Yoder, Elkhart Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When your county residents are frustrated with massive road construction projects and detours Commissioners get in the dunk tank Like Comment Share
TIP 9 Amanda Barge Monroe County Commissioner 1 st Year in Office
Amanda Barge, Monroe Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When you have an ugly drug epidemic haunting your community Host an Opioid Summit, and bring together ALL of your partners to help find a solution. Like Comment Share
TIP 10 Andy Kostielney St. Joseph County Commissioner 9 th Year in Office
Andy Kostielney, St. Joseph Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis We have a responsibility to save taxpayer money, even if our direct benefit is minimal. So, look for ways to partner with municipalities and quasi-governmental entities. Like Comment Share
TIP 11 Mark Hairbrandt Hamilton County Commissioner 5 th Year in Office
Mark Hairbrandt, Hamilton Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis Find time to meet with vendors and get involved with organizations such as AIC and IACC As a Commissioner, we are involved in many different functions. Meeting with vendors (transportation, building, drainage projects etc. ) can be a learning experience. Talking with other elected officials/organizations are good resources and will be very helpful Like Comment Share
TIP 12 Dave Dolezal Noble County Commissioner 7 th Year in Office
Dave Dolezal, Noble Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When you re spending valuable funds/resources on road reconstruction Make sure that ALL drainage has been done prior Like Comment Share
AUDIENCE TIPS & TALES
Therese Brown, Allen Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis It s okay to vote Yes at Plan Commission but then vote No at Commissioner s Meeting As a Commissioner, you wear different hats in different situations. And the way a situation looks at the beginning may be very different than it looks at the middle or end Like Comment Share
Kevin Walls, Johnson Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When you want the media to report fairly Take initiative and build a relationship Like Comment Share
Suzie Weirick, Elkhart Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When you realize that getting people to change is ridiculously challenging You realize that this might mean YOU need to change the way YOU do things Like Comment Share
Dave Dolezal, Noble Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When you re in a supervisory role, try supervising by walking around and experiencing the process yourself. Go look Like Comment Share
Andy Kostielney, St. Joseph Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis THE MEDIA IS NOT YOUR FRIEND. Too often, they re primary goal is to create a story, not to tell the truth. Like Comment Share
AUDIENCE ROUND 2
Mike Yoder, Elkhart Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When you re always the one(s) out representing, make sure your brand is on point Like Comment Share
Whitney Pierle, Lochmueller Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When you get a flat tire in Elkhart County, call Commissioner Mike Yoder! Like Comment Share
THANK YOU!
TIP 12 Christine Altman Hamilton County Commissioner X th Year in Office
Christine Altman, Hamilton Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis TIP Like Comment Share
TIP 13 Tom Wall Huntington County Commissioner X th Year in Office
Tom Wall, Huntington Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis TIP Like Comment Share
TIP OF THE DAY Whenever tempted to think life stinks, remember to love the aroma. Because adversity is experienced on the only path to true success. TO SEE MORE TIPS, COME ON THURSDAY AT 9:00 AM TO The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Tips and Tales from County Commissioners
TIP OF THE DAY There is never only one right answer. Instead, there seems to be an endless set of less-than-perfect options. TO SEE MORE TIPS, COME ON THURSDAY AT 9:00 AM TO The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Tips and Tales from County Commissioners
TIP OF THE DAY By the time someone says To make a long story short, it s usually too late. TO SEE MORE TIPS, COME ON THURSDAY AT 9:00 AM TO The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Tips and Tales from County Commissioners
TIP OF THE DAY By your 6th month as Commissioner, you will learn there is a perception by your constituents that you have already lost all common sense, gained the ability to waste large amounts of tax dollars, No longer can make a right decision, and somehow gained incredible influential power to push through their personal agenda. TO SEE MORE TIPS, COME ON THURSDAY AT 9:00 AM TO The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Tips and Tales from County Commissioners
TIP OF THE DAY Tax the Amish, they don t vote is not a good campaign slogan. TO SEE MORE TIPS, COME ON THURSDAY AT 9:00 AM TO The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Tips and Tales from County Commissioners
TIP OF THE DAY It may be true that no County Commissioner is a prophet in his own land, however being a martyr remains a possibility TO SEE MORE TIPS, COME ON THURSDAY AT 9:00 AM TO The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Tips and Tales from County Commissioners
TIP OF THE DAY Controversial votes generate lots of different opinions. As a response after listening, I like the phrase : You might be right. It still works after the vote you can just add I might be wrong. TO SEE MORE TIPS, COME ON THURSDAY AT 9:00 AM TO The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Tips and Tales from County Commissioners
TIP OF THE DAY Beware of conventional wisdom. It s too often implemented as a community s self-imposed barrier to individual creativity. TO SEE MORE TIPS, COME ON THURSDAY AT 9:00 AM TO The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Tips and Tales from County Commissioners
TIP OF THE DAY The first year in office is the only time to change a zoning ordinance because it takes 3 years of prayer to ensure voter memory loss. TO SEE MORE TIPS, COME ON THURSDAY AT 9:00 AM TO The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Tips and Tales from County Commissioners
TIP OF THE DAY When discussing differences of opinions with constituents, friends, or even spouses the best goal is to inform not reform. TO SEE MORE TIPS, COME ON THURSDAY AT 9:00 AM TO The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Tips and Tales from County Commissioners
TIP OF THE DAY Never miss a good opportunity to say nothing. TO SEE MORE TIPS, COME ON THURSDAY AT 9:00 AM TO The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly Tips and Tales from County Commissioners
Kevin Walls, Johnson Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When long-ago administrations didn t require new residential developments to account for drainage and infrastructure needs You realize that, as a Commissioner, it s your job to work with your community and those surrounding you to find a solution Like Comment Share
Kevin Walls, Johnson Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When you get called for jury duty and can t think of a way to get out of it Go and observe. And then give the judge constructive criticism as feedback Like Comment Share
Kevin Walls, Johnson Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When your jail is overpopulated, but you don t think Community Corrections expansion is the answer Convene a taskforce, get a local judge on your side, and then go research and tour minimum security prisons in the state Like Comment Share
Kevin Walls, Johnson Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When your county could use a little extra money for projects Convince the Fair Board to approve sale of alcohol at the County Fairgrounds Like Comment Share
Therese Brown, Allen Co Today at 9:03 AM Indianapolis When you think that, because you re in your 7 th year as Commissioner, you know everything And then you realize you don t know a single thing about carpet Same goes for constituents. We can learn something new in every process we go through Like Comment Share
Intro: Mike In my years as a County Commissioner, I have learned A LOT. You may have seen some of the lessons I ve learned and thus the tips I have to offer on the screen in between sessions this week. Although it s important to learn from those outside our field, perhaps technical experts, attorneys, and the like As Commissioners, it s vitally important that we reflect on, and share, what we ve been through, and what we ve learned, with each other. Our counties may differ in size and demographic, but the challenges we face and the solutions we identify are often times much the same. WP We have some Commissioners in the audience today who have offered to share their experiences their tales and what they have learned from those experiences their tips. Thanks in advance to all who share today! We ll kick it off with Ms. Therese Brown of Allen County Madame Commissioner, please remember you have one minute to share your tale, and then we must move on to the next tip. - Go through round 1 of tips - Open it up to the audience to offer tips - Go through round 2 of tips (same Commissioners as round 1, but offering their second tip)