Voter Guide: Elizabeth Township Trustee

Credit: HANDOUT

Credit: HANDOUT

The Dayton Daily News, Springfield News-Sun and Journal-News invited local candidates to fill out the following questionnaire to inform readers.

VOTE FOR 2:

Greg D. Dilts

Education: 1989 graduate of Miami East High School, U.S. Navy 1989 - 1993

Current Employment: Troy Fire Department

Community Involvement: I am a member of the Miami County Agricultural Society, Ohio Township Association, Miami County Township Association, International Association of Fire Fighters, Ohio Association of Professional Fire Fighters, Fraternal Order of Police, International Association of Arson Investigators, Elizabeth Township Community Center, St. Patrick Church.

Why are you seeking elected office? I want to continue maintaining the preservation of our historical township, be an advocate for our fire and EMS service, and continue to be fiscally responsible with our budget.

Why should voters elect you? I will respect your views, listen to your needs and concerns, and ensure transparency in our township.

If elected, what will be your top three priorities? 1. Bring faster and reliable internet to the township. 2. To ensure the proper response and coverage of our fire and EMS services. 3. Upgrade roadside drainage at the east end of the township.

What specific plans do you have to address those top priorities? 1. I would support using the ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) money for internet infrastructure throughout the township. 2. To work side by side with area fire departments to navigate through the challenges we face in today’s times. 3. The culvert needs to be upgraded for faster water drainage off the road as well as residents’ property.

Anything else? My wife, Angela, and I have three grown children and two wonderful grandchildren. We are truly blessed to live in a community with great residents in a beautiful rural township, which I vow to preserve. As your township trustee it is important to me to take a conservative approach to the use of our budget so as to never place a tax burden on our residents.

Randy Mott

Education: Troy High School; Ohio State University, B.S. in agricultural economics

Current Employment: Retired from Tip Top Canning Company, Tipp City after 43 years of service

Community Involvement: I have served on the following boards or commissions: Miami County Board of Health, Miami County Planning Commission, Miami Soil & Water Conservation District Board of Supervisors, Miami County Farm Bureau Board of Trustees, Ohio Conservation Commission, Pioneer Electric Nominating Board, Elizabeth Township Zoning Board of Appeals, Elizabeth Township Farmland Preservation Chairman, Monroe Township Trustee, and a current member of Cove Spring Church, serving as audio/visual Coordinator

Why are you seeking elected office? I have always wanted to live in Elizabeth Township. My wife and I chose to purchase the Elizabeth Township family farm from my parents and in doing so became the third generation of the Mott family to own the farm. My grandfather, with whom I spent many summers, purchased the farm in 1918 and it is now an Ohio Century Farm. We wanted to live and work in Elizabeth Township because we love it here and it is my desire if elected, I would help to keep steering the path of the township forward in a way to preserve the history and the wonderful quality of life that makes this area so attractive.

Why should voters elect you? I have a very broad based background in the operation and management of Elizabeth Township. I have experience as a township trustee (Monroe) in the past and have been an active participant of the trustee meetings since moving to the township in 2005. I was appointed to the board to fill a vacancy in August of 2021 and have been filling the role of trustee since then. I was hired in January 2021 to be the maintenance supervisor and served in that role until my appointment to trustee. I also served as the farmland preservation chairman for the township since 2007, which provided me the opportunity to meet many of the farming families living in the township and help them with their future plans for their farms. I believe that my experience as a community and church leader, former and current township trustee, building and equipment maintenance, including snow removal, and fiscal/financial responsibility, will provide the voters of the township the right combination of traits to give them the confidence to elect me to fill the role as trustee.

If elected, what will be your top three priorities? I would work with the other trustees to practice good fiscal/financial management of the funds that the township manages so that future tax levies would not be required to operate the township to keep the cost of living down. I would work to continue to perform both the short term and long term maintenance of our township physical assets including buildings, roads and equipment, as well as maintain the quality of our fire and EMS services. I would promote, within our budget, the expansion of services that we provide to our residents, which would include the building out of new broadband internet to as many residents as possible, and additional offerings of educational and fitness programs at the community center.

What specific plans do you have to address those top priorities? I would work to preserve the current invested financial assets of the township with regard to future spending so that we can maintain or, if possible within the budget, expand the services that the township provides. I would work with the other trustees to stay on our current plan of maintaining our structures and equipment, take delivery of our new ambulance, replace our current 20 year old vehicles, and keep going with the asphalt maintenance of our roads. I would take an affirmative stance to dedicate ARPA funds toward the building of broadband internet to as many of our residents as possible and if funds were available in the future, continue the farmland preservation program, which would ensure green space for future generations.

Anything else? I love working and living in Elizabeth Township and want to see our community maintain the quality of life that we have come to know and enjoy. I am concerned about the pressure of urbanization that is present south of our township. I want the residents of our township to enjoy good roads, our community center and the services that it provides, our clean air, our large amount of green space, and our family farms. I am a committed, service-oriented, and experienced member of the community who will do my best as an elected representative of our residents. I humbly ask for your vote for Elizabeth Township trustee on Nov. 2, 2021.

Jeremy Paulus

No response

Kevin Hamlin

No response

Kristopher Mick

No response