I am running for Township Clerk because I believe that the residents of Georgetown Township deserve a Clerk who is properly trained to work elections, has experience working elections, and has a proven track record of working 6:00am-midnight on election day to serve our community. I am running for Township Clerk because I believe that Georgetown Township is an amazing place to call home and I want to serve the community I love. I am running for Township Clerk because I believe that our residents deserve respectful and honest leaders who represent all of the residents of Georgetown Township, regardless of political affiliation. I am running for Township Clerk because I want to make sure my children (and their children) can enjoy a debt free Township, with low tax rates, quality housing, preserved parkland, and desirable community amenities.
What expertise and strengths are you bringing to the board?
My career in, and service to, community development began back in college with multiple internships including the City of Hastings, the Barry Community Foundation, the Barry County MSU Extension, Gaines Township, and the City of Grand Rapids Economic Development Department. Following my internships, I worked full time in the Building and Zoning Department at Georgetown Township. This time was incredibly special as I deepened my passion for community development and learned the ins and outs of local government.
Since then, I spent eight (8) years as a Project Manager with Nederveld, Inc., then worked as the Director of Development for Great Lakes Excavating, and now work full time for Eastbrook Homes as the Manager of Land Planning and Entitlement. These positions have meant that I’ve continued to spend much of my time working with local municipalities and other various governmental agencies day to day.
Outside of my professional career, I was appointed to the Caledonia Township Planning Commission (and Parks Committee) in 2010 and was elected in 2012 to the Caledonia Township Board. I moved to Georgetown Township in 2016 and applied for and was appointed to Dennis VanDam’s vacant seat for District 6 on the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners. I did not seek re-election to focus on my starting my family, but I was able to continue serving my community in some capacity on the Georgetown Township Zoning Board of Appeals from 2020-2022 and now am currently on the Planning Commission. In addition, I began working as an election inspector in 2010 and have worked in nearly every election since. Finally, my family and I are avid visitors to our Township parks, the library, and other community events.
These experiences and skills give me a unique understanding of critical elements of local government including zoning, utilities, assessing, budgeting, and elections (among others). I strongly believe that this level of experience and dedication to local government and community service is incredibly valuable and will serve Georgetown Township well. However, it must be noted that I also believe that while the Georgetown Township Board is the captain of the ship, the ship doesn’t sail without the dedicated staff who truly keep the township afloat day to day. And even in this regard, I believe that through my professional work, and through my volunteering as an election inspector, I’ve been able to maintain a good relationship with many Township employees and consider that rapport indispensable to fulfilling the responsibilities of the elected office.
Why should residents vote for you?
I mentioned previously my long-standing commitment to working as an election official. This experience is most critical to our residents since the role of the Township Clerk is to be the head of elections and record keeping. In 2010, as a full-time employee of Georgetown Township, I assisted with launching the use of electronic poll books at our precincts Township wide. Not only did I become a trained election worker, but I also assisted with developing and delivering the electronic poll book training to our other election workers. Since that time, I have worked almost every election as a “runner” or a troubleshooter precinct to precinct, I have also continued to assist with delivering electronic poll book trainings, and I have worked as a receiving board member and an absentee receiving board member. I believe the residents of Georgetown Township deserve a Clerk who is properly trained to work elections, has experience working elections, and has a proven track record of working 6:00am-midnight on election day to serve our community.
Outside of that key element of the position, I believe that as a mother of two young children, I’m really focused on maintaining Georgetown Township as one of the most desirable communities between Grand Rapids and the lakeshore for our future generations. I think a lot about my favorite quote: “A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.” I truly love where I live and want residents to know that my priorities include not just their needs, but their children’s needs, and even grandchildren’s needs. Voting for me, means supporting:
- Better understanding and planning for the long-term maintenance and capital improvements of infrastructure;
- Maintaining (and further creating) a variety of housing types and price points;
- Investigating how to better balance and diversify the tax base;
- Analyzing the livability, connectivity, and general health of our neighborhoods and communities as it relates to proximity to amenities and public services;
- Continuing our Township’s and County’s priority for preserving and enhancing parkland, community amenities, and greenspace.