I’m running for Johnson County Commission so we can work together, not get angry | Opinion
I’ve lived in Johnson County my entire life. I raised my kids here and now I have grandchildren. I know generations of families and have seen the southwest part of the county go from almost entirely rural to bursting with homes and businesses. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from growing up and raising a family here in Johnson County, it’s that we are all better off when we’re doing good for the community. It’s easy to forget that when many political campaigns are about what should make you angry.
Angry politics can’t build a community up. They just make people distrust each other and argue. No one wants to live in a community built on anger. In 2020, voters of the 6th District rejected angry politics and elected me.
In this election, we need to look at what makes our community great. We love the schools, the parks, the employment opportunities, the services and amenities. We have a lot of work to do to make the best parts of our community accessible to everyone, especially when it comes to affordable housing. Instead of getting angry about that, we need to work together to address it. When we spend our time arguing about problems instead of solving them, we stay where we are.
For years, Johnson County government had one department responsible for receiving and dispatching 911 calls, and a second department that managed the countywide ambulance service. The respective department directors realized that they were replicating administrative services and some personnel between the departments. They realized that they could save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars every year by merging their departments. So, they brought their idea to us on the Board of County Commissioners. This was an obvious win for our community that not only saved money, but also made ambulance response time faster. This happened because these department leaders helped the commissioners make a meaningful change instead of stirring up drama.
Another great example of working for the good of the community is the Johnson County Mental Health Center. Back in 2017, our county saw a tragic uptick in deaths by suicide among high school students. Our community could have wasted energy pointing fingers and placing blame. Instead, the entire county began getting more involved in mental health. Johnson County Mental Health Center became the gateway to mental health services, helped launch the #ZeroReasonsWhy campaign, leaned into the Suicide Prevention Coalition and brought together community organizations to begin addressing the entire system of well-being for our students. Fast forward to today , and Johnson County Mental Center is now a Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic that provides outside financial resources that support our local work. Just a few weeks ago, we opened a Youth Crisis Stabilization Center. None of this happened because of anger. It happened because people saw something good and worked to make it better.
We can’t leave out all of the great economic development happening specifically in the 6th District. I’m not talking just about the Panasonic battery plant. I’m also talking about the new transportation plan that provides easier access across this part of the county. I’m also very proud of the work being done at New Century AirCenter. We have been able to make that airport self-sustaining through the use of its real estate while also bringing in new jobs to the region. That’s saving Johnson County taxpayers millions of dollars per year while also increasing the employment opportunities. These are huge wins for the county that were accomplished through collaboration, not conflict.
When I’m deciding how to lead and which way to vote as the Johnson County commissioner for District 6, I’m thinking about my grandchildren: “What decision would make this a better and safer place for my grandchildren to live?” is what I ask myself.
I believe if we have more people in local offices who are focused on improving the community instead of inciting anger, our whole community wins — both now and in the future.