We support Mike O’Brien to replace current county commissioner Mark Sullivan on the Democrat side of the ballot.
While we believe Sullivan has been a productive commissioner, his legal troubles during the last year cast a shadow on the office and make him unable to continue productively.
Overall, O’Brien would be better for the entire Athens County, including its student residents.
O’Brien is an Ohio University graduate and has already been involved in various levels of government. Most importantly, O’Brien wants to reach out to students and stresses the importance of involving OU students in local governance.
O’Brien believes that commissioners need to get more involved statewide and can’t sit back and rely on money coming in from Columbus. Instead of playing a reactive role, they need to play a proactive role.
One way he hopes to do so is by holding monthly budget meetings instead of once every fiscal year. That way, commissioners can manage any changes to the budget better and more frequently.
In terms of “fracking,” O’Brien has accepted that it’s going to happen and has noted the importance of figuring out how to can handle it responsibly and with as little environmental impact as possible.
He has also been on the forefront of domestic partner benefits, receiving an endorsement from Open Doors. In addition, O’Brien has made it very clear that he wants to see Athens County put an end to gassing shelter animals, hoping to transform them into no-kill shelters.
One of the biggest problems with the current Athens County commissioners is their transparency, or lack thereof. Meetings are held during a time when most people are at work, and their meeting room doesn’t promote active engagement from community members. Multiple candidates raised this concern, and we hope it will be addressed by the new set of commissioners early in their next term. Moving meetings to after work hours and placing them in a larger room will foster more community engagement with local government.
We were impressed by the varying and extensive experiences of those running for Sullivan’s commissioner seat. In a county battling economic woes, it is crucial that whoever is victorious makes sure his former opponents remain active in county leadership. Each candidate possesses a skill set that could benefit the county if given a chance at leadership, even at the grassroots or committee level.
The youngest of the candidates, Chris Chmiel was also extremely impressive. As a local business owner and founder of the PawPaw Festival, his contribution to the local economy is unquestionable. His energetic and holistic attitude should be mirrored by all serving in public office and, if he’s not elected, county leaders would be foolish not to bring his perspectives and expertise into the fray.
If you’re still not sold on any of the Democratic candidates, then be sure to write in Republican Randy Mace. He is both a knowledgeable and qualified candidate who is sure to give the Democrats a run for their money in November. Writing him in will make the commissioner race more competitive, and competition and accountability are key to local government.
