Michelle Stayrook joins us as our first write-in candidate (Brown Township Trustee) to provide a capstone to our first cycle of election coverage.
Michelle offers some of the motivations behind this initial run for office including a desire to see Brown grow into a new era of political representation and engagement with residents.
Jordan asks how the township situation has changed over the last couple years and what made “now” a critical time for her to get involved at the electoral level.
Michelle responds that several recent large land purchases - with little stated intent and a lot of layers of mystery - were a significant motivator to seek office. In order to better plan for the future Michelle suggests that there needs to be a renewed focus on planning and working with these large landholders and developers to create a more collaborative process.
Jordan asks Michelle how a township trustee can engage the resident concerns generated by these vague early stages of development that potentially encroach on the things that make their experience of life in Brown Township great.
Michelle suggests that creating services and community facilities for a variety of the resident needs that aren’t fully delivered locally - expanded school services, community meeting facilities and other gathering places - would be a good place to start because information sharing is limited and electronic delivery has fallen short.
Jordan opens the conversation to the deployment of land banking on the part of local governments and whether or not Michelle sees the mechanism playing a role - not just in protecting the natural environment but creating potential for local economic development.
Michelle thinks a land acquisition focus would be a proactive move given the development cycle that central Ohio is entering. She suggests a developing trend toward agritourism, market farming, and the potential for renewable energy development on these large land parcels could be a big benefit for a township looking to grow responsibly.
Jordan asks what made Brown Township the spot Michelle picked to ultimately settle in the area after already living in Hilliard? She responds that it’s a special blend of accessibility, community, and environment that needs protecting and maintaining while looking for the right long term opportunities.
The discussion then moves into how Brown can better engage with other organizations and governments in and around Hilliard. Michelle highlights several educational engagement opportunities that should be developed and encouraged around youth and making Brown a lifelong learning community.
Some general discussion of the “Salt-or-Sand” question and Tim’s perception of pace and scale relative to governing choices at the township level takes place. How does Michelle help residents master the incoming changes that will alter a more traditional pace?
She responds that she wants to help Brown capture the best of this incoming development and growth and that can only come through increased engagement.
At about the 30 minute mark we turn to the ongoing negotiations between township governments for fire and other emergency services. The present contract has gone through a series of offers and counter-offers and has traditionally been a sticking point throughout the region’s growth.
Archived WBNS 10TV piece from 2014 regarding the long-running service contract
Michelle then talks early initiatives within the office and how those might be pursued. Michelle hopes to advance the boom in non-traditional agriculture growth - farming at different scales and for different purposes - and to engage the youth in education around the history and culture of the area. She also hopes a series of educational initiatives to create better understanding among her residents about the power of township government and organization could be an early goal.
We wrap by asking Michelle to talk about the professional life that brought her to the area and what made this community the right one to make her family’s home.
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