What I’ve Learned So Far
When I first decided to run for Supervisor, I believed I had a strong sense of what mattered most.
Emergency response. Roads. Small businesses. Seniors. Parks. Budgets. All the big topics. All the things we talk about around our dinner table or after a long week of work.
But what I did not expect, or maybe what I did not fully understand, is how much I would learn just by listening.
And I mean really listening.
Not Speeches. Just Conversations.
I have heard stories on the street and in parking lots. I have had conversations that started out about potholes and ended up being about raising kids, caring for our now aging parents, or trying to pay rent on one income. I have been stopped at the post office. Pulled aside at restaurants. Cornered at the grocery store in the best possible way.
And what I have learned?
People are not asking for the moon. They are asking for fairness. For function. For safety. For dignity. They want a county government that works as hard as they do.
A Few Truths That Keep Coming Up
People want to feel seen
There is a quiet frustration out there. Folks who have lived here their whole lives feel like they are being overlooked. Newer residents feel like they do not quite belong yet. Everyone wants to feel like their voice matters. And it should.
Most folks do not care about party lines
They care about whether their road is plowed. Whether the fire truck will come. Whether their business can stay open. Whether their parents can get a ride to the doctor. That is what matters.
There is no shortage of good ideas in this county
You do not need a consultant to come up with smart policy. Just ask the people living it. They know exactly what is working and what is not. My job is to listen, lift those ideas, and help turn them into action.
What Surprised Me Most
How much hope people still carry
Even after all the cuts to county staff, the frustrating meetings, the headlines in the paper, and the slow response times, if at all.
People want to believe that this county can work better. They want to help. They want to be part of the solution. And when you give our people a chance, they show up. Not for political reasons. For the right reasons.
That gives me hope.
What Do You Want More Of in 2026?
Twain Harte Soroptimist Annual Crab Feed
I want to hear from you. What do you want more of in this county?
More action on housing?
More transparency around spending?
More community events?
More respect for seniors?
More support for volunteers?
Something else?
Hit that button and tell me.
I am here to represent you, not just in name, but in practice. That only works if we keep talking and keep listening to each other.
Thanks for being part of this.
With respect,
Tim
