About Me
What do you think is the most troublesome issue that Granville currently faces?
Meet The Candidate
Hello. I am Michelle Lerner, and I am running for Granville Village Council. I am running for one reason above all else: I love Granville, and I believe that everyone should give something back to the communities in which they live.
I have lived in this wonderful town for over a decade, with my husband Mitch, who teaches at OSU, and our three children: Camille, Julia, and Max. By day, I am an art teacher at The Welsh Hills School in Granville, and I run a small design business called Stoneworks Design. By night, I am a taxi service to field hockey and soccer games, to guitar and harp lessons, to theater practice and karate. I also run a local support group for families of children with type 1 diabetes, an issue very close to my heart since I have 2 children with this disease. I have also been involved with the PTO, run a Girl Scout troop, and taught at the Granville Co-op.
Because of my years of teaching and my volunteer work with local children, I understand how important is to do whatever it takes to ensure a bright future for our children. I believe in high-quality education, protecting our environment, and keeping our streets safe. And as someone who has run a small business, I understand the need for fiscal responsibility. The one promise I can make the Granville voters is that I will always strive to find the perfect balance between these two important demands.
Five Things I Believe
1) Communication I believe that the most important element of any decision-making body is open communication. We must ensure that the voices of the people of Granville are heard whenever the council faces important decisions. Over the next four years, the council will make choices that will have lasting consequences for our community. Council members must make every effort to ascertain the wishes of the people, welcome a variety of opinions into the discussion, and make fair and open-minded judgments that have the community's support.
2) Balance I believe that as our Village looks to the future, we must balance our need to encourage economic development with our desire to maintain our small-town way of life. This issue will be particularly acute as the 161/37 highway-widening project draws to completion. Granville must continue to attract businesses that will expand our tax base and offer the types of goods and services that the community wants, but we must do so in a manner that will preserve Granville's traditional way of life. Simply, I believe in 'smart' growth that will mesh with the values of our community without straining our public services and infrastructure.
3) Fiscal Responsibility I believe that in times of economic turmoil, the Council must do everything possible to keep taxes low. Across the nation, state tax revenues dropped 12% for the first quarter of 2009, while local tax revenues were up 4%. The last thing that our economy can stand right now is higher taxes. It is imperative that Granville taxes not be raised, and that the fee rates stay the same. As someone who has managed a small business, and who pays the bills for a family of five, I understand the importance of fiscal responsibility.
4) Efficiency of Services I believe that Council must make every effort to improve the efficiency of services provided to Village residents. Granville is a wonderful community, and I believe we are on the right track with our current spending priorities. But in order to maintain our current level of services, we need to consider all avenues for potential savings. Trash removal is one such example. A move to a single trash hauler would alleviate traffic delays and reduce wear and tear on our roads, saving taxpayers money in the long run. Such plans are also designed to encourage residential recycling, an important step towards making Granville a greener community.
Contact Me
E-mail to: mlerner5@gmail.com
I am happy to answer your questions and hear your concerns. If you are interested in hosting a small event so that I can talk to you and your friends informally, just let me know and we can pick a date.
I WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU.