|
TRACK
RECORD
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT
As a Councilman, Vice Mayor and Mayor, Jeff placed the
highest value on quality of life issues.
His desire was to have a community that was safe and
healthy to raise children, to live, to work and to build
dreams. Jeff knew
that good schools, dependable municipal services, libraries,
parks, athletic facilities and good places of worship are what
constitute the assets of a community with a good quality of
life.
Working
closely with the City Council, the City Manager, State and
Federal officials, Jeff focused his attention on engaging in
projects that bettered the community.
Funds were obtained to demolish dozens of dilapidated
structures. These
structures were not only an eyesore, but also potential health
hazards. Parking
lots and landscaped green spaces were soon replacing crumbling
buildings. During
his tenure on the Council, the largest street paving effort in
decades took place. A
spirit of cooperation between government and local civic
groups resulted in the promotion of arts, cleaning up
neighborhoods and the complete overhauling and rebuilding of
most of the city’s parks.
From
2000-2005, the City applied for and received over $6.5 million
in State and Federal grant money, $5.3 million during Jeff’s
term as Mayor. These
grants would save local residents millions of dollars in
higher rates and fees.
Believing
in teamwork and networking across party lines and across
governmental agency and body borders of responsibility,
Jeff’s team worked with to assist the local hospital to
refinance loans, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars.
He lobbied for weeks to break an impasse between City
and Board of Education officials to allow a tremendous
expansion at
Grafton
High School
.
In the wake of the devastation of September 11th,
Jeff concentrated even more on the importance of local
Firefighters, Law Enforcement, and Emergency Medical
responders. He
logged hundreds of hours with the Fire Department and City
Police during his time as Mayor.
By working with them, responding to all types of calls,
he was able to assess the needs of those who risk their lives
to save others. He
backed the Fire Chief and his crew in obtaining the necessary
equipment to perform their duties.
Working
closely with City Police, Jeff spearheaded a meeting between
the local law enforcement agencies concerning the influx of
illegal drugs. Jeff’s
research revealed that the increase in methamphetamine usage
would result in meth labs being established in the community
to manufacture the illegal and heavily addictive drug.
His predictions sadly came true when meth labs were
later discovered in the city.
Concentrating
on providing the best municipal services possible,
multimillion dollar upgrades to the infrastructure were
undertaken and purchases of new and dependable equipment were
made so that city employees could adequately perform their
duties.
HOUSE OF DELEGATES
Forsaking
the comforts of home, Jeff started his term as a Delegate to
the West Virginia Legislature in January 2005.
Leaving a non-partisan local government to participate
in a very partisan state government proved challenging.
The State’s new Democratic Governor (Joe Manchin III)
shared many of the same concerns about
West Virginia
as Jeff. With
bi-partisan support, a special session set in motion the
privatization of the state’s beleaguered Worker’s
Compensation Commission. Legal
and ethical reforms headlined many of the accomplishments of
the Jeff’s first regular session.
A successful first year fulfilled many of the campaign
issues that were part of Jeff’s platform.
(For a list of introduced legislation that Jeff
co-sponsored, go to the home page and click on the 2005 BILLS
link.)
|
