Why are you the best candidate for office?
I will bring to the council a knowledge base that I was able gain by working with the council directly as the chief of police. I have a working knowledge of the budget process as I worked under a city budget for many years. I truly understand what serving the people means. I will work diligently to maintain openness to new ideas. I will be fiscally responsible with the citizen monies. I will also bring to the council the experience of living in Greenfield my entire life. I have raised a family here, and I want to make sure Greenfield continues to be the community where people want to raise families and spend their time.
What is the most pressing issue facing Greenfield?
I believe that our most pressing issue as a city is how to stay current with a growing community. We have to look at our staffing for our public safety departments. The union for the Greenfield Fire Territory states it needs additional staffing. This is something that will need a constructive analysis. We will need to look at the data for current run loads, versus safe staffing. It is our job to make our citizens safe; however, our job should also include keeping our first-responders safe as well. As our community grows, we will need to address how to add staff throughout all of the departments. With this being said, we will have to compare our needs versus our wants.
Some city officials have stated Greenfield needs more apartments and townhouses for current and future residents who cannot afford to own an existing home or build a new home. How should the city balance the need for single-family homes and multi-family residences?
I want to see the city develop a partnership with some of our local Realtor groups, and business. We need to study what our current housing options are, what we currently need, and what we might need in the future. I believe by involving a group of Realtors, we can use them as subject matter experts to what our current housing needs are as well as what is available. By involving business owners, their input will be invaluable as to how they see their employment opportunities in the future. It will not benefit anybody if housing is approved and built if there is nobody living in those locations.
The Greenfield Fire Territory is understaffed, union members say, and the city is paying for a consultant to assess the department’s needs. How would you propose funding new employees and additional fire services?
This will be a difficult task for any council. We will have to develop a plan to add more staffing over time. If the plan to add staff over time is accepted, it must be followed, or you will see our staffing continue to fall short. Some people do not realize that a budget must be approved by the Department of Local Government Finance. The DLGF will only allow a budget increase that will fit with current tax rates. I am excited to see what the current study reveals. With the fire territory always falling short in its budget, it is time to look into whether or not being a fire territory is our best option.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”John Jester” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
Name: John Jester
Age: 50
Party: Republican
Office sought: Greenfield City Council District 2
Occupation: Director of security at Community Health Network
Political experience: Hancock County Coroner, 2000-2008; Greenfield Police Chief, 2008-2016
Family: Wife Ronda, three children, four grandchildren
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