The following is Watershed Voice’s candidate questionnaire for August’s St. Joseph County drain commissioner primary election. We will run all completed questionnaires in the order they’re received prior to Election Day.
Josh Harter filled out our questionnaire. These are his answers.
Editor’s note: The formatting and content of this questionnaire are presented as they were submitted. Josh Harter faces incumbent Jeffery Wenzel.
Name: Josh Harter
Age: 28
Address: 602 S. Jefferson Sturgis MI.
Party affiliation: Republican
Are you an incumbent? No
Family: I am engaged to my fiancé Stephanie Miller.
Background/Bio:
I am a lifelong St. Joseph county resident. I graduated from Sturgis High school. I then attended Glen Oaks Community College. I have been doing drain related work for our county for the last 4 years. Everything from Beaver Damage Mitigation, clearing out clogged roadside culverts, and other miscellaneous work. I have also provided beaver damage mitigation for Cass and Kalamazoo county’s for the last year. I also created and run a Low Impact Drain Cleaning Program for Kalamazoo County’s drain office as well.
Why did you choose to run for St. Joseph County Drain Commissioner?
This is the position that my unique set of skills would be best utilized. It is also the position that I have the most experience with. Many people in St. Joseph County are unpleased with our current drain office. I want to see this county flourish. I have been blessed with a set of skills that I believe could be used to better serve this community. A big change happened in my life when I stopped thinking about myself and started thinking about what I can do for others. I believe this is a change we need in our county.
Have you previously held public office, or have you served in a public leadership role? If so, what is your experience, and what are some of your accomplishments?
I have not held a public office.
I have started a very successful Low Impact Drain Cleaning Program in Kalmazoo County. I navigate the drains and assess animal habitat from drain obstructions. Myself and another person then traverse the drain and remove the debris using chainsaws, a 10,000 lb winch, and various other tools. This has proven to be a very cost effective and environmentally friendly form of drain maintenance. It is also very beneficial in preserving and respecting landowners property. A program that I want to see preformed in-house in St. Joseph County as part of the position at no cost to the tax payers.
I am also one of the most successful beaver trappers in my county with just over 350 beavers caught. I have helped many landowners with flooding and property damage over the years. This is a skill that is becoming more and more scarce. A service that I will offer our county in-house at no cost to the tax payers. I speak at Fur Takers of America to teach people this skill to protect their properties. I am involved with the school systems to teach children about trapping and that fur is a renewable resource that our country was founded on. This gets kids outside and teaches them about the wildlife that inhabits our drains.
I then speak about watershed pollutants and the importance of not littering.
How long have you lived in the area you are seeking to represent?
28 years, my entire life.
In your opinion, what are the three most important issues relative to the scope of your position, and why?
Communication
This is an elected position meant to serve the public. How are we supposed to serve our community if we do not hear their voices? We need to communicate why work needs to be done. When it’s going to get done. And how much it’s going to cost. This is your money, you have a right to know what’s going on. I believe it does not have to be my idea to be the right one. I want to hear what you have to say because I care.
Transparency
After communicating with residents it is crucial to be transparent about the matters at hand. If we are unable to use drain office resources to fix your problem it is imperative that we explain why. I see to many times that our drain office would rather tell you what they think you want to hear over the truth. Many residents feel left in the dark about how their issues will be addressed and the responsibility is often falsely delegated to the landowners causing frustration.
Full time dedication
This is meant to be a full time position. It is not currently being treated as such. I will do this full time. It will have my complete focus. With the increase in hours I will improve response time and give you more for your hard earned tax dollars.
What measures will you pursue to address those issues?
I will pursue these issues by updating our offices webpage. There is very little information and resources on our website. This is a crucial tool we can utilize to communicate with the community. I will also attend local township, and lake association meetings on a regular basis. As well as meeting with residents in person. I currently have a full time job. I will be leaving this so I can solely focus on this position. Full time to me is a minimum of 40 hours a week. I will always be transparent with the public. Never hiding information about the drain office or it’s intentions. I believe honesty is the best policy.
Why did you choose to run for the position that you did?
I have a unique set of skills and fresh ideas that I will apply to this position. Things have been stagnant for to long and I believe we can do better. Our county is in dire need of a leader with drive, tenacity, and integrity.
This is the foundation on which I am going to build a better drain office. An office that hears and prioritizes the needs of the people in our community. An office that is proactive not reactive.
What would you say is your leadership style, and how will you utilize its strengths in your position?
I believe in a hands on face to face approach. Everyone pays taxes, everyone’s voice matters to me. One of the most important things you can offer someone is your time. People want to see their tax dollars working for them. I believe this style of leadership is what this position needs.
Do you consider yourself a candidate with high personal integrity? If so, why?
Absolutely, I do the right thing even when no one is looking. It’s not even an option for me, it’s a trait that my parents instilled in me from a young age. Sometimes doing the right thing is not always easy. I have the courage and character to do this. I have been very blessed in my life and I believe you reap what you sew. I have nothing but the best of intentions and I am humbly offering my skills and dedication to our county. Integrity is not a word I often hear when discussing our drain office. I am going to restore integrity to this office.
Is there anything else your prospective constituents should know about you, your platform, your views, or your background?
I am a conservative christian Republican. See I’m not a politician. My father was a firefighter, my mom a nurse, and my grandfathers were veterans. I come from a long line of people who use the skills they were given to help others. I have both past and other present drain commissioners supporting and mentoring me. I have a team with immense knowledge to add to what I have already learnt to insure the best possible service for our community.
