Hi Linwood! My name is Sam Cole, and I’m running for the town board because I believe in transparent and effective community outreach. My wife and I moved here in 2021 to raise our family in the rural lifestyle we love.
Preserving Linwood's Character: I will support thoughtful growth that preserves our community's character and values. Growth of the community should benefit the community directly, not large corporations.
Opposing Unpopular Regulation: I will stand against any regulations that don’t reflect the community's interests. I will expect the community to be informed and involved along every step of the process, not after the fact.
Recording Meetings: I will ensure all board and committee meetings are accessible to everyone, keeping you informed and involved. It is unacceptable that the community isn't finding out about important decisions until it's nearly too late for them to be heard. Posting to the township website is not good enough. My top priority will be to make sure every board and committee meeting is recorded and posted to relevant social media community groups in a timely manner.
Spread the Word: This is a write-in campaign. That means my name will not be on the ballot. It's critical that you spread the word to your friends, family, and neighbors so they know that there is an alternative option for Seat C! This website was designed to be easily shared with the correct spelling of my name and what seat I am running for at the very top!
Didn't you drop out? Yes I did. When I ran originally I wanted to see a change in this seat of the board. When it came time to register, the incumbent was not re-running and there were two other candidates who at first glance were offering the same thing as me.
Why are you back? I've been receiving messages from people in the community asking me to run as a write in candidate. If there's enough people in the community to elect me as the write-in candidate then I will happily serve.
Shouldn't a board member be decisive? One concern you'll definitely have is whether you can trust someone who can't decide whether they're running or not. I'm a very decisive person, but I will always re-evaluate when there's new information. Not doing so isn't being decisive, it's being stubborn. In June I decided to run. The situation changed by the time it was time to register, so I decided to drop out. Now the situation has changed again, and so I've decided to re-enter as a write-in candidate.
What makes you think you'll be a good board member? For work, I manage a team of 10 tech professionals, including programmers, IT specialists, and security experts. Every day, I make decisions based on input from those who have more expertise and experience in their respective fields than I do. This is why I believe I would be an ideal candidate for the town board. While I may not have all the answers, I am a good listener and am always open to adjusting my position in light of new information.
I have no higher ambitions than being on the town board. I'm not interested in politics. If I believed there was someone else that could do this job as well as I could, I would happily let them take the seat. I am in this purely to serve the community and make it better for my family and neighbors.
To learn more specfics, the best place to look would be my original facebook announcement in which I answer many questions in the comments.
You can also see me speak on the rooster issue here: Planning and Zoning Committee Meeting 6-18-24
Thank you for your time and consideration. If you have any questions feel free to add me on facebook or ping me on the facebook linwood township page.