Mikkelsen announces bid for Hillsboro mayor's office
Lead Summary
By
Brandy Chandler-brandychandler@gmail.com
While the future for the city of Hillsboro may seem a difficult path, one candidate for the office of Hillsboro mayor says the future is simple: Bring pride back to Hillsboro.
Terry Mikkelsen, a Republican, has taken out petitions to run for the office of Hillsboro mayor, and he said he will work on "removing the barrier between government and the community. Making the label of Democrat and Republican irrelevant. Building up our community and bringing us back together as one - Hillsboro."
As of Jan. 10, according to the Highland County Board of Elections, Mikkelsen is the only candidate to have taken out petitions to run for the post. Candidates have until Feb. 2 to file.
Mikkelsen's top goals for the office of mayor include job creation, fiscal responsibility, public safety, good government, and great community.
"These things can’t happen by themselves nor without an in-depth knowledge of how each department operates. (I am not) afraid to get (my) hands dirty, that’s why (if elected) you will see me out filling pot holes, examining water/sewer lines, doing ride-alongs with police/fire/EMS, observing court trials, distributing tax documents, etc.," Mikkelsen said. "At this point, our strength is definitely our community."
Mikkelsen studied electrical engineering at The Ohio State University before finishing his degree at Full Sail University in Orlando, Fla. He grew up in northern Ohio, learning his family's wholesale plant propagation business. He worked in the radio industry as a broadcast engineer, and has been an audio engineer and DVD author for an advertising/marketing firm in Mansfield. He is the owner of Tech-T Productions, in Hillsboro, and also runs the community website around-hillsboro.com.
Small business owners, he said, will understand the responsibilities he undertakes every day in running his "own original business venture," which includes tasks such as being an "accountant, legal advisor, advertising/marketing promoter, public relations, janitor, and the list goes on."
He and his wife, Vickie, moved to Hillsboro in 2001. They are members of the Good News Gathering, where he volunteers with the youth and children's ministries.
Mikkelsen also volunteered at the Hillsboro Public Access station with Ron Hennison, Jr., and spent several years broadcasting meetings of the Hillsboro City Council, election results, and Hillsboro High School football games.
The exposure to the community activities gave him first-hand experience in observing how government works.
"I've had involvement with city council for the past six-eight years, so I feel like I've been a part of it, if I haven't been active in that way," Mikkelsen said. "The situation I see in the city, now is really the time to step up and be active." an>
Mikkelsen said that years of attending city council and directly observing and questioning government has given him an experience platform.
"I think it's given me the experience to be able to keep the city going in the right direction, rather than starting from square one," he said.
According to Hillsboro Auditor Gary Lewis, if projections do not change in the coming year, either through budget cuts or revenue increases, the city of Hillsboro will be facing a deficit of approximately $400,000 by the end of 2011.
"We definitely need to get that under control," Mikkelsen said. "There is no reason for that at this point. (The city of Hillsboro) has been living well, while others have had to struggle through the recession and the economy and put forth the effort to trim out fat and kind of go lean to ride it out. We're about to suffer those consequences (from not going lean sooner)."
While there are steps that Mikkelsen said can be taken at the city's present state, and could have been taken earlier last year, to curb the pending deficit, if the problem is left without resolution, "I don't know what those steps will have to be by the time I'd take office (in early 2012)."
Mikkelsen said that he would be "open to any source" when it comes to getting ideas or seeking information from other municipalities who have found success in building jobs or trimming budget.
"I've been with my family and friends through the state of Ohio, and there are a lot of places that have done well," he said. "Greenfield has been in the media quite a bit lately and have some success going. I'm going to see what they are doing and how they are doing in the future, if that would work as a model here as well."
Keeping the individual citizen of Hillsboro in the forefront is a responsibility the mayor has, Mikkelsen said, and one he said he will make sure to uphold.
"It's a fact you serve the people who elect you, and you serve the city of Hillsboro," Mikkelsen said. "But that needs to be opened up to not just the public, but the businesses and the people who work here and pay taxes here. Their voices are just as important."
While the future for the city of Hillsboro may seem a difficult path, one candidate for the office of Hillsboro mayor says the future is simple: Bring pride back to Hillsboro.
Terry Mikkelsen, a Republican, has taken out petitions to run for the office of Hillsboro mayor, and he said he will work on "removing the barrier between government and the community, making the label of Democrat and Republican irrelevant, (and) building up our community and bringing us back together as one - Hillsboro.
Terry Mikkelsen, a Republican, has taken out petitions to run for the office of Hillsboro mayor, and he said he will work on "removing the barrier between government and the community, making the label of Democrat and Republican irrelevant, (and) building up our community and bringing us back together as one - Hillsboro.
As of Jan. 10, according to the Highland County Board of Elections, Mikkelsen is the only candidate to have taken out petitions to run for the post. Candidates have until Feb. 2 to file.
Mikkelsen's top goals for the office of mayor include job creation, fiscal responsibility, public safety, good government, and great community.
"These things can’t happen by themselves nor without an in-depth knowledge of how each department operates. (I am not) afraid to get (my) hands dirty, that’s why (if elected) you will see me out filling pot holes, examining water/sewer lines, doing ride-alongs with police/fire/EMS, observing court trials, distributing tax documents, etc.," Mikkelsen said. "At this point, our strength is definitely our community."
Mikkelsen studied electrical engineering at The Ohio State University before finishing his degree at Full Sail University in Orlando, Fla. He grew up in northern Ohio, learning his family's wholesale plant propagation business. He worked in the radio industry as a broadcast engineer, and has been an audio engineer and DVD author for an advertising/marketing firm in Mansfield. He is the owner of Tech-T Productions, in Hillsboro, and also runs the community website around-hillsboro.com.
Small business owners, he said, will understand the responsibilities he undertakes every day in running his "own original business venture," which includes tasks such as being an "accountant, legal advisor, advertising/marketing promoter, public relations, janitor, and the list goes on."
He and his wife, Vickie, moved to Hillsboro in 2001. They are members of the Good News Gathering, where he volunteers with the youth and children's ministries.
Mikkelsen also volunteered at the Hillsboro Public Access station with Ron Hennison, Jr., and spent several years broadcasting meetings of the Hillsboro City Council, election results, and Hillsboro High School football games.
The exposure to the community activities gave him first-hand experience in observing how government works.
"I've had involvement with city council for the past six to eight years, so I feel like I've been a part of it, if I haven't been active in that way," Mikkelsen said. "The situation I see in the city, now is really the time to step up and be active."
Mikkelsen said that years of attending city council and directly observing and questioning government has given him an experience platform.
"I think it's given me the experience to be able to keep the city going in the right direction, rather than starting from square one," he said.
According to Hillsboro Auditor Gary Lewis, if projections do not change in the coming year, either through budget cuts or revenue increases, the city of Hillsboro will be facing a deficit of approximately $400,000 by the end of 2011.
"We definitely need to get that under control," Mikkelsen said. "There is no reason for that at this point. (The city of Hillsboro) has been living well, while others have had to struggle through the recession and the economy and put forth the effort to trim out fat and kind of go lean to ride it out. We're about to suffer those consequences (from not going lean sooner)."
While there are steps that Mikkelsen said can be taken at the city's present state, and could have been taken earlier last year, to curb the pending deficit, if the problem is left without resolution, "I don't know what those steps will have to be by the time I'd take office (in early 2012)."
Mikkelsen said that he would be "open to any source" when it comes to getting ideas or seeking information from other municipalities who have found success in building jobs or trimming budget.
"I've been with my family and friends through the state of Ohio, and there are a lot of places that have done well," he said. "Greenfield has been in the media quite a bit lately and have some success going. I'm going to see what they are doing and how they are doing in the future, if that would work as a model here as well."
Keeping the individual citizen of Hillsboro in the forefront is a responsibility the mayor has, Mikkelsen said, and one he said he will make sure to uphold.
"It's a fact you serve the people who elect you, and you serve the city of Hillsboro," Mikkelsen said. "But that needs to be opened up to not just the public, but the businesses and the people who work here and pay taxes here. Their voices are just as important."
In his campaign platform, Mikkelsen has a Plan for Change, which includes:
Job Creation
• Look into “green” industry companies to start new businesses within Hillsboro
• Communicate and cooperate with local business to encourage growth
• Encourage historic and artistic development to increase visitors to Hillsboro
Fiscal Responsibility
• Re-Align budget to citizen’s needs
• Reduce emergency resolutions by conducting business in a timely fashion
• Listen and be receptive to new ideas (http://around-hillsboro.com/community)
Public Safety
• Improve police presence and more patrols
• Increase use of technology to maintain safe streets
• Provide safe areas for our youth
Good Government
• Learn exactly what the city and our community needs (not wants)
•Create an open and approachable government
• Improve communication with local businesses, county officials and surrounding areas
Great Community
• Encourage more neighborhood watch areas
• Encourage outreach projects within the community