County council candidates outline plans for upcoming term

In the week leading up to the elections, Monroe County Council president and Democratic candidate Geoff McKim and Republican candidate Skip Daley have sent out press releases detailing their plans for the coming term.

“I think the election is an opportunity for candidates to get their messages out there,” McKim said.

McKim said his main issue is the importance of investing in small businesses. He supports developing a local micro-loan program to help entrepreneurs get their small businesses off the ground.

Though the Small Business Administration provides funding, McKim said they require a local 15 percent matching investment. He instead proposed a plan that would bring money from the outside and make loans available to small businesses.

“Small businesses are the economic engine of the community,” McKim said.

McKim is also in favor of investment in the workforce and county funding to keep the manufacturing workforce on the cutting edge of productivity.

Daley focused on a separate issue – the importance of the procurement of grants.
“We see a large portion of the county government’s budget in grant dollars, and there is no formal policy,” Daley said.

Daley, a former government consultant and grants professional, said he wants to work with county commissioners to get a grasp on what money is coming in from what sources. His goal is to create an overarching policy on the solicitation, disbursement, administration and oversight of all grant dollars entering the government.

Still, Daley said he does not believe the county council should be placed in a micro-managing position. His campaign is about proposing solutions instead of simply identifying problems. The purpose of the press releases is to educate voters about Daley’s platform, he said.

“We’re encouraging folks to learn about the candidates instead of pulling the party lever,” he said.

Both Daley and McKim will be on the ballot Tuesday, along with Democratic candidates Elizabeth Jones and Cheryl Munson and Republican candidates Brian Ellison and Jennifer Mickel.

— Mina Asayesh-Brown