AMY HORNBURGHEILVEIL

COUNTY BOARD OF REPRESENTATIVES, DISTRICT 12

COMMUNITY OF RESIDENCE: City of Oneonta

EDUCATION: Southwestern Michigan College, University of Michigan Ann Arbor, University of Chicago

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Managed a million-dollar import retail business; Coordinator for the Local Government Information and Education Network; Organized State Task Force on Land Use Issues; Money manager for multi-million dollar Barnes and Noble location; Personnel coordinator for several businesses; teacher/tutor City of Oneonta School District; adjunct lecturer, SUNY Oneonta

COMMUNITY/POLITICAL INVOLVEMENT: Employee Oneonta City School District; Volunteer with Oneonta City School District; Reading is Fundamental Coordinator for Riverside Elementary School; Board member Bugbee Children’s Center

FAMILY: Married for 15 years to Dr. Jeffrey S. Heilveil, and a vibrant 9 year old daughter, Victoria

IN TWO OR THREE SENTENCES, EXPLAIN YOUR PHILOSOPHY OF GOVERNMENT:

Government is in place to provide stability and develop opportunities, as well as listen to and answer the needs of the people it serves.

WHAT ARE THE THREE MAJOR ISSUES THE OTSEGO COUNTY BOARD OF REPRESENTATIVES FACES, AND HOW WOULD YOU ADDRESS THEM?

Management is an issue at the county level. Hiring a full time person to work with the county’s departments on a daily basis will bring a more unified functionality to our county. It will strengthen communication between departments and the board. It will cut down on inefficiency and duplication, as well as giving employees an unchanging point of contact.

Retention of county employees needs to be addressed. The pay that we offer county employees is such that we have become a training mill for other county and state departments. People work for Otsego County for a time, gain understanding of the job and mechanisms and then go on to better paying positions elsewhere. We then have to search for, hire, and train new employees. Retraining costs alone are worth a salary increase to our county employees. It would also make for a more pleasant environment, which research has shown, makes a more effective workforce.

Finally, a better working relationship with Otsego Now (the IDA) is vital to the growth of our economy and maintenance of our workforce. The purpose behind Otsego Now was to give a single point of contact for economic growth and development and that has been halted with the current climate. In the (current) absence of a designated county manager/administrator, Otsego Now should be the face of Otsego County when working with initiatives such as the MV500, where, at present, we have no face and no one attending the meetings regularly. This markedly hurts our chances. With a working partnership, we can garner greater resource development, strengthen our prospects with grants, install more shared resource initiatives. In addition to this it would further our region as a destination for families to live, and as a base for businesses to establish themselves and prosper.

WHAT QUALITIES/EXPERIENCE DO YOU HAVE THAT MAKES YOU THE BETTER CHOICE IN THIS RACE

I have experience seeking out and working with experts in a variety of fields germane to county government. I have worked for not for profits and for profit enterprises  that require fiscal management and understanding as well as dealing with multiple employees and their needs.  I understand that compromises must be made and sometimes the ‘other’ guy comes up with a brilliant idea that should be implemented because it is in the best interest of the common goal. I am invested in the City of Oneonta and the County of Otsego through my family, my work, and my experiences here.

IS THERE A STATEMENT YOU’D LIKE TO SHARE WITH VOTERS?

I have lived here for nearly a decade with my husband as we raise our daughter. This is her hometown and I want it to be the best hometown possible. We care about this area. I grew up in a town and county with nearly identical demographics and very similar economic structures. I understand Oneonta and Otsego county and the people who live here, you are my neighbors. I have a depth and breadth of experience that can be used to the benefit of our city and our county. I sincerely hope to have your vote on November 3rd.