StatesmanJournalminiquestionnairefor2016PrimaryElection

Yournameaslistedontheballot:
TimKirsch
Age:55
City/townofresidence:MillCity
Positionyouareseeking(nameofposition,districtnumber,etc.):MarionCountyClerk.
Areyoucurrentlyafulltimeresidentwithintheboundariesofthespecificarea(ward,district,
county,etc.)thatyouseektorepresent?
Yes
Numberofcurrent,consecutiveyearslivingwithinthedistrictyouseektorepresent:18
Family(nameofspouse/partner,numberandagesofchildrenifathomeornumberofgrown
children):WifeTheresaKirsch,Fourchildren,onespecialneedschildstillathome,age20.
Youreducation(highschool,trade,college,postbaccalaureate;indicateanydegreesyou
earned):
Highschoolgraduate,somecollege.
Ifemployed,currentoccupation,employerandjobduties:
CurrentlyemployedatBrooksTrueValueHardware,departmentmanager,customerservice,
orderandreceiving,smallengineservicetechnician.
Previousemployersandwhen:
UnitedStatescensusbureau,crewleader.2010
LittleNorthForkManagement,LLC.Membermanager.20072009
ElkhornValleyGolfCourse,Mechanic.20002007
KirschTrueValueHardware,GeneralManager.19922000
FreresLumberCompanyInc.,Millwright,Loaderoperator,forkliftdriver,utility.19801992
Militaryserviceandwhen:
None
Volunteer/civic/religiousserviceandwhen:
MarionCountyEconomicDevelopmentAdvisoryBoard.20092012.
NorthSantiamCanyonEconomicDevelopmentCorporation.19902010.
GROWNorthSantiam.(GrowingRuralOpportunitiesWithin).20082011.

MillCityBudgetCommittee,citizenappointment.20092011.
OpalCreekScenicRecreationAreaAdvisoryCouncil.20042010.
MillCityLionsClub.1995present.
Lector,SaintCatherinesofSiennaChurch.2006present.
Parentteacherclub,MariLinnSchoolDistrict.1996
MariLinnSchoolBoard.1997
Pleaselistallpublicofficestowhichyouvebeenelected,andwhen:
Mayor,CityofMillCity.20002008,20102014.
Pleaselistanyunsuccessfulcandidaciesforpublicoffice,andwhen:
Mayor,CityofMillCity.2014
Otherpriorpoliticalandgovernmentexperience:
Howthepubliccanreachyourcampaign(rememberthatthisinformationwillbemadepublic):
Mailaddress:
POBox174,MillCity,OR.97360
Emailaddress:
timkirschforclerk@gmail.com
WebsiteURL:
www.timkirschforclerk.com
Phone:
Facebook:
TimKirschforClerk
Othersocialmedia:
Pleaselimityourresponsetoeachofthefollowingquestionstoabout75words.
1.Toanoutsider,howwouldyoudescribetheregionyouwishtorepresentgeographically,
economically,politicallyandsocially?
MarionCountyisverydiverseinallsectors.Bothruralandurban,withalargeagriculturebase,
public,governmentalandbusinessemployment.Italsohasmanyrecreationalopportunities.
PoliticallybalancedbetweenRepublicansandDemocrats,andabout20%Independents.
2.Whatarethepositivesandnegativesofthisregion(ward,district,countyorstate)thatyou
wishtorepresent?
Positivestomewouldbethemanyoutdoorandrecreationaspectsofthecounty.Itsmanyparks,
riversandproximitytocoastalandmountainregions.Negativeswouldbeincreasingtraffic
congestionanddiscordinthestategovernment.

3.Whatspecificskillsandexperiencesdoyoubringtotheposition,especiallyonesthatwould
helpturnthosenegativesintopositives?
Ibringalotofbudgetandserviceexperiencewithme.Ibelieveinconservativespendingand
excellenceincustomerservice.ThereisnotverymuchtheClerksofficecandoabouttrafficor
thestatesaffairsbutmyextensiveexperienceinintergovernmentalrelationships,aswellas
personnelmanagementwillallowmetobuildgoodworkingrelationshipswiththevarious
agenciesanddepartmentsthattheClerkinteractswith.
4.Whatseparatesyoufromyouropponent(s)?Bespecific.
Iwillhaveafreshviewpointoftheposition.Anopportunitytobuildnewrelationswithvarious
departmentsandkeyagenciesthatworkinconjunctionwiththeClerksoffice.Politicaloffices
aremeanttobetermsofservice,notcareers.Newpeoplebringnewenergy.
5.Pleaselistfivespecificaccomplishmentsthatyouhaveachievedinpoliticsorcivicaffairs:
IwasafoundingboardmemberoftheNorthSantiamCanyonEconomicDevelopment
Corporation.AfoundingBoardmemberoftheGROWNorthSantiamprogram.AsMayorof
MillCity,alongwithcouncil,weimplementedamajorwatersystemupgrade20042005.A
sewersystemupgradein20072008.WebuiltanewCityHallin2012andapprovedthree
subdivisionsduringmytermsofservice.TheCitysnetvalueincreasedeightmilliondollars
duringthistime.
6.HowmuchwillyourPrimaryElectioncampaigncost?(bespecific)
$15,000.
7.Haveyoueverbeenconvictedofacrime,beendisciplinedbyaprofessionallicensing
board/organizationorhadanethicsviolationfiledagainstyou?Ifso,pleasegivethedetails.
Ihavehadthreeethicscomplaintsfiledagainstme,alldroppedbytheethicsboardasbeing
frivolousandunsubstantiated.TwoofthembyonemanwhodidnotgethiswayandIhadto
gaveldowninacouncilmeetingandonebyamanthatrefusedtopayalatefeeonhiswaterbill.
8.Haveyoueverfiledforbankruptcy,beendelinquentonyourtaxesorothermajoraccounts,or
beensuedpersonallyorprofessionally?Ifso,pleasegivethedetails.
No
9.Whatarethethreemostimportantissuesyouwouldaddressifelected,andhow?(75words
foreachissue)
A. Goodworkingrelationshipswithotheragencies,departments,coworkersandpersonnel.I
wouldworktodevelopanunderstandingofthewayweinteractandsupporteachother.Be
surethatmyofficehasanopenlineofcommunication.Thatmystaffhasthesupportthatit
needstodotheirjobsinanexcellentmanner.Makecertainthatweservethecommunity
professionallywithspeedandaccuracy.

B. Ihaveanunderstandingofthescaleoflearningcurveinfrontofme.Iwouldinitially
spendasmuchtimeasnecessaryworkingalongsidestafftodevelopanunderstandingofthe
dutiesofeachandeveryone.FromthemIwillsolicittheshortcomingsoftheofficeand
theirideasonhowtoimproveperformanceandservice.InthisprocessIwouldbuildalevel
oftrustandconfidencewiththestaffwhichinturnwillleadtoanincreaseinperformance.
C. Iwouldseekoutnewandimprovedwaystodeliverelectionsresultssothattheyaremade
availableinrealtime.Iwillexaminethewaysmycolleaguesfromothercountiesdothisas
wellaswhattheydoforcostsavingmeasuresonandduringtheelectionsprocess.
10.Whatdoyouseeasotherimportantissues?
IthinkthatitistheClerks,andallpoliticiansresponsibilitytokeepacloseeyeonthebudget.
Tobefrugalwhenwecanandstilldeliverthenecessaryservicestothepublic.
11.Whatonlineand/orprintpublicationsdoyouregularlyreadtokeepabreastofissuesinthe
districtyouseektorepresent?
StatesmanJournalofcourse.
12.Anyskeletonsinyourclosetorotherpotentiallyembarrassinginformationthatyoushould
disclosebeforeitcomesupinthecampaign?Anything(includinghealthissues)thatwould
affectyourabilitytoserveyourfullterm?Anychangesinyourlifesituationthatare
contemplatedorexpectedbeforetheelectionorbeforeyouwouldtakeoffice?
WhenIturned18andwenttothepostofficetoregisterforthedraft,Ialsoregisteredasa
Democrat.Ifmemoryservesmecorrect,Iwasademocratforaboutfouryears.Ahh,the
foolishnessofyouth.
InclosingIwouldliketoaddthatIhaveattendedandreceivedcertificatesfortrainingfrom;
RuralDevelopmentInitiatives,FordFamilyFoundation,LeagueofOregonCitiesandMarion
CountySheriffsOfficeCitizenAcademy.
IamendorsedbyMarionCountyCommissionerSamBrentano.
Thankyou.PleasereturnthisquestionnairetotheEditorialBoardasanattachedWorddocumentto
Salemed@StatesmanJournal.combyApril20,2016.