Gerry Vander-Lyn

What training, experience, and characteristics qualify you for this position?

First, I connect well with people. I am usually the first to say hello, I never met a stranger, and I enjoy the diversity God has embedded in humanity. Second, I have spent decades helping people navigate all kinds of bureaucracies. I know how to make a bureaucracy function more efficiently. Third, I am a former, SEC licensed Registered Representative. I am no longer licensed but I have the knowledge to manage a very large budget.

What are the two most important issues affecting the residents of your precinct and what measurable actions will you take to address them?

Theft. Theft by inflation, theft by porch pirates, theft by taxation, theft by collusion between elected officials and unfair vendor selection. Our Constables are under-utilized. They are highly trained and capable of more than process serving. They could do much of what HPD no longer does. We could also empower every voting precinct to establish a Safety Committee. Entrepreneurship programs could help offset inflation. Transparency & stiff penalties could eliminate collusion.

What would be your budget priorities during your term?

Providing the Constables with more resources, training, and compensation.
Improving mental health resources and services through public, private, and non-profit collaboration and cooperation.
Establishing entrepreneurship initiatives that enable and encourage more diversified local business.
More efficient utilization of County parks and libraries to ensure that every child in Precinct 1 learns to read.

What initiatives will you implement to inform the public about county services and projects?

We need to move beyond email, texting, web sites, and other electronic messaging. Human beings are relational. Precinct 1 staff will be tasked with attending all civic clubs, super neighborhoods, non-profits, and any other group of people trying to get something done. Relationship building through joint projects will be the focus. We will also do the electronic messaging, but the focus will be human interaction.