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PLEASE BE AWARE THAT THIS QUESTIONNAIRE WILL BE PUBLISHED.

The News-Herald
Election Questionnaire

Date questionnaire completed: 10-91-2011 Office sought: Burton Village Council

Political party: NA Name: Linda Swaney Gender: Female Home address: PO Box 424, 14601 E Park St, Burton Length of residence in that community: 10 yrs Occupation: Healthcare Administration Employer: Cleveland Clinic Health Systems ________________________________________________________________________________________ Public office experience: Political Office Held 1 Burton Village Council
2 Burton Village Council 3 4 5 6

Municipality
Burton Burton

Years Served 2006


2007-2011

Elected or Appointed Appointed


Elected

Non-elected experience (committees, boards, etc.): Board of Directors: Burton Public Library Board Member: Area 19 (Geauga) Workforce Investment Board Board Member: Geauga County Historical Society Past President & Board Member: American Cancer Society (Geauga)

Education: School/city/state
College - Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Degree-subject or Certificate
Elementary Education

Graduate - Case Western Reserve, Cleveland, OH Law Other -

Should you be elected, what are three specific areas youd like to change, address, improve or further research, and how specifically would you go about it? Strategic planning and a visionary approach will be critical to meeting the future (1) fiscal, (2) economic, and (3) community service needs facing Burton Village. Capitalization on available grant opportunities to support ongoing maintenance and funding new projects will be crucial to supplementing the Villages current budget. Resource sharing with other municipalities, particularly in the areas of large equipment and facilities, provides an opportunity to reduce overhead costs through partnerships. Exploration of Joint Economic Development Districts with neighboring communities offers potential win-win benefits for all involved parties. Economic development is essential to sustaining a vibrant community for both residents and business alike. Collaboration with action-oriented groups such as Geauga Growth Partners and the Burton Chamber provides an avenue for tapping into expertise at both the county and local levels. Searching out financial and other incentives to enhance and assist local businesses, as well as making the Village more attractive to new viable commerce, is necessary for economic stability. The Villages historic heritage provides an excellent opportunity to promote and capitalize on historical tourism as a means to increase trade for local Main Street businesses. The safeguarding of community services such as police, fire, streets and water can be accomplished through strict and continuous review. Evaluation and prioritization of needs within the confines of the existing budget will be neededdoing more with less will become the norm.

Whether for past accomplishments or future goals, why should voters elect you?
For the past 5 years I have had the honor of serving Burton Village residents as their Councilperson, the last 2 years as Council President. During that time, I have served as Councils representative on the Tree Commission and the Historic District Association, and secured grant-funding for community programs such as the police-sponsored Kindergarten Safety Town. Two hallmarks of my tenure have been (1) securing Ohio Local Certified Government status for the Village, a designation which entitles communities to apply for matching grants for specific purposes and (2) establishment of the Village Newsletter as a communication vehicle from Council to residents and businesses. My experience as a senior administrator in a large hospital system has provided me with leadership skills necessary to manage complex ventures including negotiations, financial planning and project management both nationally and internationally. These experiences have taught me the importance of strategic planning at all levels for both immediate and sustained successes.

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