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Danville Commission Race (November 3, 2012) |
Louis enjoyed a 32-year career with the Kentucky Cabinet for Families and Children, the Education Cabinet and the Legislative Research Commission. She now devotes much of her free time to charity work with a number of Danville and Boyle County non-profit organizations including the Habitat for Humanity and the Senior Citizens Center. She has volunteered with the Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center Auxiliary for more than three decades and is a current member of the Sister Cities Commission.
“I think people should realize my love for Danville goes back for generations,” Louis said. “I’ve probably got twice as much experience in government as everybody running put together, though I’m not saying that’s a bad thing or a good thing.”
Louis hopes if she is re-elected that she can help see the water plant expansion project to completion.
Jobs “is one thing I think the water plant will bring,” Louis said. “We’re going to have a good source of water, we’re going to have good water, and we’re going to have a good supply of water. And I think that will bring business here. Business is jobs.”
She really wants to see the new commission “come together more” and avoid some of the public conflicts that occurred over issues such as the firing of Stansbury and Ethics Board appointments.
“I grew up in a Danville where everybody seemed to get along and it’s not been that way lately,” Louis said. “Win or lose, I’m going to support whoever is elected because that’s my philosophy.
“And I’m going to support Danville no matter who is sitting up there in that commission chambers. And I hope they’ll work with me because I’ll be there one way or another. “
Ryan Montgomery (incumbent): Montgomery, 38, is seeking his second term. He is the owner and operator of Omni Engineering, holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Kentucky. After college he spent a few years living in Lexington but then chose to return to his hometown. Montgomery and his wife, Emily, have two sons.
“I never really have regarded myself as a very political person, but I do think I can help a great deal as it comes to our infrastructure projects,” he said.
Most of the city’s major projects are related to something in Montgomery’s professional field, he said. During his first commission term, Montgomery has enjoyed feeling like “part of the process.”
“I want to focus more on the positive, but I also understand it takes time to earn people’s trust,” Montgomery said.
He says one of the current commission’s biggest accomplishments was hiring Danville native Tony Gray as the police department chief. Montgomery said the hiring process went much more smoothly than he anticipated because of helpful city employees, especially City Manager Ron Scott.
As a Danville native who grew up playing team sports, he is especially interested in furthering recreational opportunities in the area inside and outside of the commissioner’s chair. Montgomery has served as president of the all-volunteer Bluegrass Youth Soccer Association for about three years.
“We just chip in and do what we got to do to get the young kids to play soccer,” he said.
He believes increased recreational opportunities for all ages will help attract more residents to Danville, but acknowledges that the intended water plant expansion project must be the initial focal point for the next commission.
The risk of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency levying hefty fines on Danville if the water project does not flow to completion by 2014 is “minute” but a potential reality that cannot be ignored, Montgomery said.
“(Possible EPA fines) is not a gamble I’m willing to take,” he added.
When dealing with any potential City Commission decision, Montgomery says he does plenty of research so he can make his own decisions and cast votes for what he feels is truly right.
“I want to continue using my skills and my experiences I have from growing up here and as an engineer to help keep Danville moving in the right direction,” he said.
