For the last number of years, I have studied a system of municipal governance called Strong Towns. Fundamentally, Strong Towns methodology is based on the following principles: financial resilience over debt-fueled growth, incremental progress over transformational promises, maintenance before expansion, productive investment over consumptive spending, and listening to the people who know. These ideas are actually just good governance principles being applied to municipal government - hence Strong Towns. But these principles are just as important for Strong Schools. That's why I approach school board service through a Strong Towns lens—focusing on fiscal sustainability, incremental improvement, and long-term resilience rather than flashy projects or quick fixes.

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What does Strong Towns thinking mean for our schools?

 

Financial resilience over debt-fueled growth. I opposed renewing our operating referendum when I was first elected (a vote was being planned for 2025), not because I don't value education, but because operating outside of our income would put the school system at constant risk of a failed referendum. The referendum also allowed our school system to operate at subpar efficiency because we had backup money to cover losses. This hurts taxpayers and reduces the quality of student's education. Overall, the referendum weakened our schools, hurt our taxpayers, and was not necessary to fulfill our duty and deliver a quality education. Strong Towns teaches us that responsible growth means only taking on obligations we can maintain with our regular ongoing income. Our district's current stable budget without new referendums proves this approach works.

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Incremental progress over transformational promises. Rather than chasing the latest educational fad or expensive program overhaul, I've focused on supporting Jim DuBois' administration getting the fundamentals right: proper curriculum implementation, clear accountability structures, teamwork, transparent governance. The improved student achievement data shows that steady, incremental improvement in core functions beats revolutionary promises every time.

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Maintenance before expansion. Before we build new facilities or launch new programs, we need to ensure we're properly maintaining what we already have—not just buildings, but teacher retention, instructional quality, and community trust. A school district, like a city, fails when it overextends itself chasing growth while neglecting the foundation. Our financial goals set clear priorities for maintaining our facilities to make sure that we don't neglect our core while expanding our peripherals. 

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Productive investment, not consumptive spending. Every dollar the district spends should either directly improve student outcomes or build long-term capacity. Strong Towns distinguishes between productive investments (things that generate value over time) and consumptive spending (things that only deplete resources). My focus on supporting Superintendent DuBois' expansion of dual credit programs, student pathways, teacher engagement and retention, and instructional materials represents productive investment in our community's future.

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Listening to the people who know. Strong Towns emphasizes bottom-up knowledge over top-down mandates. In schools, this means listening to teachers about what's actually working in classrooms, respecting parents' understanding of their children's needs, and trusting that the community closest to the problem usually has the best solutions. It's why I fought to end illegal executive sessions—sunlight and open dialogue produce better decisions than closed-door deals.

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Why this matters for Goshen

Our schools are part of Goshen's civic infrastructure. By applying this approach to our schools, we're building a foundation for a more resilient, accountable, and financially sustainable educational system which is foundational to the Goshen community and our long-term governance. Improved student outcomes, stable budgets, and transparent governance will make Goshen a better place to live and grow for everyone and help set us on the path of making Goshen a Strong Town.