Johnson says skill in securing grants is a strength she would bring to Holmes County

MILLERSBURG − Experience in researching and securing grant funding, project and people management and a strong desire to "keep Holmes County the blessed place that it is" are qualities one candidate for Holmes County commissioner says she will bring to the job.

Holley Johnson is one of five vying for the seat currently held by Ray Eyler, who is not seeking reelection after serving four terms.

Facing off for his seat in addition to Johnson are Dave Crilow, Steve Johnson, Dustin Kaufman and Eric Strouse.

Opposing Republican Joe Miller for his seat is Ervin D. Yoder.

No Democrats filed for the seats,

The Daily Record is featuring each candidate in stories. See profiles of Steve Johnson, David Crilow, Dustin Kaufman and Eric Strouse at The-Daily-Record.com.

Holley Johnson said she is committed to protecting the county's values, serving the community and producing results.

"Over the last decade I have had the opportunity to pursue funding on a number of significant projects − through the Holmes Center for the Arts, through the Appalachian Community Grant Fund and even in a few cases, helping my husband (a civil engineer) pursue funding for local transportation projects," Johnson said. "Through that experience, I have come to realize how essential it is and how much work is involved in securing funding for our infrastructure and other projects."

Johnson said as director of the Holmes County Center for the Arts, which welcomes individuals and families of all backgrounds, she sees and hears about the issues people face in Holmes County.

"While I believe that Holmes County is a great place to live with economic success, wonderful schools, and low crime rates, we are not immune to challenges and difficulties," she said.

"One of the issues I hear often is that it is difficult to find employees for growing businesses," Johnson she said. "Part of this problem stems from the lack of affordable housing in Holmes County."

The housing situation calls for creative and careful consideration of the issues and how to match affordable housing with the land use patterns and charm of the community, she said.

"Our county engineer, Chris Young, has done a tremendous job of maintaining and improving the pavement on our roads and replacing deficient bridges," Johnson said. "Transportation and safety will always need to be a focus of our community because of the wide range of vehicles that use our roads."

Johnson said it is important for the county highway system to be adequately funded and at the same time to advocate with Ohio Department of Transportation and other state agencies to ensure the state highway system within the county serves the needs of the community.

"In short, we want to make sure our tax dollars are well spent," she said.

History of working with public, elected officials

Johnson said has gained political experience through her work on various grants and projects.

"I have been able to meet with many of our state, federal and local elected officials to lobby on behalf of Holmes County," she said.

She said she's also worked with the commissioners, engineer, OMEGA (Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association), Holmes County Park District and other leaders on the Appalachian Community Grant for Holmes County.

"During that process, I was also able to work with several local village leaders on ecotourism and downtown improvement projects," Johnson said. "At Holmes Center for the Arts I continue to partner with various government organizations."

She has worked with Republican officials through her husband, Matt Johnson, who is the vice chair of the Republican Central Committee.

"I have assisted in applying for funding through the state capital spending bill for the Holmes Center for the Arts as well as the Winesburg Parks and Recreation Association working with our state representatives and senators," she said.

Why she is the best candidate

As a Christian, a wife, a mother, a business person and a conservationist, Johnson has filled many roles that would help in her work as a county commissioner, she said.

"I think all these roles represent the best of Holmes County," she said. "I have the business, managerial and political experience to do the job of Holmes County commissioner. I thoroughly understand the role through my years of working with government agencies and with this community. I promise that no one will work harder for Holmes County."

Her goals as a commissioner are to maintain the strong fiscal position of the county, to see continued year over year growth in the economy and to ensure the transportation and infrastructure projects are adequately funded.

She also hopes to encourage a greater appreciation of Holmes County culture, both within and outside the county, and to be responsive to the needs and concerns of residents.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: Holley Johnson one of five seeking Holmes County commissioner seat