As a Democratic candidate for Nowata County Commissioner, District 2, I would like to take a moment of your time to introduce myself and ask for your support.

My name is Michael Schrader. I am 42 years old and a happily married father of seven. I have been a Civil and Traffic Engineer for the past twenty years, both in the public and private sectors. Currently, I work as a traffic engineer with the City of Tulsa Public Works Department responding to citizen traffic concerns. In addition to working for the City of Tulsa, I keep my civil engineering skills sharp by doing expert witness work, structural designs, and other small engineering projects. In addition to my engineering expertise, I attended law school for approximately a year-and-a-half, and have studied history and politics as well. Throughout my life I have had some very interesting and diverse jobs, including time as a journalist, radio personality, surveyor, substitute teacher, barricade laborer, motel desk clerk, construction inspector, and tutor. In short, I have a wide variety of life experiences which I believe gives me the unique ability to understand many different points-of-view and makes me the BEST candidate for Nowata County Commissioner, District 2.

What does a County Commissioner do? A County Commissioner is one member of the three-member County Commission, the legislative body for the county. The County Commission is responsible for budgeting county funds, setting fee and tax rates, passing county ordinances, countywide planning, establishing spending priorities, representing the county to others, and operating the County Courthouse. The most visible function of the County Commission is the maintenance of the county road and bridge system. As each Commissioner represents a unique geographical area of the county, then each Commissioner is responsible for the maintenance of the road and bridge system in his own district. (The District 2 Commissioner is responsible for the county roads in District 2, which is roughly west of U.S. 169 and north of U.S. 60, excluding the towns of Delaware and South Coffeyville.) As the Commissioners have more functions than just overseeing the maintenance of the county road and bridge system, each Commissioner has Road-and-Bridge staff who perform the day-to-day maintenance tasks with the oversight of the Commissioner. The most effective Commissioners are those that are not driving the road graders, but are instead able to devote their efforts to the most important task of all -- improving the overall quality of life for their constituents and the county as a whole.

What is my philosophy? My philosophy is a "small government" philosophy. I believe that ALL Americans should be empowered with the freedom of choice, and that choices should not be encumbered by the government. In addition, I believe that taxes and unnecessary rules and regulations restrict the freedom of choice. I believe that by eliminating the burden of unnecessary taxes and rules and regulations, Americans are economically empowered to "pursue happiness." I believe that my philosophy is what is needed to promote growth and secure the future economic viability of Nowata County.

Why am I the best candidate for District 2 County Commissioner of Nowata County? First, as someone who has worked in the government sector most of his adult life, I know how government operates, what government can and cannot do, and through my twenty years of networking, where to go to find solutions. Second, as a civil engineer, I know how to build roads. There is more to building a good road than putting some blacktop down. A poorly built blacktop road will perform worse and be more expensive to maintain than a properly built gravel road. Nowata County needs good roads to thrive, and needs a Commissioner who has the expertise in good road design in order to have good roads. Third, I hate paying taxes. Taxes are a necessary evil, but I don't want to pay one cent more in taxes than I have to. There is nothing more frustrating as a taxpayer than to see the government waste my taxes and then reach into my pocket for more. Unfortunately, most people don't realize how much money is being wasted. For example, when the government gives tax rebates to businesses, what it is actually doing is giving YOUR money to someone else. As someone who has worked for the government, I know where the waste is and how it can be reduced. Fourth,as a former planner and economic development director, I understand what entices businesses to locate where they do, and will use that experience and understanding to work towards improving the economic life of Nowata County. Finally, as a father of seven children under the age of 18, I want to see Nowata County thrive so that my children will be able to stay in Nowata County, and not be forced to seek opportunities elsewhere due to the lack of opportunities here. The children are the future of the county, and I will work hard to ensure that their future is in Nowata County.

I hope that you will find my site to be informative, and will illustrate what I will do as your District 2 County Commissioner. If you agree with these ideals, then I hope I can count on your vote. If you would like to help promote these ideals through my campaign, please tell your family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. If you would like a sign at your home, or would like to help with the campaign, you may contact me at the above address or by clicking here.

Michael Schrader

Democratic Candidate for Nowata County Commissioner, District 2

Five pledges of Michael Schrader --

If elected, I will strive to make Nowata County more ACCESSIBLE

Accessible for citizens utilizing County services. Citizens should not have to spend hours upon hours figuring out who to call to get a problem addressed, be it reporting a road hazard, wanting to bid on county work, or retrieving a public record. If elected, I will work to make this information available through an easily ACCESSIBLE forum such as a webpage like this one, as your time is valuable. I want to make the county government a very user-friendly one.

Accessible for businesses. Currently, Nowata County is a business poor county. In order to spur business development, we must make it easy for potential businesses to obtain information on the many wonderful assets that Nowata County has, and why it is a great place to have a business. In addition, we must make sure that we do not place excessive governmental regulations on businesses, as these will drive businesses away. I pledge to work to "get the word out" to potential businesses on how unique and wonderful Nowata County is, and to ensure that there are not any unnecessary rules and restrictions that would discourage businesses from locating in Nowata County.

If elected, I will strive to make Nowata County more ACCOUNTABLE

In the private sector, business managers and employees are accountable to the owners and stockholders who have a financial investment in the success of the business, and if the owners are unhappy with their performance, then the managers will no longer be managers. Nowata County is accountable to you, the taxpayers, who are the "owners", and I will strive to ensure that you, the taxpayers, maximize the value of your investment in Nowata County. If elected, I vow to introduce ACCOUNTABILITY, so that the stockholders of Nowata County (you) will know how your money is being spent and will be able to determine if the management (me) is using your money wisely.

If elected, I will strive to make Nowata County more EFFICIENT

Because taxpayer dollars are readily available, Nowata County has little vested financial incentive to be efficient. If elected, I will work to make sure Nowata County is EFFICIENT and spends your tax dollars prudently and wisely.

If elected, I will strive to make Nowata County more EQUITABLE

If elected, I will strive to ensure equality to Nowata County, to ensure that equal services are provided to ALL parts of Nowata County.

If elected, I will strive to make Nowata County more INNOVATIVE

With technology constantly changing, it is important to stay abreast of new innovations. However, in government, innovation is frequently discouraged because of an entrenched mindset. I pledge to create an environment where INNOVATION is the norm, and not the exception, where INNOVATION is applauded and not criticized. I pledge to work to make Nowata County the model of what a county government should be.

IMPORTANT ISSUES

The proposed improvements to U.S. 60 will have a long-lasting impact on the future viability of Nowata County. If designed correctly, the improved U.S. 60 will be a catalyst for economic growth in Nowata County. If designed incorrectly, it could drain what little economic life the county currently has. It is important that we have a County Commissioner who fully appreciates the importance of this project, and who has the technical knowledge and experience to know what is and isn't a beneficial design, and who has the inside connections to be able to ensure that the new roadway will be the economic catalyst that it can be. As a civil engineer who has worked for all levels of state and local government, I have the expertise, and since the engineering community is a small and tight-knit one, I have the connections. I will fight to make sure that the new U.S. 60 will usher in a new era of prosperity for Nowata County.

Economic Development is the most important issue facing Nowata County. Without a healthy and vibrant economy, the county is no longer able to perform the most basic functions like grading roads due to the lack of revenue. Attracting new businesses is very difficult for a county like Nowata County. Nowata County is one of 21 counties in Oklahoma that has less than ten miles of four lane highway, and these counties tend to be the poorest and least populated in the state. Because of the poverty, it is difficult to maintain what we have, and the lack of maintanence results in deterioration, and deterioration repels businesses, and the vicious cycle continues. Tax giveaways are not the solution, as these penalize existing small businesses that are the backbone of our community and some businesses will take the money and run after only a year or two. This sad scenario has occurred in county after county throughout the country. The first important step in attracting businesses to Nowata County is to make Nowata County attractive, and that is something that every citizen can and should do. Let's clean up the county; we will feel better about ourselves and our home when we do!

Privatization is NOT a four letter word! (Actually, it's a 13-letter one.) Privatization, if done correctly, can spur economic development by providing much needed revenue for businesses. If a Nowata County business can perform a function more efficiently and cost effectively than the government, then that function should be privatized. (Share the wealth!) It is not healthy for the economy for the government to be the largest employer, as that leads to waste and inefficiency, and ultimately to the destruction of free enterprise (and its economic efficiency). However, privatization should be done judiciously, as privatization for its own sake is also economically destructive. It is far better to have Nowata County employing Nowatans than privatizing to a company that is located in another county, state, or country, as the money that would have been spent here is spent elsewhere and permanently leaves Nowata County. If we privatize correctly, we will provide a stimulus to our local economy, increase tax revenues, and maximize the value of each and every tax dollar by making the government leaner and more efficient.

Good Roads are very important to attract people and businesses to Nowata County. North, south, east, and west, the consensus is that we have really bad roads. Pick a road, any road. They are all bad. Making good roads is not as simple as just grading or blacktopping. One of the worst roads in the County is the old U.S. 169 between Oklahoma Union and Delaware, and that is a blacktop road! The reasons why roads go bad is that their foundations are bad, and it doesn't matter what kind of surface you put on it, it will still go bad. The solution is to conduct a comprehensive engineering evaluation of all the roads to determine the cause of the road failure and what needs to be done to correct the problem. As a registered civil engineer, I have that technical knowledge. I pledge to work to make all the roads good, so that we don't have to keep filling in the same old tired potholes that form after each rain. It's hard on our vehicles, and it is a detriment to economic development.

Public Health -- Having good access to health facilities is vital for economic development, as businesses tend to shy away from areas that are "health" poor. Nowata County is blessed with good medical facilities -- Jane Phillips Hospital and the Cherokee Indian Health Center. As we are all aware, our local, not-for-profit ambulance service, 10-33, could no longer sustain itself, and is now being operated by the City of Nowata, with subscibers being charged $60 per year, or $5 per month. That is cheaper than a meal at Sonic! One meal at Sonic for good ambulance service is a great trade, yet people still complain. When my pregnant wife was run off of the road and flipped her van in a ditch, it was our local ambulance service that responded, saw to her needs, and transported her to a hospital. I dread to think what would have happened if we didn't have our local ambulance. Nowata County must do whatever is necessary to ensure that we always have a local ambulance service to get our loved ones to the hospital to get the medical care that they need.

Doing Business with Nowata County can be an exercise in futility and frustration. If you are looking to relocate to Nowata County, or live here and rarely need the government, it can sometimes be confusing and time consuming to figure out who to call and what you need to do. For example, if you want to opt out of a flood plain, who do you call, and what are the consequences? It is important for the average citizen to understand their obligations, but sometimes it is hard to know what those obligations are. It is important to make the government user-friendly, and to eliminate as many unneeded and costly government restrictions as possible.

Fair, library, and cemeteries, all things that the county contributes to. The county's money is spent more on just roads and bridges, it is also spent on the fairgrounds, the library, and cemeteries, all important cultural assets. A well-run fair at attractive facilities draws in folks from outside Nowata County, folks who spend their outside money here at local businesses, contributing to the economic well-being of the county. The library is a great asset enjoyed by all Nowata Countians, and rivals those of larger areas in terms of quantity and quality. Having a good library is a great selling point to businesses thinking about locating here! We show how highly we value human dignity by how we honor our departed loved ones. Well maintained cemeteries show that we honor humanity, as it not only pays respect to the dead, but honors those who are paying their respects by providing a pleasant, peaceful place for their thoughts and rememberances. A well-maintained cemetery says, "We care!"

A Brief Biography of Michael Schrader

Age: 42

Occupation: Civil Engineer.

Family: Wife, Tracy, 40; 7 children -- Jacqueline, Elizabeth, Genevieve, Xavier, Nikolai, Maximus, and Isaiah.

Experience with government: Field Engineering Assistant, Missouri Highway and Transportation Department; Special Projects Engineer, Springfield, Illinois; Traffic Operations Engineer, Little Rock, Arkansas; Civil Engineer, Metroplan, the Council Of Governments of Central Arkansas; City Engineer and Public Works Director, Cabot, Arkansas; Senior Transportation Planner, Dallas County, Texas; City Engineer and Director of Public Works, Planning, and Economic Development, Balch Springs, Texas; Traffic Control Engineer, Tulsa, Oklahoma.