Bradford Shimp

Why I am Running for Village Trustee

I am excited to have the opportunity to run for a trustee position on the Clyde Village board. For the past several years I have had the chance to be more active in the community, including involvement with Clyde SPAN, a seat on the Planning Board, and (more recently) membership with the Clyde Chamber of Commerce. The more I get involved, the more I realize that there are people that truly care about this village, and that those people are actively working to affect positive change on all levels.

The more I see and get involved, the more passionate I get about Clyde. Like everyone else, I see the issues, from empty storefronts to a shrinking population, from a tax burden that seems to get heavier to the State government that likes to send down mandates without helping to pay for them.

Perhaps most disheartening is the mass exodus of Clyde’s youth. While it is natural for kids to grow up and move on, I think we all would like to see more choose to stay here, and more young families move here. Clyde actually is a wonderful place to raise a family, which is something I’ve learned since starting my own family here. With our quiet streets, our affordable homes, and our small town atmosphere, we have a lot of what families are looking for in a place to live. But we are also missing something.

You’ll hear it time and time again, there just isn’t anything to do in Clyde. While that is not quite true, the underlying issue is that there are not a lot of new jobs here. We are a small town in an era of big box stores. We have lost the sense of community in part because people must travel in so many different directions for things like work and shopping. This is a big hole to fill, but one that I am hopeful about.

You see, there is a big shift happening in our world. Big box stores aren’t going away, but more and more people are yearning for a local connection. You can see it in farming, as things like farmer’s markets and organic farms are on the rise. People today are looking just as much for quality and connection as they are looking for convenience. This is a national trend, and one I hope our wonderful small town can take advantage of.

I don’t think government can single-handedly fix our big issues, like empty stores downtown. But I think it can be a team player with the community and businesses to pave the way for a rebirth. In the meantime, good government should work to remain fiscally strong without having to resort to raised taxes and fees. I believe in a lean government, one that is responsive to the needs of the community, dealing with real issues and keeping an open ear to all residents.

I suppose this is why I am running for trustee. What I bring to the table is both an ability to listen and an ability to speak up. I don’t have a personal agenda. I just want what is best for the community. I have some opinions on this, but I want to listen and learn from everyone. If someone thinks we are spending too much money or not focusing on the right needs, I want to hear about it. We don’t need to be a community that gets disgruntled. Instead, we need to be a community that gets involved.

With my seat on the village board, I will be involved. I will make it easy for anyone to call me or email me with their questions and concerns. Not everyone can make the board meetings, but I can be your voice, a voice for the community and for the future of Clyde.

My Values

I believe in smaller government and community initiative. While the government cannot pay for everything (without taxing the life out of us) and it cannot create businesses, it can become a conduit for those things. I am in favor of anything we can do to encourage both business growth in Clyde and population growth through the sale of single-family homes. Clyde is already a great family town. Government can help by keeping taxes low, regulations in check, keeping the streets safe and clean, and providing quality infrastructure.

I am a family man, married with three young children. Families are so important, and such a blessing. Who else will stick with us through thick and thin? My dream is to continue to see young families living in Clyde near grandparents and aunts and uncles. We have such a rich history of family connections and should do everything we can to preserve that heritage.

I think the younger generation should respect and learn from the older generation. At the same time, younger people should not be afraid or “too busy” to get involved and to take the lead in this community. We should all be working together to make a difference in Clyde.

I believe that strong communication and open, honest, discourse helps move things forward. As a board member, I would be available to talk to any resident. I would also strive to share what is happening in government via the web and email so everyone can stay connected.

Bio

My father and mother moved to Clyde when I was a young child. I attended Clyde schools right from Kindergarten through High School, where I graduated with honors. I went on to college for a few years before joining my family’s business, Stevco Fundraising, full time.

In 2002, I married my beautiful wife, Renee, and started a family. We now have three children, who are the joy of our lives. My wife and I moved into our house in Clyde when we got married. The house we bought used to hold three small apartments, but over the years we have renovated it and converted it into a single-family. We are so happy that we found a fixer-upper in Clyde. It turns out that, with great neighbors and a quiet street, this is a great place for a family.

Currently, I am self-employed. I build websites and consult for small businesses through my business, Broad River Creative. I also run a business advice blog at AllBizAnswers.com and have recently started to work with a software company called BatchBlue.

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