TRACIE CHRISTENSEN

McElhattan

Dear Clinton County, I am sure that as the wife of a candidate for county commissioner, it’s no surprise to learn that I have a clear cut favorite. But what I would really like for you to know is why our family decided that it was the right time for Mitch to declare his interest in serving as commissioner.

It was very much a family decision, and it genuinely comes back to two words– family and service. We are at the crossroads of a very important time in the county, a time when new and innovative leadership could begin to re-write the narrative of our area to one of strength and prosperity.

We have chosen a new superintendent, whom Mitch and I believe has the chops to get the job done and turn KCSD into a top performing district. We have a fresh voice at LHU in Dr. Robert Pignatello. The success of these two institutions is pivotal to a thriving county in terms of education, job opportunity, and so much more. With a transparent, strong, new leader in the commissioner’s office we can innovate and form firm partnerships that remove silos and obstacles and find synergies across Clinton County that benefit everyone and minimize redundant spending.

We have to think of KCSD, LHU, local industry and local government as one team, not several different teams. Clinton County has tremendous potential and that is why our family decided that it was the right time for Mitch to offer his life experience, education and business acumen to the residents of Clinton County as an option for Commissioner. We have the opportunity to maintain the status quo or dare to challenge it. I challenge you to ask yourself how the status quo has been working for you.

My husband has always been a servant leader; as the son of two Navy veterans, Mitch enlisted in the Army right out of high school. He then went on to earn a dual degree in heath and physical education and athletic training from Penn State University and a masters of health administration from Gannon University. Mitch is a fixer and he believes in serving others by fixing problems. If you have ever served on any volunteer board or had a child play on one of Mitch’s teams, you already know this. If you don’t know Mitch, I encourage you to reach out to someone who does or better yet give Mitch a call. Mitch recognizes that being commissioner means forecasting the impact of decisions and successfully managing a cycle that leads to savings for taxpayers, growth for employers and performance for our schools. As a family we are committed to being a proponent of Clinton County’s success.

As the parents of three children, Vincent, MiaFrances and Elle, you can bet that we want the best for this area because we would like for our nest to never empty. We would love for our kids and yours to choose to stay or return to Clinton County. This is our home and we want to see what is best for Clinton County. We want our children and yours to feel invested and proud to call Clinton County home. Mitch brings a fresh new optic to what that takes and while he has already earned my support, I genuinely hope that you see the energy, commitment and standard of excellence that he would bring to office.