Meet Chesterfield Township Trustee Candidate Thomas Yaschen

New Baltimore-Chesterfield Patch is profiling candidates for Chesterfield Township's elected positions. Learn about them here in a series of profiles.

Name: Thomas R. Yaschen

 Age: 61

 Political party: Republican

 Years lived in Chesterfield: Since 1985 (27 years)

Occupation: Major Account Manager for Bell Forklift, Inc

What position are you running for: Trustee

If elected for the first time, what specifically would you like to see done during your term?

If elected I would like to see a board that is more responsive to the needs of the people. Chesterfield must have a strong Sustainability Program that will promote Chesterfield as a place people want to reside and raise their children, also for people and companies to do business here.

What do you think the community's biggest challenges are and how can the community overcome them?

Having a balanced budget and finding ways to keep it balanced. Having a board that will look for was to decrease costs and increase revenues both short and long term. This must include no raises for Board Members and Department Heads.

How would you propose making the police and fire funds financially stable?

I have attended all but a few board meeting over the last six years and I observed that both the Police and Fire Departments have not taken any pay raises and have cut cost where possible. The budget shortfall is not due to reckless spending, but a decrease in home property values. In the short term; we must continue to find ways to reduce cost. In the long term we must find ways to increase revenues by better land management (taking low value land and making them high value through building homes or a business). Also to find tenants for the 100-plus vacant commercial and industrial buildings. We must create a climate that will favor people and business and above all keep our seniors from packing up and leaving Chesterfield. If need I would support a short-term millage increase of four years this would give the new board time to take action to get the programs in place. We have to keep a high standard of public safety if we don't people will not come or live here and business will not set up here or they will leave.

How would you make changes, if any, to community services?

I would keep our Chesterfield Police and Fire Department in place.

Describe yourself:

Hard-working and successful in my military and civilian careers. I am dedicated to my job and to any cause I support. I devote time to both the Chesterfield Beautification and Historical Committees.

What are your hobbies/causes you're passionate about?

Gardening, fishing, hydroplane racing

What’s one fact about you that would surprise people?

Always wanted to be a hydroplane boat race driver.

Additional information about you:

I support the renewal of the Veterans Millage.