Story of Dean Young for Trustee

I have roots deep in the fertile soil of Springfield Township. My great-grandfather established the Young Farm in 1877. I am lucky to be able to live on that same farm.

I have always believed that good fortune also comes with an obligation to contribute in a positive way to the community in which you live.

That has led me to be part of the work of the Township Government.

My mission as a Trustee has been to work constantly to see Springfield be the kind of place that families and businesses would want to locate in and stay.

"Let's Continue Our Progress"

As I seek to continue as a Trustee, I want to report my efforts and accomplishments during the past four years. These actions have been pushed forward working with the help and support of my colleagues Kellie Chapman and Joe DiLauro.

Aggressively pursuing grant monies to supplement our tax dollars, to leverage our money and ease the burden on our taxpayers. By way of example, we have just recently been awarded a FEMA to permit us to increase the staffing of fire and paramedic services. In addition, we have pending with ODNR a grant fund extension of the Lakefront Trail and one for the preservation of wetlands under the Clean Ohio grants program.

Support the Blue

Springfield Lake Clean-up

Our meetings can be fun!

Reorganized zoning department to strengthen enforcement, including police department support, and procedure in place to obtain voluntary compliance ending in legal action to enforce violations. Making the community safer by actively pursuing nuisance properties and seeking grants for vacant or nuisance properties that encourage drug and criminal activity.

Invested in the remodeling of Lakefront Center on the lake to provide an upscale affordable venue for residents and surrounding communities while still providing senior meals for our residents. Actively improving Springfield Lake quality, such as pending grants to purchase property to protect against development that would cause further drainage and runoff into the lake, as well as adopting land use regulations that encourage protection of the lake.

Initiated nuisance lawsuit against Quality Inn and brought additional legal actions against zoning violations after repeated attempts to work with them to avoid costly legal action. Working with ODOT to continue to improve the Canton Road and 224 intersection with aesthetic street lighting, sidewalks to attract desirable businesses, and showcase our High School students and provide pedestrian safety Future: Increase family-oriented events on our Lakefront, including Concert series, Car Show, food truck festival, and Farmers Market. Increase financial commitment to improving Township roads. Extend Spartan Trail to the High School complex to give students a safe route to school and give residents easy access to beautiful recreational trail, funded through grant applications.

Questions for Dean Young

Q1. Why are you the best candidate for the office?

A: My sixteen years as a Trustee meeting the challenges, confronting the many, varied issues and serving proactively to seek ways to improve my community makes me the better choice. I have supervised the Police, Fire, Road and Zoning Departments of Springfield, an urban township with 52 full time employees serving 14,000+ residents. To do so presents a steep learning curve. In addition to supervising basic services, I have worked successfully to develop initiatives that have made Springfield a better place. My work serving people as an Attorney in my private practice has given me seasoned judgement, judicial temperament and taught me the importance of approaching all citizens with respect.

Q2. What is your vision for economic development for your community over the next ten years?

A: Springfield, like Coventry and Copley Townships entered JEDD agreements with Akron in 1994, believing the promise that Akron would provide resources like planning services and infrastructure to spur economic development in the Township. That has not resulted in Springfield, with the tax going 14/15th to the City, and 1/15th to the Township. Despite that, we must continue to press Akron to fulfill the purpose of the JEDD with special attention to our main corridors. Part of that effort is to identify areas that could support new development and fashion a new agreement for that purpose. In addition, we must continue to provide basic services, police and fire protection, with road improvements that support existing businesses. Aggressive actions, such as the lawsuit we pursued against the Quality Inn to eliminate public nuisance, encourages a positive environment for business growth

Q3. What are the most significant issues facing your community and what ideas do you have to address these issues?

A: Firstly, improvement of Springfield Lake’ water quality, an issue created over many years, requires long-term efforts. We have begun identifying sources of contamination through watershed study and testing of water treatment solutions, reforming land use policies to reduce storm water and runoff into the Lake; and are lobbying to obtain sanity sewer to residences around the Lake. We must develop green infrastructure to reduce inflows by securing property for preservation. Secondly, Limited Resources. Townships cannot levy an income tax and must rely on real estate taxes. To protect taxpayers, we must carefully manage our monies to effectively provide services, like leveraging our tax monies by obtaining grant funding when possible. I have initiated current applications before ODNR for funding extension of Lakefront Trail and one for preservation of Wetlands under the Clean Ohio grant program. We have recently received FEMA funding to increase staffing of fire and paramedic personnel.