Commissioner-Elect Carolyn Brakey Asking for Community Feedback

December 16, 2024 by Staff Report

As Geauga County Commissioner-Elect Carolyn Brakey prepares to take office on Jan. 2, 2025, she is reaching out to the county residents and the business community to request feedback on transparency and accessibility of the Geauga County Commissioners office.

“One of my immediate priorities is enhancing transparency and fostering greater public participation in our county government,” Brakey said in a Dec. 11 letter distributed to community members who have shown an active interest in commissioners’ meetings and posted on her Facebook page Carolyn Brakey for Geauga County Commissioner.

“To guide this effort, I am seeking your input on how the commissioners’ office can better serve Geauga County,” said Brakey.

Specifically, Brakey would like to hear residents’ and business owners’ thoughts on:

1. Practices from the current commissioners’ office that they believe have worked well and should continue;
2. Accessibility of meetings to the public, including thoughts on recording and/or livestreaming meetings;
3. The structure and process for public comment at meetings;
4. Approaches for sharing pertinent documents, such as meeting agendas, with the public;
5. Promotion and solicitation of board appointments and job openings;
6. Strategies to more effectively engage with the community and local media; and
7. Any other ideas to enhance transparency and accountability.”

“Your feedback is important to shaping these efforts,” added Brakey. “I encourage you to share your thoughts to me via email at carolyn@carolynbrakey.com by or before Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, so I can begin proposing changes on my first day in office.”

Brakey also invited interested parties to attend the first commissioners’ meeting of the year on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025, to share a brief summary of their ideas during public comment, should time be allotted.

“Please note that the president of the board of commissioners has historically determined the format and timing of public comment, so I encourage you to include your full thoughts in writing in advance,” Brakey said.

She added, “Working together, we can make meaningful improvements to our county government.”

Brakey, a Republican, ran against Democrat Garrett Westhoven in the Nov. 5 general election for the open seat on the board occupied by Commissioner Tim Lennon who decided not to run for reelection. Brakey handily defeated Westhoven by a vote of 34,323 to 17,662.