Jon Fussle announced his candidacy for Kosciusko County Commissioner in the May 5 Republican primary. The 35-year-old Fussle is currently serving his second year on Kosciusko County Council.

“I’m running for commissioner to bring openness and transparency to the office, to bring vision and to help take on the challenges facing this county,” said Fussle. He believes his unique skill set would be best utilized in the role of county commissioner.

Through his time on the county council, Fussle said he has learned a lot and gained very valuable experience working with his peers, as well as department heads and county employees.

“One of the hallmarks of my time on the council has been my transparency and openness with the public,” said Fussle. “The quickest, easiest and most inexpensive way to communicate what is going on in the county and on the council is the use of social media and our monthly ‘2nd Council’ town-hall meetings.

“I post every vote I cast on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn and explain my vote. The citizens are my boss, and I answer to the boss every time I vote,” he added. “In our ‘2nd Council’ meetings every month, we discuss the agenda for the upcoming meeting. This time with my constituents helps give me a different perspective on the issues facing the council. I try to answer any questions that might arise before an issue ever gets to the meeting. If I can’t answer a question, I get an answer before the county council meeting. I believe this practice helps us all grow and learn as we work together as one, rather than elected officials answering to their constituents every four years. This all takes time and energy, but I am invested in serving the community and it is a practice I plan to continue as commissioner.”

Potholes and the obvious signs of degradation on the county highways are exposing the weakest link in Kosciusko County, according to Fussle. He said the biggest immediate challenge facing the county is highway department funding. “The most underfunded department in the county is the highway department,” explained Fussle. “We have consistently under-funded the KCHD for years, and it is catching up to us. We have got to sit down with the KCHD superintendent and find out what he needs to get our roads repaired to a standard that is acceptable, and we have to do it without raising property taxes. It isn’t going to be easy, but it has to be done.”

In addition, Fussle said we need to create the friendliest environment for businesses and families: “In order to grow, we must be able to compete with other cities for every job in the orthopedic industry, as well as working hard to diversify our economy. An orthopedic hospital would build on our success in the orthopedic industry and solidifies our title as ‘Orthopedic Capital of the World,’ and a small business incubator would help us diversify our local economy.”

Councilman Fussle has also made it a personal priority to take the time to meet with business owners and investors to consider Kosciusko County as a great community in which to grow or relocate. His most recent efforts include working with IEDC, KEDCo, and the Warsaw/Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce to compete with Florida and Nevada to attract the attention of an aerospace company looking to relocate from South America.

Fussle said that until he approached the owners of the company, they never considered Indiana. Now they are planning the move to Kosciusko County. “The approximately 50 jobs it creates is a clear win, but more importantly, it puts Kosciusko on the radar of the aerospace industry,” he said. “With one company moving here, the rest of the industry will ask themselves, ‘Why Kosciusko County?’ That gives us the chance to talk about our skilled workforce, our favorable business climate, and our beautiful community.” He is also working with a charter company to get scheduled flight service from Warsaw to Chicago and Detroit.

Finally, he added, “I am running for commissioner because I am a big-picture, problem solving, outside-the-box thinker. I have been working hard for Kosciusko County on the council, and I look forward to continuing that as commissioner. I am asking for your vote on May 6, and I promise I’ll continue to serve as the most open, transparent and hard-working servant I can be.”

Fussle is a lifetime resident of Kosciusko County, a professional pilot and small business owner, and currently serves on the Kosciusko County Council. He is a graduate of Comair Aviation Academy in Sanford, Fla., and attended Holy Cross College in Notre Dame, Ind. Fussle has been married to his wife, Katye, for over two years. Together, they have a 1-year-old daughter, Savannah, and are expecting their second daughter in June.