Williamson Herald
Candidate Profile
http://www.williamsonherald.com/home?id=69928
NAME AS APPEARS ON BALLOT: Kathy Danner
OFFICE BEING SOUGHT: County Commissioner 4th District
AGE: 43
OCCUPATION: I am currently self- employed as a rental agent for Gulf Front Rentals as well as an author and speaker.
www.RentACondoInGulfShores.com
www.EnJOYFreedomFromFinancialStress.com – helping moms fight the joy thief of financial stress.
Recently, I was on staff with Congressman Marsha Blackburn. Prior to staying home with children, I had 10 years of business experience as an award winning project manager, a product manager in marketing at national headquarters, and a national account sales representative for Standard Register.
FAMILY: I have been married to my husband Ted Danner for 13 years. I am the mother of two school aged children and a care giver to one tick attracting and compost eating dog. I am the sister of Lt. Col. John D Kline, an Army Black Hawk Pilot and Battalion Commander out of Ft. Campbell. I am also the daughter of Congressman John Kline (R-MN). Rep John Kline is the ranking member of the House Education and Labor Committee. http://kline.house.gov/
COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES: I am currently in and have been enrolled in BSF (Bible Study Fellowship) for 7 years and have been a member of the leadership team. I am also an active member of Franklin First United Methodist Church where I am the co-chair of the Adult Sunday School Committee and a member of the Intentional Faith Committee. I am also a member of the RWWC (Republican Women of Williamson County).
Have you ever held public office before? If so, what office and for what period of time? No.
How long have you lived in Williamson County? Franklin? What brought you to the area? We moved to Franklin 4 years ago from Birmingham, Alabama as part of the relocation of Nissan Corporate Headquarters. I grew up a Marine Corps kid and so have moved many times. I am now looking forward to giving our children some Tennessee roots right here in Williamson County.
Why did you decide to seek this office? Two reasons. One, I would like to be a new voice on the County Commission. As a Nissan wife, I would represent and provide a voice for those who are a part of this district’s recent growth. I am the only candidate on this May 4th ballot that lives in Cool Springs. Second, I am from a family that has always had a heart for public service and I feel that the time is right for me to go to work as a public servant myself. My dad is a retired US Marine and now a US Congressman. When he was active duty, he was the aid to both Presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. I have had the privilege to meet and to be inspired in person by President Reagan, President George W. Bush, Laura Bush, Newt Gingrich, and Sarah Palin. As soon as my husband and I re-located to middle Tennessee, I immediately volunteered for Marsha Blackburn’s campaign and was later hired onto her staff where I worked for over a year. I am running for the open commissioner seat in this district and am asking for your vote.
What special qualifications do you have which qualify you for this position? Though I have had exposure to some amazing leaders, that by no means qualifies someone to lead. I can apply my own gifts and talents to this job. As the only parent of children in the Williamson County Schools on this 4th district May ballot, I bring value in that I will offer a current and fresh, yet critical eye to the budgetary needs of the school board. Over half of the budget is allocated to the schools. I would like to build on my existing good relationships with the school board and Aldermen. I believe in building positive relationships between government entities . Regular communication between multi government levels helps assure results in well coordinated initiatives.
I am also an author and speaker to Christian mom’s groups on how to stretch your dollars and stretch your faith during tough economic times. Voters can count on me to bring the same “frugal mom” mindset and discernment to the county budget. In addition, I have 10 years of business experience that I can apply to this job as well.
Name three issues in your race and tell us what plans you have to have a positive impact on those issues?
Debt management.
As an author and speaker on stretching dollars, I’d like to have a positive impact by bringing a fiscally conservative view in order to wring out excess spending. I’d also like to apply my sales and marketing background to creatively grow some of our existing (non tax) revenue streams such as maximizing the use of the Ag Center and the Convention Center. Since we own them, let’s better utilize them.
Meeting the ongoing budgetary needs of the Public Schools.
I would like to bring a public school parent’s voice to the table. I’d like to be a part of building stronger positive relationships with the School Board and the Board of Mayor and Aldermen, in an effort to bring proactive and creative solutions to the growing needs of the schools and the community at large.
Increasing economic development.
Because my husband and I were part of the Nissan move to middle TN, I bring my first hand experience and input on economic development. In order to avoid tax increases, as a county and as a state, we must “grow the business”. I offer a living testimony to other corporate entities that we may pursue in re-locating here to Williamson County. We must continue to grow and attract economic development as our main source of revenue.
A critical part of staying attractive to future businesses is making sure our schools are equally superior because they are our number one attractor and a primary component to property values. Therefore, the positive, yet responsible relationship with the school board is essential.
What is the main message of your campaign? Dedication to strengthening Williamson County. Voters can always count on me to vote in ways that will strengthen the county. If elected to one of the two 4th district seats, I know that I would also work well with the other commissioner. I bring a positive outlook, a strong work ethic, and a high level of professionalism to this position. I represent this county’s present and its future. You have the opportunity to vote for 2 and so I am asking that I be one of your two votes. Go to www.VoteDanner.com to learn more and to join me on FaceBook.
Franklin Review
Candidate Questionnaire
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100413/WILLIAMSON01/100413078/2024/WILLIAMSON
Name: Kathy Danner
Age: 43
Occupation: I am currently self-employed as a rental agent for Gulf Front Rentals as well as an author and speaker. www.RentACondoInGulfShores.com www.EnJOYFreedomFromFinancialStress.com
- helping moms fight the joy thief of financial stress
Family: I have been married to my husband Ted Danner for 13 years. I am the mother of two school aged children, and a care giver to one tick attracting and compost eating dog. I am the sister of Lt.Col. John D Kline, an Army Black Hawk Pilot and Battalion Commander out of Ft. Campbell. I am also the daughter of Congressman John Kline (R-MN). Rep John Kline is the ranking member of the House Education and Labor Committee. http://kline.gov/
1. The school system is adding three new schools during a down economy. How can we finance the system to maintain the standards that have made Williamson schools stand out? As the only 4th district candidate on the May 4th ballot with children in the public schools, I would like to be a voice in this process going forward which is one of the reasons I am running for this office. Over half the budget is allocated towards the schools. I am in agreement with mayor Rogers Anderson as he said in his state of the county address, "...our #1 quality of life attraction is our public schools".
We can finance these new schools by continuing to cut the budget and growing some of our (non tax) revenue streams. For example, we take a loss every time the Cool Springs convention center loses money. If we own the convention center and the Ag center, let's promote them better and increase that revenue. That is just one area we can grow. There are many areas that I see in this current budget that can also be shaved down. In the future, I am also a big fan of adding wings or additions to current schools rather than fund whole new buildings.
2. What should the top priorities of the Williamson County Commission be? I see three areas where the county will need to focus.
1) Debt Management: We need to pay down as much of the county debt as possible. I think we can do this without a tax increase. I'd like to see further budget cuts and growing other current assets. As an author of a budgeting book, voters could count on me to apply the same "frugal mom" mindset to the budget.
2) Meeting the ongoing budgetary needs of the Public Schools: I want to bring a public school parent's voice to the table in an effort to build stronger positive relationships with the school board and BOMA. Regular communication between multi government levels results in well coordinated initiatives.
3) Increasing economic development: Because my husband and were part of the Nissan move to middle TN, I bring my first hand experience and input on economic development. In order to avoid tax increases, as a county and as a state, we must "grow the business".
3. Does the county need the level of growth seen in the past 20 years to maintain our "standard of government" and level of services? Though the impact fee revenue has decreased substantially, I don't think we are in panic mode. We are not done growing. Williamson County has lots to offer and will continue to attract development. We may not need the same level of growth, but as stated above, we do need to continue to attract economic development.
With that said, we also need to maintain a balance between commercial, residential, and green space. Our rolling hills and green pastures are very much a part of this county's charm. I'd like to see this county become even better and be the example for others nationwide as a county "with high tech style, but a southern smile".
Voters can always count on me to vote in ways that will strengthen the county. I bring a positive outlook, a strong work ethic, and a high level of professionalism to this position. You have the opportunity to vote for 2 and so I am asking that I be one of your two votes. Go to www.VoteDanner.com to learn more and to join me on FaceBook.
LInk to read the edited version printed in the paper: http://www.tennessean.com/article/20100413/WILLIAMSON01/100413078/2024/WILLIAMSON