County Council District 4 has 2 candidates

October 27, 2010

PLYMOUTH — Two candidates are vying for a seat on the Marshall County Council - District 4: Democratic candidate Ryan Ripley and Republican incumbent Judith Stone.
Judy Stone
Judith (Judy) Stone will seek re-election on the Republican ticket for the Marshall County Council District 4 seat. As a business owner, combined with her 34 plus years of business experience her many years of serving the people has been critical to her efforts in keeping Marshall County fiscally sound.
“I am proud to represent each of my Constituents,” she said. “It is my duty and an honor to work every day for the citizens of Marshall County as their public servant.”
Stone and her husband John have a blended family of four children and two granddaughters. She was born in Dayton, Ohio and has lived in Marshall County since 1993. Her husband is a lifelong resident of Marshall County and is co-owner of Custom Tower Systems and CTS Realty. Stone is also a partner in JFD Properties, a commercial real estate development corporation.
Stone graduated from St. Joseph Commercial High School in Dayton, Ohio and also attended Sinclair Community College with a major in business and a minor in accounting.
After working in the family business and before coming to Plymouth, she worked for a specialty construction company as controller for fourteen years.
“I believe having a strong business background, knowing how to budget, having extensive financial experience and being a fiscal conservative are mandatory for the job at hand.”
In addition to being on the County Council since 2007, she has also helped save tax dollars by serving on the Committee to Rewrite the Zoning Ordinance, the Subdivision Ordinance, the Wind Tower Ordinance and the Jail Committee.  Also she is the County’s current liaison to Superior Courts I & II, Marshall County Health Department, Weights & Measures Department, as well as Vice President of the Personnel Committee.  She also serves on the Board of the Michiana Area Council of Governments, and MACOG’S Regional  Economic Development District Board. 
She is a graduate of Leadership Marshall County XII, a supporter of the Marshall County Boys and Girls Club and the Marshall County 4-H Drill Team, and the Neighborhood Center, just to name a few.
Ryan Ripley
Local resident and businessman Ryan Ripley gained the Democratic Party nomination in May and is seeking the District 4 County Council seat.
 “I have researched and listened to the council meetings from the past five years and have concluded that the County Council is a rubber stamp for the County Commissioners; not the check and balance that it was designed to be,” said Ripley.
Ripley is advocating accountability, transparency, and open government.
“I believe that public officials are elected to serve the public, not to profit from their position. Taxpayers deserve a transparent and open government, and every tax dollar spent must have a measurable value to the taxpayers. It is my goal to bring these values to the Marshall County Council.” said Ripley.
Ripley works as an information technology manager at an Orthopedics manufacturer in Warsaw. There he manages multi-million dollar projects on a global scale.
“My career has taught me to be goal-oriented, results-driven, and how to lead during difficult times. The current council members are waiting and hoping for the poor economic conditions to pass. That is not leadership, and hope is not a strategy,” said Ripley.
Ripley has been especially vocal about his opponent’s conflict of interest issues as she continues to vote in favor of the Pioneer Drive Road project since her husband, John Stone, owns property along that road.
“How can it possibly be ethical for Council Member Judith Stone to continually vote in favor of a road project that her husband’s company stands to profit from?” asked Ripley.
Ryan and his wife Kristin live in the city of Plymouth.  They recently became new parents with the arrival of their son, Dawson.
Ripley is blogging about his campaign and what it is like to run for public office on his website: www.ryanripley.com [2]. He is on Facebook and can be contacted by email, voteripley@gmail.com [3].