Page 182 - New Allen Alliance Digital Book

Implementation Team: Chief Elected Officials

Therese Brown, Allen County Commissioner: Commissioner Brown has more Terry McDonald, Mayor of New Haven: Terry McDonald is in his fifth term in
than 30 years of experience in Allen County government. Prior to becoming office as Mayor of New Haven. First elected in 1999, Mayor McDonald led the
Commissioner in 2010, Brown served two terms each as the Allen County Clerk of City in the development of Downtown New Haven, massive water and sewer
the Circuit and Superior Courts and as the Allen County Auditor. Brown is the past renovations, expansions and mandated sewer separation. Through the Mayor’s
president of the Association of Indiana Counties. In 2011, Therese was appointed leadership, New Haven has grown in population to over 15,000 residents. New
to the State of Indiana Commission of Courts and in 2012 was appointed to the businesses and industry have found New Haven to be a friendly place to do
State of Indiana Commission on Intergovernmental Relations. Brown also served business, and raise families.
as the first co-chair of the Northeast Indiana Commissioner/Mayor Caucus, is on
the boards of Greater Fort Wayne, Inc., the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, Terry continues to be an advocate for his community, youth and the elderly.
and has previously served on the Allen County Plan Commission. Therese has a During Mayor McDonald’s terms in office, he is most proud of New Haven’s
Bachelor’s Degree in Management from Indiana Wesleyan University. Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council, New Haven’s proactive push to separate their
combined sewer system, the expansion of sidewalks, development of trails,
Nelson Peters, Allen County Commissioner: Nelson Peters was re-elected creating a new Community Center, promoting Downtown Redevelopment, and
to a fourth term as 1st District Allen County Commissioner in November 2016. working with Fort Wayne and Allen County on many mutual programs such as
Peters was previously named, “Outstanding First Term Commissioner” by Maplecrest Road, 800 Mhz Public Safety communications, and various Economic
the Indiana Assoc. of County Commissioners. Some of his accomplishments Development projects. Mayor McDonald has made government efficiency a
include the drafting Plan-it Allen, a comprehensive plan for both the City of Fort priority in New Haven by planning and forecasting for the needs of the community
Wayne and Allen County, expanding the public’s access to county government such as, financial sustainability, development of a Comprehensive Financial Plan,
through Commissioner’s Night Out town hall meetings. In addition, Peters led a Capital Development program, new City Master Plan, and currently performing a
efforts to establish an employee health clinic and the first county strategic plan review of each department in the city to find further efficiencies.
which both resulted in “County Achievement Awards” from the Association of
Indiana Counties. Peters holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration and a Terry works daily to promote the regional efforts as well as his own community
Bachelor’s Degree in Public Affairs, both from Indiana University. believing in the phrase of “what is good for individual communities is good for the
region.” Terry is a board member of Greater Fort Wayne, Inc. and is a member of
Linda Bloom, Allen County Commissioner: Commissioner Bloom is currently Northeast Indiana’s Mayors and Commissioner’s Caucus. Terry is looking forward
serving her sixth consecutive term as an Allen County Commissioner. She was to continuing the momentum in our efforts to prosper and create jobs for our
the first woman to be elected to the board. Ms. Bloom oversees operations entire region.
of the Allen County Highway Department. She has been directly involved in
developing and acquiring state and federal funding for a number of highway and Joseph Kelsey, Mayor of Woodburn: Joseph Kelsey became the Mayor of the
bridge projects in Allen County, including the Maplecrest Extension, the largest City of Woodburn in 2016. Since that time, he has worked to help the City grow
infrastructure project in the county’s history, and the new three-mile stretch in a sustainable manner. With the 2013 completion of the US 24 “Fort to Port”
of US 24 in Allen County which ties into the state’s “Fort to Port” project. Ms. project north of the City, industry has been growing. Mayor Kelsey has worked to
Bloom received an “Outstanding First Term Commissioner Award” in 1997 and secure a SRF loan in combination with TIF funding to construct a new Mechanical
was part of a team that received the IACC “Outstanding Team Effort by Board of plant for the city. Other projects including the Downtown Clock Tower Plaza,
Commissioners” award for their work in creating one of Indiana’s first certified Industrial Park Improvements, Community Crossings Improvements and a zoning
shovel ready sites. update, have all happened under Joe’s tenure in Office. Joe has also supported
the efforts of his wife, Monica, through the installation of the first Safe Haven
Baby Box which happened to be located in Woodburn.

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