About Brad

           Brad Stump is perhaps the most qualified and experienced candidate to run for a Garrett City Council position in many years.  A graduate of the Garrett High School class of 1982, brad received a Bachelor’s Degree from Purdue University and embarked on a career with the DeKalb County Government that has lasted for over twenty-six years.

            Brad began to work in the Surveyor’s office during high school, and after graduating from college, he continued working there.  He became the first deputy to the County Assessor in 1990 and in 1994 became the Director of the DeKalb County Plan Commission, a job he held for four years.

            In 2000, he left that post to become the Director of the DeKalb County GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Department, a job he holds today.  This office is vital to the county, because information from the GIS department can be used for such things as scientific investigations, resource management, urban planning, and criminology.  For more information on GIS, please click HERE.

            In addition to his work, Brad has also been on the following boards and committees:

• Garrett Plan Commission: Member, Secretary, Vice-President 2005 – Present

• Maumee River Basin Commission: Treasurer 1998 – 2005

• DeKalb County Board of Aviation: Treasurer 2002 – Present

• DeKalb County Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Ordinance Update Steering Committee: Member 2002 – Present

• Aviation Association of Indiana, Airport Board Member Committee: Member 2006 – Present

            Brad lives with his wife of seventeen years and his four daughters on South Johnson Street.

Why Brad is Running for City Council

“I believe that Garrett is a fantastic community and I want to be able to do my part to make a great place even better.  My wife and I moved back to Garrett just prior to our children reaching school-age because we believe that the City of Garrett is a wonderful place to raise a family and the Garrett-Keyser-Butler School system provides students with an excellent education.  These things are solid foundations upon which the City of Garrett can build.  I want to do my part be a part of Garrett’s success.”

Three Top Issues Facing Garrett

1.  Taxes and Fiscal Responsibility

        Garrett has one of the highest tax rates in DeKalb County but it is certainly true that providing a quality level of city services is not cheap.  We need to make every effort to ensure that the tax dollars are spent as wisely as possible and with the best value for the dollar.

2.  Supporting Public Works and Employees

         Garrett City employees work hard in the public interest.  We need to make sure that they have the necessary training, equipment and support to enable them to do their jobs.

3.  Growing Garrett

          We need to work for the continued growth and development of the City of Garrett yet at the same time we must make sure that we do not neglect the maintenance and improvement of the rest of the City.  We must maintain the momentum from the Downtown Improvement effort and then extended into other parts of the City.

What Brad hopes to Accomplish as your Council Member at-Large

1.  Improve Use of Technology

           We should seek ways to use technology to make it easier for Garrett City employees to perform their daily jobs, to enhance the decision-making process at all levels of government and to make the decision-making process more open to the public.

2.  Initiate a City Growth Plan

           We need to develop a long-term plan to guide the city’s growth and development for years to come.  Such a plan will help city departments more effectively do their jobs and provide their necessary services to the people of Garrett at the right value.  We must also ensure that this plan is implemented and updated as the City continues to grow and change.

3.  Ensure a Well-Educated and Trained Staff

I promise to personally meet with the department heads on a frequent basis in order to make sure that the Council supports the decisions that best enable them to do their jobs.  It is difficult for decision-makers to make the best choices unless they work hard to educate themselves as the challenges each department faces and how the needs and responsibilities of one department may affect the needs and responsibilities of another. 

A government’s employees are its most important resource.  A government can only be successful if it has qualified, knowledgeable, experienced people in the positions where they can make the right decisions.

4.  Ensure Fully-Staffed and Effective Fire & Police Departments

My father was a State Police Officer for 35 years, my brother currently serves as detective for the Auburn Police Department and in my current position with the County I have been fortunate enough to work with several police and fire departments.  Every city department provides an important service to the community, but I believe the police and fire departments are arguably given the most difficult tasks of all because what they do truly is a matter of life and death. 

Garrett has historically been put in the position of training qualified people only to have them gain a couple years experience and then leave to work for other jurisdictions.  I believe Garrett needs to determine what steps can be taken to retain them and, if possible, take steps to keep them.  There can be no doubt that it is critical to the public interest to hire and keep good police officers and firefighters.