The HCLA Class of 2026 met at the Westfield Washington Public Library (WWPL), a beautiful space that the local community was taking full advantage of on a Wednesday morning. It was a jam-packed day that addressed many of the questions I had when joining HCLA.
WWPL Executive Director Sheryl Sollars welcomed us and opened the day by highlighting the fruit of local government labor: the roughly year-old facility has driven higher circulation and more visitors. It was a clear reminder that investing in public places matters.
Doug Church, partner at Church Church Hittle+Antrim, framed our day with history of how the county has successfully grown over the last 50 years, highlighting the evolving landscape of local government. From that history were themes that we returned to the rest of the day again and again: collaboration, creativity, and forward thinking.
A panel titled “Who Has the Power?” made those themes concrete. Jennifer Miller, Director of Planning & Development for the town of Sheridan, Hamilton County Councilor At-Large Sue Maki, Westfield Deputy Mayor Danielle Carey Tolan, and Westfield City Councilor Victor McCarty formed our panel and helped clarify who decides what — mayors, city councils, county councils, or county commissioners — and why that matters. A discussion of the upcoming 146th & Hazel Dell Road project, recent DORA implementations, and yearly budget cycles showed the cross section of our themes and public input. When the various stakeholders bring these together, it leads to better outcomes for all involved.
Magistrate Sarah Shields (Hamilton County Superior Court 1 & 2) gave a primer on how our local court systems are organized and their focuses. The session was practical and helpful; as the judicial side of local government is often less visible, this overview made the day more complete.
Founder and President of Bondry Consulting, Oscar Gutierrez, laid out the fiscal picture and the implications of SB-1. The policy changes ahead will force hard choices at the local level. That’s where the day’s themes return: municipalities, the county, and the state will need to collaborate, test creative approaches, and share solutions when they work.
Westfield Mayor Scott Willis tied these ideas together in a Q&A session. He urged long-term thinking, leveraging our existing assets (world-class schools), and finding each community’s unique strengths through robust strategic planning for “every blade of grass.” He also discussed the need for a problem-solving mindset around the impacts of SB-1: accept the constraints, find practical fixes, and choose options that last.
One of my key reasons for joining HCLA was to see the practical reality of local government. The class day was a wonderful first step in this direction. I was also encouraged to leave with the knowledge that, regardless of our individual understanding today, if we collaborate, innovate, and plan ahead, today’s hard choices can become the groundwork for Hamilton County’s future.
What role will you play in making that future a reality?