Good day citizens.
My name is Mike Terounzo and I am running for councilor-at-large on the Greenfield City Council. I am a lifelong Franklin County resident, having spent 35 of my 37 years in our wonderful town. I have multi-generational connections in this city and community; I am currently raising two young children that will grow up in the Greenfield school system, just as I did when my parents raised me.
I have spent many years in the service of the community. Some of you may recognize me from my former life, as a surprisingly friendly face, at the RMV as a Road Test Examiner. My task in that position was to be an impartial judge of the safety of the driver, while also maintaining a comforting presence. My duties included interacting with some of the most vulnerable citizens in our community. The youth, the elderly, and those in the process of rehabilitation deserved to have a fair and unbiased experience interacting with their government. It was a great honor to serve the citizens of the commonwealth in that capacity.
The untimely death of my father, six years ago, caused the trajectory of my life to change. I chose to continue building on the foundations of the landscaping business that he created 20 years prior. I now bring my positive mentality to the community in a slightly different manner. You may now see me “air-drumming” while mowing a lawn, dancing while weed whacking, or constructing a landscape wall or patio to add a tinge of flair to someone’s yard. To say “I dig Greenfield” is more than how I feel about this city, it’s my way of life.
Running a business has challenges and requires careful planning. Assessing the work needed to be done, formulating a plan of action, and then making said goal come to fruition is taxing and requires critical thinking and precise execution. Adaptability is necessary in this line of work as circumstances are not always as “cut and dried” as they may seem. I now work as a one-man-crew and, therefore, have to find innovative ways to complete the task at hand. Interpersonal relationships are important and developing a friendly rapport with my customers is vital. My work is seasonal, thus, contingent upon the elements. Through careful budgeting and prioritized spending, I am able to financially “weather the storm.”
I am accustomed to different types of compromise. As a husband, a father, and a business owner, listening to where a person is coming from is integral to understanding that everyone can gain from giving. Through traveling I gave up the comfort of familiarity and gained an empathy for a different world. If given the opportunity to serve on the council, I will listen respectfully to my colleagues ideas. One may have the seed of a good idea and, teamed with the input of others, that idea can develop into an effective plan of action. Healthy growth is essential and it is our job to tend the metaphorical soil of our community. This growth will allow us to fill our needs and responsibly strive for those things we want.
Many folks have asked me about my platform. I believe in good government and serving the citizens of Greenfield. I understand the importance of Greenfield as the county seat, and we should set an example for our surrounding communities. The most important example we could set would be demonstrating that we value education. Properly funding our school system will provide a sound education, and help to entice our residents to keep their children learning here. One particular important ingredient to ensure this is having a properly funded arts curriculum. This is imperative in creating well rounded individuals who will have the characteristics necessary to achieve a wide range of goals in their futures. It would be no exaggeration to say that the music and theater programs were a driving force in keeping me actively engaged in school and personally balanced. As a matter of fact, I met my wife while doing a theater presentation at Greenfield Community College. By investing in education, we have the ability to quell many of the problems we face as a society, and create a more engaged and thriving community.
I believe my pragmatism, adaptability, critical thinking, and ability to compromise would be strong assets to the City Council. I hope you will give me the opportunity to serve our community with discipline, compassion, and honor.
Mike Terounzo is a candidate for at-large city councilor in the Sept. 10 preliminary election.