Julian Rogers Candidate for County Council-District 10, Democrat

1) Describe the duties of the members of the County Council.

The County Council serves as the legislative arm of county government. The primary role of the Council is to provide oversight over the operation of county government and to serve as a balance to the powers of the County Executive.  The new Council will play an instrumental role in the transition of the current county government structure to a new structure. It is critical that the new Council have a clear understanding of the roles and responsibilities of these departments so that the county can operate efficiently and with no disruption in services to residents during the transition.

2) Why do you want to serve on the County Council?

I believe that Cuyahoga County can become a striving community where families want to live and businesses wish to locate. My life, both professionally and privately has been devoted to making a difference in the lives of people in our community. I would like to create a county government that is run efficiently, provides the highest quality of services and operates in a manner that is open to the public, fair and corruption-free. This will require a commitment to the highest ethical standards among all members of the Council, the County Executive and all employees of county government. The voters are expecting change and a better government and I am dedicated to meeting their expectations.  

3) What qualifications do you bring that make you the most qualified?

I have been a resident of District 10 for over 36 years and I understand the complex issues facing this community. I have served in high-level positions with large organizations and have a clear understanding of what it takes to problem solve, build consensus and provide oversight within a large institution such as the county government.

I served on the executive management team for seven years at the state’s largest school district. I helped manage 77,000 students, 14,000 employees, 124 facilities, 600 school buses and a budget of nearly $1 billion. Through my time with the Cleveland Schools, I gained an understanding of the type of leadership and organizational structures needed for a large organization to run efficiently.  

Additionally, I have served on the Board of the Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority (RTA) and as the founding executive director of a state-wide public education advocacy organization

4) What will you do in your first weeks?

In the first weeks, it will be important for members of the new Council and the County Executive to establish a strong working relationship, conduct a financial and performance audit of each County department and approve the leadership appointments referred by the County Executive. The Council must also enact and adhere to a strong ethics policy that will apply to all county employee and elected officials.

5) How will we know you are doing a good job?

The first indication will be a higher level of trust in county government among county residents. We will see greater savings of taxpayer money while maintaining or increasing services. More people will have a better understanding of the role and functions of county government and will know how to access the services it provides.  

Read More on Cuyahoga County
Volume 3, Issue 10, Posted 12:46 PM, 09.28.2010