FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE STATEMENT FROM RUSSELL TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE AMY HEUTMAKER REGARDING FINANCIAL REPORTING, INFORMATION ACCESS, AND THE MARCH 30, 2026 SPECIAL MEETING ON PERMANENT APPROPRIATIONS RUSSELL TOWNSHIP, OHIO — Russell Township Trustee Amy Heutmaker today issued the following statement regarding financial reporting transparency and the upcoming March 30, 2026 special meeting on permanent appropriations. I want to begin by thanking Fiscal Officer Karen Walder for the f

To help explain why financial discussions can feel inconsistent from one point in time to another, it’s useful to look at how a budget can evolve over the course of a year. A simplified version of that process can look like this: Step 1: Conservative Cost Projections.  At the beginning of the budget cycle, variable expenses such as health insurance are often estimated using higher-end or “worst-case” assumptions. This is a common approach intended to avoid underfunding. 👉 A

“I’m seeing a pattern in which levies are justified using one set of numbers, publicly challenged, and then followed by significant carryover balances. That pattern is now driving discussions about health insurance for our employees, fire staffing, police services, road department equipment, and I believe residents deserve a closer look at how we got here, and what it means for decisions we’re being asked to make right now.” These observations are based on publicly available

Over the past several weeks, many residents have been following the discussion around Russell Township’s budget carryover and the questions it has raised about how we plan for the future. I want to take a moment to share my perspective and outline how I believe we should move forward. First, I want to thank the residents who attended the recent meeting and took the time to research township finances and speak during public comment. Civic engagement is one of Russell Township'

One of my core beliefs as a Russell Township Trustee is simple: our most important resource in local government are the people who serve our residents. Every day, township employees operate the equipment, maintain the infrastructure, and manage the systems that keep Russell Township running safely and effectively. From winter road operations to long-term maintenance planning, the work they perform directly impacts the safety and quality of life of our community. Because of th

In February, I attended the Ohio Township Association conference and heard Governor Mike DeWine address township officials from across Ohio. I even had the opportunity to take a photo with him afterward.  Pictured: Trustee Amy Heutmaker and Ohio Governor Mike DeWine But what stayed with me wasn’t the photo, okay the photo too. It was the math.  Standing in a room filled with trustees, fiscal officers, fire chiefs, and local officials who are legally required to pass balanced

Watching the USA vs. Canada gold medal game on Sunday brought me down memory lane. Big games do that. The pace. The nerves. The sound of skates cutting hard into ice. You don’t just watch. You remember. My earliest memories are cold. Not in a lonely way. In a Minnesota way. I can still smell my dad’s coat. Gas and motor oil. He wore the same jacket to the rink that he wore snowmobiling with my uncles in the corn fields of western Minnesota. When he wrapped an arm around me in

Since taking office on January 1, I have focused on strengthening fiscal oversight, clarifying governance processes, and ensuring that township decisions are grounded in data, statute, and public transparency. Much of this work occurs through meetings, document review, and policy development before items appear on a public agenda. Below is a summary of the areas in which I have been actively engaged in my role as trustee. Fiscal Governance & Budget Oversight Since being elect

I’m supporting Dr. Amy Acton and David Pepper  for Governor and Lieutenant Governor because I’ve seen how she listens, how she leads, and how she works. I’ve met Amy three times, and each time she took the time to listen, to me, and to residents of Russell Township. Not in a performative way. Not to check a box. She listened the way effective leaders do with curiosity, respect, and a genuine interest in understanding what people are experiencing on the ground. Dr. Amy Acton,

Yesterday, driving home from the township offices, I turned into my subdivision and immediately knew something was wrong. A car sat awkwardly in the ditch. Both driver-side wheels were buried deep, and the passenger-side tires were spinning uselessly on a snow-packed road. Winter had won this round. I pulled over and checked on my elderly neighbor. She was okay physically, but understandably shaken. She’d left her phone at home, and thanks to modern technology doing what it d

Tomorrow marks three weeks since my term began as a Russell Township Trustee. That feels both very short and… not short at all. If you’re imagining ribbon cuttings, dramatic votes, or sweeping changes in that time, I’ll gently disappoint you. The first three weeks haven’t been flashy. They’ve been quiet, deliberate, and full of reading. Lots and lots of reading. And honestly? That’s exactly how I hoped they would start. What the Job Actually Looks Like (So Far) A big part of

My Oath of Office administered by Justice William O'Neill, Retired, Supreme Court of Ohio, on December 7, 2025 I thought it was fitting to share this with you today, as I head into my first Trustee meeting of the term. Thank you again, Russell.

Last month, I did an interview with the Buckeye Flame , an Ohio-based outlet that covers LGBTQ issues across the state. I didn’t seek out the interview. A co-worker forwarded them the news of my election shortly after the results were finalized in early November. I waited until early December to respond, figuring a little distance from the election felt appropriate. Westwoods Park in Russell Township on a fall day. I spent about 30 minutes over my lunch break talking with the

As we begin 2026 and my term as Russell Township Trustee starts just as the Popcorn Ball drops in nearby Chagrin Falls. I want to take a moment to discuss this blog and how it will function going forward. Since the election, many of you may have noticed a gradual shift in tone here. That change has been intentional, and it will continue. During the campaign, this space naturally included more opinion and commentary. Campaigns are about ideas and advocacy. Governing is differe

If you live in the Hemlock Hills subdivision, you might have noticed it already. The equipment. The dumpsters. The unmistakable signs that a long-standing problem is finally being addressed. Demolition has officially started on the collapsed property on Ridgewood. I’ve received several texts this morning thanking me for “getting this done,” and I want to be very clear: the credit for closing this chapter belongs to the current Township Trustees , our Fiscal Officer , the Zoni

At this week’s trustees meeting, a moment was taken by Financial Officer Karen Walder to recognize something that is easy to overlook because it happened so steadily, so reliably, and for so long: Jim Mueller’s fifty years of public service to Ohio, Geauga County, and Russell Township. Fifty years. That is not a typo. That is a lifetime of meetings, phone calls, site visits, budgets, policies, quiet decisions, campaigning, and some long nights when public service asked more t

As the year winds down and the holiday season settles in, I’ve been spending more time reflecting and preparing than celebrating. Running for township trustee and being entrusted with the opportunity to serve has been one of the most humbling experiences of my life. I’m deeply grateful to everyone who took the time to talk with me, challenge me, support me, and ultimately place their trust in me. That trust is something I don’t take lightly. The past few weeks have also been

Since the election, many residents have asked a simple and fair question: what have you been doing to get ready? I appreciate that question, because local government works best when preparation, transparency, and communication go hand in hand. I wanted to take a moment to share what the transition from trustee‑elect to trustee has looked like for me, and how I am approaching January 1 with both excitement and respect for the responsibility ahead. Learning First—Because This

November 5, 2025 — Russell Township I want to begin by sincerely thanking the residents of Russell Township for entrusting me with the opportunity to serve as your Trustee. Your confidence means a great deal, and I will continue to advocate for the same policies and principles that guided my campaign—transparency, fiscal responsibility, revitalizing blighted properties, and providing relief to seniors through the Homestead Credit. Yesterday was a long but fulfilling day. I ar

This campaign has been an incredible journey — challenging, humbling, and inspiring all at once. Over the past several months, I’ve learned firsthand just how hard it is to run for local office. It takes grit, long days, and a thick skin. I’ve received more support than I ever imagined — and, unfortunately, a few death threats that reminded me how divided the world can feel. But I’ve chosen to rise above it. My focus has always been on building something better, not tearing o