A Beacon of Pride: Completing the Lighthouse Speech

On May 20, 2025, I returned to the Board of Supervisors to finish the words that emotion and a ticking clock had cut short two weeks prior. My goal was to leave the Board with a vision of what Warren County looks like when we value pride over the bottom line.

The Beacon in the Storm

I picked up exactly where I left off: the architecture of Samuels Public Library. Its design as a lighthouse is a physical manifestation of its mission. It is a beacon—a place of safety and a guide for curiosity and community connection during times of uncertainty.

Drawing once more from Jeff Siegler, I warned the Board against the “Dollar General-ization” of our community. No one wants to live in a place that settled for being merely “affordable.” We should strive to be a county that is:

Livable: Designed for the needs of its people.
Lovable: Full of beauty and dignity that residents want to protect.
Filled with Pride: A place where we lead for tomorrow’s children, not just today’s budget.

A Note on Professionalism: “Petty” but Important

After concluding my call to service, I couldn’t help but point out a detail that spoke to the very lack of “civic pride” I was discussing. In the county’s formal plans, the use of slanted, jagged, and curly fonts felt out of place and unprofessional.

It might seem like a small, petty critique, but as a business owner and someone who values design, I know that the “silliness” of a font can undermine the seriousness of a message. If we want a county that is easy to love and respect, we must present ourselves with the professional polish that our residents deserve.

Moving Forward

With the “Hard to Love” speech finally complete, my hope is that the Board begins to see the library—and all our public spaces—not just as expenses to be managed, but as assets to be cherished.