Griffin GOP candidate for City Council

Saturday, October 15, 2011

Editor's note: The following is the first in a series of two articles on city candidates who were not on the ballot when the filing period closed this spring and have been given an opportunity here to introduce themselves to the voting public.

Identifying the her top campaign issues as fiscal responsibility, job creation/economic growth, and maintaining and improving the city's public safety and infrastructure, Jade Griffin is a Republican candidate for the Third Ward City Council seat.

"I believe I can make a difference on the Greencastle City Council in those three areas," she said.

Employed the last six years in the Surgical Department at Putnam County Hospital, Griffin is a licensed certified surgical technologist, as well as a licensed cosmetologist who does hair removal out of Dr. Black's office.

"I am very proud of my community and look forward to being able to help Greencastle grow and prosper," said Griffin, who resides on East Walnut Street and attends Sherwood Christian Church.

She is the mother of two military sons, one currently serving in the Air Force, and the other an Army veteran of Iraq. Her youngest son, Mason, attends Greencastle High School, while her daughter works for Boston Scientific.

She is also a grandmother of three, and so naturally she looks to the future.

"I believe Greencastle needs to do more to attract new businesses to the city," she said. "We need to do a better job of promoting ourselves and in bringing in more jobs.

"At the same time, we need to do more to encourage consumer spending in our own city to keep the local businesses already here, and to help them grow and prosper."

She calls the city police and fire departments "first class," but adds that they need further local support.

"Within the means at hand we need to ensure that we continue to support them, so they can continue to serve us," Griffin said.

Money is always tight, she added, pointing to the ongoing need to improve infrastructure.

"We must ensure that we maintain our roads, our waterline and sewers so that we can keep our current infrastructure functioning for many years to come."

Griffin lists her past work experience as also including being a phlebotomist, a court-appointed child advocate, a school bus driver and a substitute teacher.

She is a member of several community organizations, including Kiwanis, the Heritage Preservation Society, Hoosier Hosts at DePauw University, as well as the Indiana Bee Keepers Association and the Association of Surgical Technologists.