Nicole Dillingham

COUNTY BOARD OF REPRESENTATIVES, DISTRICT 9

COMMUNITY OF RESIDENCE: Springfield Center

EDUCATION: B.A. University  of Illinois, J.D. Northwestern School of Law

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Law, Small Business Owner

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:

• Board president, Otsego 2000 (sponsor of Glimmerglass Film Days, Otsego Outdoors, and the Cooperstown Farmers’ Market)
• Volunteer legal services for Susquehanna Animal Shelter
• Aceing Autism (Board member and coach for children with autism)

FAMILY: Married to Gaylord Dillingham, four daughters, five grandchildren

PHILOSOPHY OF GOVERNMENT:

Government should serve and protect its residents, encourage economic growth, control public spending, and make sure all sectors share in services such as Broadband, good schools, and clean air and water.

MAJOR ISSUES FACING OTSEGO COUNTY: 

Poor management, blocked decision making, inability to work with State agencies to secure needed grants, high property taxes, lack of creativity in anticipating and solving problems.

MY QUALITIES: 

Integrity. Leadership. Strong advocacy skills. I prefer bi-partisan cooperation with a focus on working together to protect and grow our communities.

STATEMENT:

My opponent is a 12-year incumbent who has shown a fundamental misunderstanding of the value of our community. He was pro fracking, pro use of fracking waste as a road deicer (which leads to water contamination through run-off), and  pro taking of private property by eminent domain for pipelines. At the same time, he was against strengthening Home Rule, against the Land Bank which helps eliminate blighted properties, and is against controls on dangerous CNG trucks on our undivided state roads. District 9 also has the lowest level of proposed infrastructure projects pending before Otsego Now. This record shows disdain for the assets which now exist in our region and are our path to a successful future.

I have the energy and experience to bring about positive change in my District and at County through advocacy for programs and grants available through State agencies. We must support our existing businesses and farms, protect the clean air and water we are lucky to enjoy, make sure our roads are safe for our citizens, and protect our many historic assets which are valuable now and will be even more valuable in the future. I will put my experience as a lawyer and an advocate to work for Richfield, Springfield and the County.