[JHeath]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=42484.94

1/8/2008 10:08:00 AM
Huston To Seek Second Term

LA PORTE - La Porte County Commissioner Barb Huston on Monday announced she will see a second term as La Porte County commissioner.

Huston, a Democrat, cited her experience in serving as both coroner and EMS director "had well prepared me for the fact that we are here in county government to serve the public and I think I tried to put those lessons learned to work in the three years I've been a county commissioner. I hope I have earned the trust of the public."

Huston cited a number of accomplishments during her first term including "our development of a new 911 Center that was brought in under budget and on-time. Our new facility is state of the art and designed to help save lives. We have consolidated emergency response operations, and, with our new equipment and use of GIS, we'll even be able to pinpoint the location of a cell phone instantly for dispatch purposes."

Huston said, "I believe we in county government have to keep working to make services accessible and convenient for the public. I'm proud of our courthouse renovation and our parking changes. Our new county museum is one of the finest in the state. We've also made needed improvements to the county home where services are so critical to those in need. We worked on bringing water and sewer to the fairgrounds as well."

Huston, who just finished serving a year as the commission's president, also said there is a strong, positive working relationship between the Commissioners and the County Council.

"Rather than being at each others' throats, we scheduled numerous workshops during the year so that we could collaborate and come up with good solutions," she said. "I learned from my prior experiences as both EMS director and coroner that it's only through teamwork that you get things done. With the support of the voters this fall, I intend to keep working for positive changes in county government."

Huston and her husband, James, live in La Porte. She is a member of Women of the Moose Lodge 980 in Michigan City and the Democratic Civic Club.