Episode Details

Any references to military experience or veteran status, within this interview, neither constitute nor imply endorsement by the Department of Defense, the Department of the Army, the National Guard, or any other U.S. Government agency.

After a quick school update Kevin starts us off by asking; “What inspired you to seek a city council position?” Greg reminds us he first jumped into the August special election seeking a seat in the United States Congress District 15. While he was unsuccessful in that primary bid he viewed it as an opportunity to support Allison Russo and grow his knowledge of state politics. On the local side the decision to seek the council seat followed on his military retirement and his desire to continue serving the community he’s lived in (and raised his family through) for 26 years. He wants to grow citizens' feelings of empathy and safety in the community.

Jordan asks Greg to expand on his commitment from “Meet the Candidate” night to unite local government and how he conceptualizes the relationship between various stakeholders locally. Greg suggests rooting the belief in the job of government in trying to provide for people should go a long way to remind public servants to work together towards empowerment and safety.

Jordan follows up by asking Greg to talk about his logistical and planning experience in the military. Greg describes some of his career and how those processes - in some ways - mirror what he’s seeing in the organization of Hilliard’s planning and decision making. Greg continues to describe what he sees as an iterative process at work in the Hilliard Community Plan - with multiple established decision points for input from those affected.

We shift the conversation to the emerging “big documents” among our city’s major bodies and how they might come to mirror each other and interact over the upcoming years. Greg describes a military principle known as COP (Common Operational Picture) and how it encapsulates his desire to see deliberate, official process expand between Council, School Board, Township, and other local entities so people can understand how they’re expected to work together and how they share all manner of responsibility. The inter-agency planning process within the military and specifically the National Guard is discussed as well. 

Greg talks about how any good response is a product of ongoing planning and collaboration that must be centered, evaluated and re-centered after every situation.

Jordan asks Greg to talk about the challenges of serving in local office with integrity with so much to learn and master in an entirely new environment. Greg relates a story from his early career where his mother gave him a small clipping just after his commissioning as an officer.

“Rank does not confer privilege or give power. It imposes responsibility.” — Peter Drucker

Greg expands on his belief that service is a morally accountable job and leadership requires a lot of care and understanding of existing structures and expertise to succeed overall.

Greg Betts on Representation

Tim’s “What’s your favorite twenty pages?” question returns as Greg quickly highlights his desire to see the “Trail Town” elements forwarded but also the more socially designed areas of more mixed community use and flourishing walkable environments. The small town life on every corner and how each person should eventually have access to it.

Tim continues by asking Greg to compare the planning complexity he sees at the local, municipal level with some of the planning extremes he saw in the military. 

Greg talks about the absolute necessity of any partners (military or municipal) who share plans to commit to thoughtful responses