Dayton Reporter

Montgomery County Commissioner Carolyn Rice was sworn in for a second term Wednesday at the Dayton Metro Library. She was surrounded by her fellow commissioners, Debbie Lieberman and Judy Dodge, County employees, her family, friends and supporters. 

Commissioner Rice gave an emotional speech expressing her thanks for the opportunity to continue serving the residents of Montgomery County.

"Thank you for believing in me," Commissioner Rice said. "It is my honor to begin to serve you again, and I promise to do my utmost to be the best Commissioner I can be in the coming four years."

She also thanked the County Administration for successfully implementing the Commission’s initiatives for the past four years.

“I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Michael Colbert, our County Administrator, and the entire executive team for the strong working relationship we have,” she said.

Commissioner Rice admitted her first term had some challenges as she reflected on the Memorial Day tornadoes, Oregon District mass shooting and COVID-19 pandemic.

"For most of us, these disasters dramatically impacted our lives and put plans and hopes on the back burner as we responded to emergencies," Rice said. "Through all this, we continued to address critical issues that moved the County forward, and we made that happen by working together."

Some highlights from Commissioner Rice's first term include:

• Addressing housing issues through the Homeless Solutions Policy Board and the Montgomery County Land Bank, an organization Rice co-founded that facilitates the redevelopment of blighted properties.
• The creation of two mentorship programs, a Male and Female Leadership Academy.
• The opening of the Employment Opportunity Center at Westown Shopping Center that hosts training programs and helps residents get jobs.
• Investing in the County's infrastructure through the Sewer Modernization and Revitalized Treatment (SMART) Project, the largest infrastructure project the County has undertaken.

"The next four years are bright and promising," Commissioner Rice said. "There are many people who are working on the issues in front of the community, and I am proud to be working with them."

Commissioner Rice said one of those issues is increasing access to mental health resources.

"Now more than ever, we need to increase the light being cast on mental wellness and ensure everyone has access to support and services," Rice said.

Rice was elected to the County Commission in November 2018 and reelected in November 2022. Some of her top focuses have included homeless solutions, youth internships and work- based learning, drug abuse prevention, early childhood prenatal to age three, criminal justice, environment and sustainability and the County's participation in the Governor's Imagination Library.

She previously served as Montgomery County Treasurer from 2007 through 2018. Rice also serves on the boards of the Community Action Partnership, the Community Improvement Corporation, the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce, the County's Data Processing Board, the Investment Advisory Committee and the Planning Commission.

"Together, we make a difference in the lives of so many people in so many ways on a daily basis—that's the incredible reward of public service that touches my heart every single day," Commissioner Rice said.

Original source can be found here.