I first met Chris Chmiel 20 years ago when he volunteered to help clean up a semi-truck load of tires that had been dumped in Four Mile Creek between Coolville and Hockingport, Ohio. Tires were underwater and laden with muck and mud, and they were a challenge to remove. Chris and the friends he brought along worked all day.
Since that time, I have known Chris to be a continuously active and enthusiastic member of the Athens County community. He is well-known for his efforts at starting and coordinating the annual Pawpaw Festival and getting that particular fruit recognized by the state legislature as an important natural and economic resource.
Chris has also been very passionate about waste reduction and recycling, and its potential for creating jobs and economic improvement in Athens County. He has made waste minimization into a growing concern each year at the Pawpaw Festival as he strives to make that event stand on a sustainable footing.
Chmiel has done these things while being a farmer, a small business operator and an integral member of the Athens Farmer’s Market — one of the best in America. He knows the issues facing small businesses and will lend an ear as well as a voice for their concerns. He will show this same sensitivity for the many folks with various concerns regarding public health, local heritage and the overall betterment of Athens County.
Chris is a leader and most everyone knows they are few and far between. We are due for some better leadership in the County Commissioner’s office. Vote for Chmiel.
Tom O’Grady resides in Athens.
