Meet Troy Mayoral Candidate T.J. Boswell

Name: T.J. Boswell

Occupation: I work in a remote capacity for Jacobs Engineering as Senior Health and Safety Manager

Age: 50

How long have you lived in Troy?

Life-long resident. After I graduated from high school in 1994, I joined the U.S. Army and after my service of five years and I moved back home to Troy. In 2000, I started working on various construction projects around the United States till 2018. In 2018, I was able to work remotely from home.

Why are you running for mayor? Currently I am running for Mayor to follow through on a couple projects that I would like to see completed. These projects include the current water and sewer project and also a project that would increase workforce housing in our community.

Community involvement? I am currently serving as Mayor for the City of Troy.

What aspects of your background and experience would you draw on if elected?

· Currently as Mayor, I draw a lot from my previous experience serving as a member of the Troy City Council. As being Mayor has its own responsibilities and duties it is important to have someone in this position that can take the initiative and find the solution to the challenges that come arise. This may involve reaching out to other communities, to state agencies, or referring to the City Council.

What infrastructure projects would you prioritize during your term?

- Currently the City is undergoing two significant infrastructure projects for the sewer and water systems. The sewer project is currently in process and consists of the construction of a Headworks Building that would separate our non-biological items from the wastewater. The project is within schedule to be completed by late winter. Continuing to support this project will significantly improve our wastewater treatment process and add longevity to our system.

- The second project that I would support would be the replacement of a smaller diameter section of water line to a larger diameter that would be between the old state shop complex to Lake Creek Bridge. The project would improve the water system by replacing an aging water pipe and improving the flow of water with the increased volume of water that would hold.

Both projects are significantly funded with grant money that was received from the state. Without the grant money these projects would not be feasible for the City to take on their own. Being Mayor would mean that I would need to be very involved in these projects to try to limit the amount of change orders that would increase the cost of the projects.

One significant project that I would like the City to be involved in would be to somehow add to the workplace housing that is desperately needed in troy and the immediate area. Recently, I have asked the City Council to form a Housing Committee to explore what options are available through state, federal, and non-profit organizations that offer grants for housing projects.

What policies would you pursue to make Troy more attractive to businesses and employers?

Two main issues to consider or focus on would be to make Troy a more desirable location for businesses or employers, which is to have housing in the area to support the workers. Currently the rental and real estate market is difficult for people and families to move into the area to find adequate housing for them to live in. The geography surrounding Troy doesn’t leave much room for significant future growth since we are landlocked and surrounded mostly by federal property.