08/31/2026
A Letter to the 2027 Washington County Commissioners
Washington County is a unique place. It is made up of so many people, from so many backgrounds and with so many different experiences. The goals and dreams of individuals vary greatly.
For some, the dream is a peaceful country life where your kids can play hide-and-seek in the dark, swim in a pond, and grow up knowing their neighbors. For others, the dream is to build great wealth, contribute to the global economy, create opportunities, and, so to speak, move mountains.
Neither dream is wrong. Neither is more important than the other.
But as Commissioners, you will represent both.
You will be asked to find a balance that allows Washington County to grow and prosper without losing the things that make people want to call this place home. You will have to make difficult decisions where there is no perfect answer, and you will inevitably disappoint some people regardless of what you decide.
That is the job.
But the responsibility that comes with that job is much bigger than simply making decisions. It is making sure the people you represent have an opportunity to understand those decisions, ask questions, voice concerns, and participate in the future of their communities.
And for that, you have a lot of work to do.
Many of you have heard about me and my situation. You have probably heard some version of the unnecessary drama that my community and family have been placed in over the past couple of years.
I have a lot of opinions about how the proposed Waterford data center project could have been handled differently. I have been watching, asking questions, and trying to collect information about the project since the first business card was left on my door.
Not because I wanted any of this.
Honestly, I wanted to water my plants, do a little yoga, take care of my family, and figure out what the next chapter of our lives was supposed to look like.
Instead, we were expected to pivot because we were told this project was “the greatest thing to happen to Washington County.”
Maybe it will be. Maybe it won't.
But the problem was never simply development.
The problem was being expected to make decisions about our lives, our property, our community, and our future without having the information necessary to make informed decisions.
Yes, I understand that a majority of the property involved was privately owned. I have never believed that someone should be prevented from selling their property simply because their neighbors don't like what might happen next.
But when local government becomes involved, when public resources are involved, when infrastructure and community planning are involved, and when the potential consequences extend far beyond individual property lines, the conversation becomes bigger than a private transaction.
If these deals had remained entirely private, I wouldn't have spent the last couple of years trying to understand them.
But they didn't.
As someone who has been dealing with these issues, here are some suggestions I would like to leave with you:
1. Reestablish the relationship.
Somewhere along the way, the culture shifted and we lost the relationship between our elected officials, county employees, and the people they serve.
When words like “my meeting” or “he works for me” are used in reference to county staff, it changes the narrative. It creates a hierarchy where there should be a relationship.
County employees work for the people of Washington County. So do the people sitting in the Commissioners' seats. Anyone whose paycheck comes from county government ultimately has a responsibility to the people who fund that government.
The first step in rebuilding trust and changing the culture is changing the way we think about us.
It is our county, our community, and our government. That simple shift in language can create a very different culture.
2. When you take office, look at where the deck is stacked—and where there isn't balance.
Economic development requires builders, entrepreneurs, and advocates for growth—but we also need growers, farmers, and people asking, “What happens to the people?”
Make sure the voices at the table represent more than what can be built. Consider the people, farms, infrastructure, communities, and quality of life alongside economic opportunity.
The answer may still be development—and that's okay. But a broader perspective gives us a better chance at finding a win-win instead of making one side feel like it has to lose.
3. Don't surround yourself with “yes” men.
People who see the opposite side of an issue aren't necessarily wrong.
They are only a problem if your ego makes you believe they are.
The people who are willing to tell you “no,” challenge your assumptions, ask uncomfortable questions, or explain why something may not work are some of the most valuable people you can have around you.
They may frustrate you, They may make meetings longer, But they can also help keep you balanced.
If everyone around you agrees with you all the time, you aren't necessarily surrounded by the smartest people in the room. You may simply be surrounded by people who have learned that disagreement isn't welcome.
Give people permission to challenge you
4. Remember there are stories under every roof in this county.
You will disagree with people politically, morally, and on how they see the future of Washington County. But they are still your people.
We don't have to agree to belong to the same community, but we do need to remember there is a person and a story behind every opinion.
Some stories will frustrate you, some will break your heart, and some may even change your perspective.
Listen to them. You don't have to agree, but you should be willing to understand.
Know that if you start 2027 as a Washington County Commissioner, you are going to be on the defensive for a while.
Most of us in Waterford understand what it feels like to live from a defensive position. For more than a year, we have been exhausted from feeling like we constantly have to protect our homes, our community, our way of life, and our future.
As you take office, we need you to advocate, understand, and show compassion for the residents carrying this burden. Waterford is going to carry a significant burden for Washington County, and we shouldn't have to carry it alone.
We need Commissioners who understand what is happening on the ground—not just what is presented in a meeting room. Ask the questions we can't, listen to the concerns behind the anger, and remember that these aren't just plans, maps, or economic projections.
These are people's lives.
“When building a community, it is essential to recognize what you can lose when you are obsessed with winning over WE”
Washington County (OH) Democratic Party Wenda Sheard for Ohio
