A Letter in Support of Kurt Schneider for Ashland County Sheriff

Joe Lyons • March 5, 2024

Kurt Schneider is a more than qualified candidate (and my choice) to be the next Sheriff of Ashland County. Kurt not only has ample knowledge of and experience in the Ashland County Sheriff’s Department, he has the knowledge and experience he brings from being a volunteer firefighter and paramedic, fire Investigator, and small business owner in Ashland, Ohio.

Kurt Schneider’s career as a law enforcement officer began in 1994 and ran until his retirement in 2016. Thirteen of those twenty-two years was spent in our very own Ashland County Sheriff’s Department, building knowledge of the local area, procedure, and relationships with fellow Deputy’s, along with other local law enforcement agencies and their officers. He is still up to date on his training, maintains his certificate, and stays current on all aspects of law enforcement, the good and the bad. There will be no learning curve for Kurt when he takes the oath of office of Ashland County Sheriff. He will be able to step in on day one and do the job, utilizing the knowledge and relationships that he built during his thirteen years at the ACSO.

As a business owner, Kurt Schneider understands management. Daily, he deals with budgets, planning, employee morale, supply chain, and more. All of this provides him a unique insight that he can utilize in the office of Sheriff. Small business owners have a unique perspective on management, because the buck stops with them. There is no organizational chart that can buffer mistakes. There is no “upper management” that can take the blame. Their actions directly affect their personal lives, and the lives of their employees and their families. That level of responsibility creates a unique appreciation for employees and commitment to excellence that most don’t understand.

At the end of the day, credentials and experience without a plan are both worthless. Kurt Schneider actually has a plan to help move the Ashland County Sheriff’s Department forward, focusing strictly on the safety and wellbeing of the citizens of Ashland County. Improvements to our 911 system, tackling the drug crisis, fighting child trafficking, and criminal reform are among his top priorities, and he has talked about them and his plan for implementation at length with voters all across the County.

Don’t take my word for it. Just look at the number of relevant endorsements that Kurt Schneider has earned throughout the course of this campaign. Not only has he earned the respect and support of area Ohio Sheriffs, he has earned the same from our own current Sheriff, E. Wayne Risner, who said “Kurt has the intelligence, knowledge, demonstrated ability, and desire to perform all the functions of this office.” Risner went on to say that “to my knowledge, he is the only candidate to actively request any information relating to this agency.” In closing, Risner said “I believe Kurt will strive to excel in the office of Ashland County Sheriff. His desire is not to change the world as it relates to this agency, but to assume this office and continue to build on, support, and even improve on the great performance, performed by the great employees every day.”

Kurt is also being supported by retired Ashland County Chief Sheriff’s Deputy Carl Richert and retired Ashland County Commissioner Marilyn Byers, two people who were extremely influential in the development of the Ashland County Sheriff’s Department.

However, one of the most important endorsements Kurt Schneider could receive comes from how respected he is by his employees. This endorsement has no political bias. It is a true testament to Kurt’s character, something that is extremely important in the office of Sheriff. Honesty, integrity, loyalty, a high moral character, a commitment to ethical practices, and a drive to always be better and help other people is essential for the office of Sheriff, especially in this time of political corruption.

Still don’t believe me? Still don’t understand Kurt’s plan for success in Ashland County? Still can’t weed through the mess of misinformation circulating on the internet? Kurt Schneider has, since day one, published his own personal cell phone number on his website and literature and encouraged people to call and talk with him. In today’s world, there are very few candidates who do that because they feel it opens them up to calls from supporters of opposing candidates. But Kurt doesn’t shy away from those calls. He wants your views, your thoughts, and your opinions. I encourage you to reach out and get your questions answered.

Personally, Kurt Schneider is one of the most honorable men I have ever met. He embodies the “service above self” mentality, and to me, this is an extremely important quality in a candidate for Sheriff. Kurt is not seeking a “job.” He isn’t doing this on a whim. Kurt truly cares about the citizens of Ashland County and his desire is to serve them and keep them safe. We cannot afford complacency in this office. That is why I am asking you to join me on or before March 19th in casting your vote for Kurt Schneider for Ashland County Sheriff.

Matt Young

Ashland, OH