County Commissioner
Born and raised in Montrose, my parents believed that building a better place to live wasn’t something you did because someone asked you to but rather because it is a fundamental responsibility—a responsibility we should all strive to do every day, not just for the individual, but for the collective whole.
That life-lesson taught by my parents may be one of the most valuable lessons learned to date and it is a lesson I strive to achieve daily. It is that lesson, in part, which qualifies me to represent the people of Susquehanna County in the role of County Commissioner.
From a Public Policy perspective, I have served in the following capacities:
- Montrose Borough Council
- Susquehanna County Tourism Committee
- Montrose Chamber of Commerce
- Blue Ridge Youth Soccer board
From an individual perspective, I have implemented the following initiatives for our county:
- Montrose Chocolate and Wine Festival
- Christmas In Montrose
- Third Fridays
Some would assume the individual initiatives noted are strictly Montrose centric however they are not—they are initiatives serving all of Susquehanna County. As an example, “The Chocolate and Wine Festival” has raised over $280,000 over the past 11 years where funds helped build and support the new EMHS hospital and Susquehanna County Library buildings, provide funding to Interfaith, local scholarships, help financially supplement local food bank initiatives, and help offset cost needs to provide healthy snacks and upgraded water fountains to local schools.
Professionally, I served as an integral part in building a small local business that now has 2 additional retail spaces (outside the county) yet continues to see all production here in Susquehanna County.
When the Montrose Movie Theatre was closing,my brilliantly amazing wife and I took on the role of owner/operator until a suitable replacement could be found. We did this because, together, we recognized what a vital role the theatre plays in the lives of many local families– some whom struggletoafford or possess the necessary mode of transportation to similar yet expensive amenities in Binghamton or Scranton.
I am committed to building Susquehanna County into a place where people want to stay rather than a place people feel the need to flee and my track record shows this.
As Commissioner, I would like to see us focus on building amarketing strategy for our county—not just some strategy full of unattainable goals and ideas but one full of executable benchmarks and timelines–the type of plan I have developed successfully time and again for an array of initiatives.
My name is Tom Follert and I am proud to announce that I am running for the office of Susquehanna County Commissioner.