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Jeff Shaffer has lived in Goshen for over nine years, where he and his wife Sandra moved from Houston, Texas, because they “wanted to get back to country living.”
“My wife and I have always loved historic homes and a close friend’s military son recommended the Shenandoah Valley for our bed & breakfast search,” Shaffer told The News-Gazette. “We went to Michigan to look at another B&B, but we were already sold on the Hummingbird Inn and Goshen.”
Prior to coming to Goshen, Shaffer worked in the construction industry for 35 years, then for 20 years as a self-employed contractor. He and his wife have run the Hummingbird Inn, a bed and breakfast in town, since 2015.
“As stewards of this historic railroad home and the town’s 1875 livery stable, we proudly preserve its history and our town’s beginnings,” he said.
If elected, this will be Shaffer’s first term on Town Council, but he currently serves as Goshen’s representative on the Regional Jail Commission, where he is in the third year of a three-year term.
Shaffer says he is running for Town Council with the goal of putting priority on improving the town’s infrastructure.
“There are areas [in town] that need water, fire hydrants and sidewalks,” he said. “I propose to spend funds wisely to address water, sewer, sidewalks and the cleanup of abandoned houses.”
He also hopes to “bring truth and common sense back to the Council” if elected.
“Lies were told by the mayor and town clerk, which are documented, and the Council has never addressed it,” he said. “They turned a blind eye. Council has also allowed the town clerk to put her opinions in the minutes. When I questioned the Council, the vice mayor [Steve Bickley] said, ‘We approved the minutes, didn’t we?’ If you say something the Council doesn’t agree with, they’ll strike your comments from the minutes.”
He also hopes to allow town residents to “have a conversation with their elected officials.”
“Currently, the public (typically two-three people) can only speak after the meeting and for three minutes per person, which is timed,” he said. “The mayor and Council members will not answer questions until next month’s meeting. I believe that’s why public turnout is low. People don’t want to watch the Council talk among themselves. When we arrived in 2015, many residents attended the meetings. I propose Council members hear from the people in a conversation before voting on issues.”
