Sean Boylan has always been interested in politics, so when former Warsaw mayor Ernie Wiggins asked him to join the city Board of Zoning Appeals he jumped on it.
Now, he’s eyeing a spot on the Kosciusko County Council.
Boylan, 29, has spent two years on the city BZA, and when he was approached by several Republicans he was not against going after a seat on the council.
“I am building a house near Barrington Hills, and when that is finished I will have to let go of my BZA seat,” Boylan said. “I saw this as the next logical step for me.”
While on the BZA, Boylan has had a chance to work in the community and within the public sector of government. Simultaneously, he has ran his own business in the private sector. His business, STC Tower Developments, has allowed him to travel and visit other communities and work with their governments as well.
“When I took the invitation from Wiggins I really wanted to be able to look at it from the other side of the fence,” Boylan said.
Boylan, a Republican vying for a county council at-large seat, is concerned that at all levels of government the decisions aren’t sound decisions.
“We have had a run of politics where decisions were made on politics not smart sound decisions for the people,” Boylan said. “The planning office is still working on an ordinance that is 13 years old and we need to be able to change with the changing world around us.”
Boylan’s slogan he will run under is “Simple Smart Decisions.”
Boylan is a 2000 graduate of Columbia City High School and a 2005 graduate of IPFW with a degree in electrical engineering. He is currently 10 credits away from his second degree in computer engineering.
Boylan has been married for eight years and has three children, Olivia, 5, Beckham, 3, and Fynlee, 1. Olivia and Beckham attend Sacred Heart School.
He said that his interest in politics has been around since before he was in college.
“While I was in college I wanted to run for mayor of Columbia City, but I decided it wasn't the right time,” Boylan said. “I have wanted to move into politics for a while and this is a great opportunity.”
In addition to his passion for politics and public service, Boylan has made several important connections with party officials and elected officials that he has found and could find invaluable.
“I know enough elected party officials that if I was having a hard time with something I could pick up the phone and call one of them and talk to them about it,” Boylan said.
One part of Boylan’s character is that he has an open mind and is open to many different ideas.
“I don’t show up to meetings with my mind made up,” Boylan said. “I am open to any direction.”
The biggest difference from the BZA to the county council is that the BZA is a judgmental board and cannot be contacted by citizens to talk about decisions and what is or is not happening.
“The county council is more in the public light and I like that if I was elected I could talk about decisions and issues,” Boylan said. “I encourage all community members to voice their concerns.”
