County Commissioner Leslie Osche has announced that she will run for re-election in the May 2019 primary.

Osche said she wants to continue the model of teamwork with her two fellow commissioners, Kim Geyer and Kevin Boozel, that she said has greatly benefited the county over the past three years.

Both Boozel and Geyer have announced their intentions to run again. The commissioners serve a four-year term, all three of which expire at the end of 2019.

“Commissioner Kimberly Geyer and I are a solid Republican team, working successfully with Democrat Commissioner Kevin Boozel to achieve fiscal, economic development, transportation, public safety and human services goals for our county over the last three years,” said Osche, who is the commissioners' chairman. “It's all about keeping good on promises I made when I ran.”

Osche said she promised to hold the line on property taxes by driving efficiency, promoting development, insuring the county is competitive in securing and managing state and federal funding, and creating a long-term plan to manage growth.

Osche said the commissioners' achievements include avoiding a tax increase, growing the county budget's fund balance from $2 million to more than $7 million since 2015, solid cash flow, three months in financial reserves, adopting a compensation plan for non-union employees that establishes pay grades and ranges, capping salary growth, rewarding all employees for outstanding service while controlling long-term costs, reducing the size of county government through various programs, adopting a five-year capital improvement plan that predicts annual costs for building and equipment maintenance and improvements without incurring new debt, and working with the retirement board to establish an investment policy and fully fund the pension plan without burdening future taxpayers.

Osche also pointed to the recent $20 million federal BUILD grant the county pursued and received to widen and improve Route 228 in Middlesex and Adams townships.

“This is the first grant of this type in our region and the only road project in Pennsylvania to win such a grant,” Osche said.

Regarding additional economic development, transportation, job growth and partnering with local, state and federal officials, Osche said the commissioners have:

Secured $5 million to widen Route 68;

Captured at least $25 million more for county road and bridge investments;

Increased investments in transit and the Pittsburgh-Butler Regional Airport for the first time in many years;

Implemented two economic development studies that called for a unified structure and plan, which resulted in the hiring of former AK Steel general manager Mark Gordon as the county's chief of economic development and planning;

Launched the Infrastructure Bank to provide low-interest or interest-free loans to municipalities for transportation or infrastructure projects

Completed the sale and build out of properties in the Victory Road and Pullman business parks through the Community Development Corporation of Butler County;

Increased agriculture investments and services; and

Launched an Empowerment Initiative to employ those with disabilities, in recovery or re-entering the workforce after incarceration.

Osche said she has also made good on her promises to restore transparency, communication and trust at the county level through various programs and projects, including listening tours at municipalities and fire departments, addressing the opioid crisis, engaging those in recovery to leadership roles and insisting various county boards establish policies and procedures for their organizations.

Osche — who serves on 11 boards, commissions, councils and committees — said there is still much work to be done in the next term.

“I love serving the public and my county and have been doing it through many outlets my entire life,” she said. “I hope the taxpayers see that commitment and will continue to support the work Commissioner Geyer and I have achieved as a team working alongside our colleague, Commissioner Boozel.”

In the 2015 election, Osche got 20,449 votes, followed by Geyer with 18,094 votes and Boozel with 12,331 votes.