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Campaign Phone Number
330-221-3106
Education
BS degree Criminal Justice Studies Kent State University
Training & Experience
34 years Law Enforcement experience in the City of Kent. 9 years at Kent State University and 25 at City of Kent police departments
To have people see City of Kent as a model city thru out the state of Ohio and beyond. To have the City of Kent operate and meet the needs of its' citizens and business in ways that are looked at, by other cities and communities, as the best example of responsive and effective government.
It may seem like a bold initiative but it brought me to the question of "Why not?". It's not as if other cities are run by people brighter and more talented than Kent. We have tremendously gifted and insightful people already in places to carry this forward. The only drawbacks would be to have a lack of imagination and consistent discipline.
If you look around you see Kent does a lot of things already to engage its' citizens and businesses with community events. I would look to continue those and ask how can we be better? Meet with planners and department heads to find ways to make our city government have a greater ease of access and responsiveness to the needs of both citizens and businesses.
When I talked to people in the Kent community, the main issues of concern were affordable housing to meet growing demands, our finite land space and its' sustainable use and designation and the challenges small businesses face from start up to growth and remaining financially healthy and profitability.
The answers to these are in strategic planning and long term looking. No quick solutions or answers will solve these. But, they don't need to be complicated either. For housing we would first need to define the demographic we most would be serving and point our focus. For our land space we need to consider the concerns of our long term health and well being. Clean air, clean water and environmental impact would need studied. For our small businesses, creating ease of access and cooperation with our governmental bodies which oversee regulation and assistance for them. As before, Kent already does these things with degrees of success. The question again arises, "How can we be better?".
The first response to this is to have a solid budget with built in surplus. To go in prepared. What 34 years of law enforcement service taught me. Almost everything I dealt with had a big question mark at the front of it. So I would start with the knowns. What we do know about the future is there will be changes in our demographics, technology and the demands on our future work force. Keeping those in mind, I would task department heads and managers to find and propose ways where they could cut monies, from their budgets, while still retaining the best services. I would not have a hard agenda on specific areas but approach it with a curiousness. To view cuts from many angles. I would look to minimize the impact on those services that impact our health, safety and security, and our critical infrastructures like roads, water/sewer. It would be a collaborative approach with potential tough decisions I'm willing make. Willing to go with the facts I have, even if I wish they were different.
Campaign Phone Number
3306785897
Education
Kent Public Schools........John Carol University......over 200 hours of continued education
Training & Experience
Real Estate, Ethics, Civil Rights, HVAC,Solar Tech. Maketing, PADI Association of Scuba Diving Instructors, NHRA....Professional liscense
My vision of Kent would be a modern version of the Kent where I grew up .
A friendly community where everyone is welcome.
Our schools , homes and neighborhoods are safe and well maintained.
Our businesses are thriving.
Employment is abundant and the cost to live is affordable.
Our streets, sidewalks and infrastructure are in good repair.
To accomplish this I would maintain the resource officers in our schools, make some changes to our police procedure by having feet on the street in our neighborhoods and in town to create espredecore with our residents. Expand existing inclusion programs. Communication vs conflict. Our code enforcement shall continue to assist our neighborhoods. I will strive to create income streams to improve our infrastructure rather than increasing fees and taxes. This is a continuous battle and if elected I am up for the fight.
The major challenge is having the funds to maintain high quality services and the proper personel and equiptment to complete the task at hand. It boils down to MONEY.
The most important task is to review how the money is spent, are we making the best choices? We have expenses that are mandatory and others that are elective. We must make sure that our elective expendatures benefit all and not just a select few. There are always several ways to do the same thing.We must be prudent that we are making the best choice for the money spent.
I have some ideas on how to create additional income streams to help out instead of raising taxes and adding fees. I would like the chance to try.
When and if we get to a point to have to make budget cuts it will have to be a joint effort with the staff and the administration . Just as it was when we were in a structural deficit previously . We will re-structure some employee work hours impliment a freeze on overtime, pay raises, land banking, large dollar capitol purchases. We will try to co-op purchases of commodities with other local communities.
If we have to we will have to reduce our employee base and train employees how to multi task. I am an advocate of using non serious offenders to do public service as retribution. This might fill in the gaps for labor shortages. All in all if I am elected I will do my best to make sure it never gets that far.
Campaign Phone Number
3308614189
Education
Master of Arts in Asia-Pacific Policy, University of British Columbia (2012); Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude, Kent State University (2003)
Training & Experience
Assistant Vice President, Foundation and Corporate Relations – Kent State University (2024–Present); Executive Director, Foundation Relations – Kent State University (2019–2024)
Volunteer & Community Service
City of Kent Board of Zoning Appeals (6.5 years); City of Kent Fair Housing Board (3 years), City of Kent Salary Review Committee; Kent Rotary Board Member, Service; Treasurer Kent Episcopal Church
Kent is where I live, work and recreate. Every day, I walk or bike to work in Kent, my kids attend Kent City Schools, and my family is deeply rooted in this community. I believe in a Kent community that continues to be a vibrant, welcoming, and forward-thinking city—a place where residents can thrive, businesses can grow, and the unique character of our town is preserved.
To implement this vision, I will advocate for excellent government services—roads, infrastructure, water, etc—and, thoughtful development that supports affordable housing, attracts good jobs, and enhances the cultural vibrancy of our city. My many years of experience volunteering on Kent City Board of Zoning Appeals, Fair Housing Board, and Salary Review Committee has given me firsthand insight into the challenges we face and the importance of making strategic decisions that benefit all residents. I will work to ensure that Kent remains a place where families, students, employees and businesses all feel valued.
Kent needs to maintain and improve our aging infrastructure. The City of Kent is fundamentally a service organization to the people and ensuring that our roads, water, sewers, signage, sidewalks, bike paths, tree canopy, etc. are maintained and regularly improved is the most important issue to be addressed. As a city council member, I will continually raise this key issue, and when considering budget, I will advocate for a budget the balances our need for maintaining our infrastructure with the other many potential expenses of the city.
Balanced growth that maintains affordability while fostering economic and community development is another pressing issue. Over the past 15 years, Kent has experienced significant improvements, from downtown redevelopment to new housing options. As a city council member, I will address this by supporting policies that encourage smart, right-sized development—projects that enhance Kent’s infrastructure and economic base without displacing residents.
Good government decisions start with transparency and communications with community – City government transparency and clear, consistent communication with our community are essential to building trust and ensuring that residents feel informed, valued, and heard. As a city council member, I believe our local government must operate openly—sharing decisions, potential budget cuts, and plans in ways that are accessible and easy to understand—while also actively listening to the voices of our neighbors. Transparent governance and good local news sources empower residents to engage meaningfully in shaping the future of Kent, and effective two-way communication strengthens the partnership between the City and the people it serves. In Kent, where our unique community spirit is one of our greatest strengths, open dialogue and accountability aren’t just good practices—they are the foundation of good government.
Campaign Phone Number
330-678-0540
Education
B.A. Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo MI / M.Ed. Kent State University
Training & Experience
Former Member of Kent City Council , First Recycling Coordinator for the City of Kent
Volunteer & Community Service
Vice-Chair for Portage County Solid Waste Management District's Policy Committee, On Kent's Sustainability Commission, Go to tracywallach.org for additional community service works
More affordable housing for seniors and young families. Turn the river into a destination point. Make Kent more sustainable.
Regarding sustainability, the City has adopted a CAP - a climate action plan - which will help guide the City in actions towards more sustainable operations like extending solarization of City buildings beyond the fire station and water plant, solar fields to generate energy to power City services and replacing old City vehicles with electric ones. Replacing vehicles might initially be more expensive, but in the long run electric vehicles are cheaper and have better acceleration and power. Many communities are already doing this with their police vehicles with much success.
For housing for senior and young families, developers of low-income and senior housing could be partnered with to provide the right mix of housing.
Turn the river into a destination point by constructing kayak and tubing runs.
One of the most important concerns currently facing the City is the aging infrastructure. With the current chaos in Washington, funding is now up in the air. For these projects, green infrastructure could be localized such as rain gardens, swales and permeable pavers to offset storm water runoff. State programs could also make up some of the difference for sewer and water projects.
Providing affordable housing for seniors and young families is also a challenge. One way to approach this problem would be private/public projects such as Maple Brook near route 261 which was a result of pressure applied on the City by Council members in response to the change of Silver Oaks from a 55 and older senior complex near campus to student housing. Developers of low-income and senior housing could be partnered with to provide the right mix of housing
If budget shortfalls were anticipated, the first thing to be done instead of cuts would be to go to the City’s general and reserve funds to absorb the shortfalls. Both these funds are currently very healthy. However, at present, revenue streams for the City are doing well and the City will meet or exceed budget estimates. In fact, all indicators are showing the City to be in a strong financial position for at least the next 5 years.
Education
2008 Graduate of Kent State University
Training & Experience
19 years of teaching in Early Education at Kids Kare Kent Campus
Volunteer & Community Service
Longcoy School Association Member since 2016 Newest member of the Kent Civil Service Commission
I envision the future of Kent where every person in the community feels empowered to contribute to our community in such a way that everyone feels that their voices are heard and they feel welcome and accepted for who they are. Maintaining a sense of belonging for local residence and college students attending our wonderful university. I would implement this by encouraging community involvement by participating in the numerous events that the city works so hard to put on year round for our beautiful city.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
