Trotwood mayor facing challenge from councilwoman

Both candidates are business owners.


Mayor Joyce Sutton Cameron

Age: 66

Family: married to husband James Cameron for 12 years

Occupation: President/CEO of Green Star Trucking, Inc.

Years on council: 15 years

Monthly Stipend: $800

Education: Roosevelt High School graduate and will receive a bachelor's degree in Organizational Management from Wilberforce University in the fall.

Memberships include: National League of Cities Vice Chair of Youth, Education and Families committee, Trotwood Historical Society and NAACP.

Political party affiliation: Democrat

Councilwoman Mary Ann McDonald

Age: 56

Family: Two adult children

Occupation: Owner of True Style Hair Salon

Years on council: 10 years

Monthly Stipend: $400

Education: Graduated from Roth High School, cosmetology school and taken some business courses at Central State University

Memberships include: Board chairwoman for Trotwood Peace Place, Women in Municipal Government through the National League of Cities and Trotwood Ministerium

Political party affiliation: Democrat

Trotwood City Councilwoman Mary McDonald is making her second attempt to unseat Joyce Sutton Cameron as mayor of the northwest Montgomery County city.

Cameron’s term on council expires this year and McDonald’s council term expires in 2017. So, McDonald will remain on council even if she loses the vote for mayor.

Trotwood’s 17,329 registered voters will have the opportunity to choose between the two Democrats on during the Nov. 3 elections.

“I think Trotwood is poised for a change,” said McDonald, a licensed cosmetology instructor and owner of True Style Hair Salon. She added that she feels that she has the abilities to create a vision for the city and move it in a better direction. “Older cities can turn around, but they have to have a cheerleader. I want to be a cheerleader for Trotwood.”

Cameron, who is president and CEO of Green Star Trucking in Dayton, said she should remain in office because of her nearly six years of experience as mayor.

“It is evident that I am involved with many venues in this city,” said Cameron, who has been on council since 2000. She added that while in office her focus has been on reasonable economic development, bringing jobs to the city and volunteering.

“I am working with many entrepreneurs who are wanting to build businesses in the city of Trotwood and when I build those relationships I bring those people to the table,” Cameron said.

Both McDonald and Cameron said their top priorities will be to focus on getting rid of the division that both said exists in the city council.

“I think team building among the leaders of the city of Trotwood is huge. You could probably at this time talk to almost any council member, any staff member and get a different conversation,” said McDonald, who has been on the council for 10 years. “I want us to be in concert and be one voice. Unified with citizens as our number one priority.”

McDonald said its the Mayor’s responsibility to build consensus on the council.

McDonald also stressed that the city needs to do a better job of being transparent with its citizens and one of the ways she’s tackling that issue is by using social media to talk about what’s going on in the city.

McDonald also said that she would focus on creating a better relationship between the city and the farmers that live in the city.

“I realized that a lot of legislation that we have done as a council has not always considered the things that are challenging for them,” McDonald said. “I want to be that voice for all of Trotwood.”

When asked what city leaders need to do to create more growth in economic development, McDonald said, “I think what’s lacking is leadership. We have ventured out…. I would like to see economic development brought back into the house.” The city should hire an economic development person rather than use the current system, which involves the city using a consultant who works for the Trotwood Community Improvement Corporation, McDonald said. “(Economic Development) needs to be somebody’s job. Because that’s going to be the savior for the city of Trotwood. We have to get businesses in here to get the taxes off the backs of the people.”

Cameron agreed that the city must improve its business tax-base, but doesn’t believe the city should focus on hiring an economic development director at this time. “A lot of the programs that come through the CIC, (the city) would not be able to do them,” she said. “The CIC is a non-profit organization and under that non-profit umbrella there are requirements that a government entity cannot do.”

Cameron also said the city is moving in the right direction in terms of economic development and added that during her time in office, the city has seen some new light manufacturing businesses move in. For example, officials with Suess Enterprises Salem Avenue are set to move its two companies — Specialty Manufacturing Solutions and Specialty Machines Inc. — to the vacant Elder-Beerman Furniture building at 5370 Salem Ave.

Cameron went on to say that she cannot make any promises on what types of businesses will come to the city, but she said she is confident that the city will see an increase.

She also said she is working with other city and Montgomery County leaders to see what can be done about providing residents access to fresh produce and bringing in another grocery store. The city was left with one smaller grocery store, Trotwood Foodtown, when Cub Foods closed in 2013.

“I think currently (the city) is moving in a new direction. Our interim city manager is really making strides to make it a lot easier for businesses to locate in the city of Trotwood,” McDonald said.

Councilmembers have decided not to choose a permanent city manager until after the November election.

Cameron said she would be pleased if Pope became the new city manager.

McDonald said she hopes the seated council after the November election allows the citizens to get involved in the selection process of the new city manager. “What I would like to see is an engagement of the citizens of Trotwood in what they want to see,” McDonald said.

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