Voter Guide: Piqua City Commission 3rd Ward

Credit: HANDOUT

Credit: HANDOUT

The Dayton Daily News, Springfield News-Sun and Journal-News invited local candidates to fill out the following questionnaire to inform readers.

VOTE FOR 1:

Nolan Campbell

Education: Current student at Piqua High School, College Credit Plus student; Edison State Community College

Current employment: I am a full-time student at Piqua High School, and a College Credit Plus student at Edison State Community College. I am also the owner of Greyhound Graphics LLC, a small business located in Piqua.

Community involvement: At Piqua High School, I am a member of National Honor Society, where I strive to embody the characteristics of scholarship, service, leadership and citizenship. In addition, I serve on the High School Principal Advisory Board and as the Piqua City School Board Student Representative, providing a student perspective on administrative decisions being made at the building and district level. At the city government level, I serve on the Park Board, providing guidance for the direction of the parks department. I am in my second term on the Ohio Attorney General Teen Ambassador Board, where under the direction of Attorney General Dave Yost, I collaborate with other high school students across the state on legal issues in state government. Finally, I am a four-year Varsity Cross Country and Track & Field scholar athlete.

Why are you seeking elected office? Since moving to Piqua, I have fallen in love with the city and the people here. I am proud to call Piqua home, and I want to work to make things better for everyone who loves here. This isn’t just my home, it’s our home, and I would be honored to serve as your 3rd Ward commissioner.

Why should voters elect you? If elected, this position will be my first official political endeavor. The knowledge and experience gained from involvement in leadership roles at Piqua High School, participation on the city of Piqua Park Board, and the mentoring received from the Ohio Attorney General provide me with a solid political foundation.

If elected, what will be your top three priorities? If elected to office, I hope to make great changes to the city in many ways. My top priority is to change the citizens’ view of the commission. I want our citizens to become active participants in their city government. In addition, I want to raise the standard for equal code enforcement and develop a more progressive and balanced budget.

What specific plans do you have to address those top priorities? When our citizens become active participants in their local government, they become invested and begin to care about what is happening around them. By creating more opportunities for all citizens to become as involved as they would like, it will create an ‘all-hands-in’ type of culture in the city. By involving and communicating with the citizens, trust will be restored with the community and natural transparency will occur. Raising the standard for equal code enforcement is not an empty promise at all. By enacting city wide code sweeps, residential and commercial properties will become responsible for the neglect of their properties. Code compliance violations shouldn’t exclude any property. Finally, with my experience in business, I hope to bring a new light to the city budget. By developing a more progressive budget of spending on programs that are valuable to the city operations and for the quality of life for citizens, everyone will be better off.

Anything else you would like voters to know? While addressing the needs of all Piqua citizens is crucial, the greatest need I see is the inclusion of the 18-25 year old age groups in the city decision making process. This age group will be directly impacted in the future by the decisions made and they should be aware of how this will affect them. I believe that I can be incredibly effective in connecting with this specific age group that has been neglected in our city government for far too long. Our generation is progressive, innovative, and the future of this city and we can make a difference.

Kris E. Lee

Education: M.B.A., Bluffton University

Current Employment: MVCTC

Community Involvement: Member St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Community Diversity, past president Piqua Catholic School Board

Why are you seeking elected office? To maintain the transparency and community cooperation that has begun in the city. To increase business in Piqua

Why should voters elect you? I have helped and will continue to help the citizens of Piqua with responsive and citizen involvement. Together positive changes can happen in Piqua.

If elected, what will be your top three priorities? Transparency in city government, being citizen centered and responsive to their needs, and being fiscally sound.

What specific plans do you have to address those top priorities? We need to overhaul the city’s operations to ensure services to residents and their affordability. Continue and complete the Riverfront project as it is projected to bring millions of dollars of investment in our city. Finally attracting new business to our town with the new infrastructure that is in place within the city.

Anything else? I am a lifelong resident that loves Piqua and wants what is best for the city. I have worked long and hard for Piqua and will continue to do so if reelected. Please vote for me.