Bruce Kettelle, Trotwoood City Councilman
Age: 61
Family: Fiancée Elizabeth 'Betsy' Eby
Occupation: Farmer, writer, Marketing consultant
Years of service on the council: Served on the council from 1997-2001 and then returned in 2011.
Monthly stipend: $400
Education: Graduated from Great Valley High School in Malvern, Pa. Took some Communications and Marketing courses at New England College.
Memberships: President of the Trotwood Chamber of Commerce, member of the Trotwood Madison Historical Society and NAACP.
Political party affiliation: Endorsed by Trotwood Democratic Club and Montgomery County Democratic Party
Barbara Staggs, Trotwood City Councilwoman and vice-mayor
Age: 71
Family: Married to Edward Staggs and has three adult children
Occupation:Retired real estate agent and former executive director of the Trotwood Chamber of Commerce
Years on council: Nearly 23 years
Monthly stipend: $400
Education: Graduated from Madison High School, which is now known as Trotwood-Madison High School, and took some courses at Sinclair Community College.
Memberships: National League of Cities, Ohio Municipal League and the National Public Safety Crime Prevention
Political party affiliation: Endorsed by the Montgomery County Democratic Party and the Trotwood Democratic Club
Mark Landis, candidate for Trotwood City Council
Age: 62
Occupation: Salesman at Lowes
Education: Graduated from Trotwood-Madison High School and earned a bachelor's degree in Education, Philosophy and Political Science from Wright State University.
Memberships include: American Legion, New York Historical Society and Overholser Family History Association
Political party affiliation: Democrat
Rhonda Finley, candidate for Trotwood City Council
Age: 54
Family: Married to husband Anthony "Tony" Finley and has one adult son
Occupation: Purchasing and Logistics consultant for Heidelberg Distributing Company. She is also the city of Trotwood's former Economic Development administrator.
Education: Bachelor's Degree in Business and a Master's Degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from Wright State University.
Memberships/Community Activity: National Association of Professional Women, Youth Golf Association, and member of Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church.
Political party affiliation: This newspaper's background check revealed that Finley was affiliated with the Republican party. However, when interviewed, Finley said that she has voted Democrat in the last couple of elections.
Robert L. Kelley Jr., candidate for Trotwood City Council
Age:68
Family: Married to wife Hope (Garland) Kelley and three adult daughters
Occupation: Licensed Social Worker and retired Director of The American Red Cross (Dayton Chapter) Family Living Center /Emergency Housing Program
Education: Graduated from Roosevelt High School and received a Sociology Degree from Central State University
Memberships: Corinthian Baptist Church, 501c Committee P E Henderson Family Life Center and member of the NAACP
Political party affiliation: Democrat and endorsed by the Progressive Citizens of Trotwood
ONLINE VOTERS GUIDE
Learn more about what's on your ballot for the November eleciton at vote.daytondailynews.com
Barbara Staggs, Trotwood City Councilwoman and vice-mayor
Age: 71
Family: Married to Edward Staggs and has three adult children
Occupation:Retired real estate agent and former executive director of the Trotwood Chamber of Commerce
Years on council: Nearly 23 years
Monthly stipend: $400
Education: Graduated from Madison High School, which is now known as Trotwood-Madison High School, and took some courses at Sinclair Community College.
Memberships: National League of Cities, Ohio Municipal League and the National Public Safety Crime Prevention
Political party affiliation: Endorsed by the Montgomery County Democratic Party and the Trotwood Democratic Club
Mark Landis, candidate for Trotwood City Council
Age: 62
Occupation: Salesman at Lowes
Education: Graduated from Trotwood-Madison High School and earned a bachelor's degree in Education, Philosophy and Political Science from Wright State University.
Memberships include: American Legion, New York Historical Society and Overholser Family History Association
Political party affiliation: Democrat
Rhonda Finley, candidate for Trotwood City Council
Age: 54
Family: Married to husband Anthony "Tony" Finley and has one adult son
Occupation: Purchasing and Logistics consultant for Heidelberg Distributing Company. She is also the city of Trotwood's former Economic Development administrator.
Education: Bachelor's Degree in Business and a Master's Degree in Logistics and Supply Chain Management from Wright State University.
Memberships/Community Activity: National Association of Professional Women, Youth Golf Association, and member of Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church.
Political party affiliation: This newspaper's background check revealed that Finley was affiliated with the Republican party. However, when interviewed, Finley said that she has voted Democrat in the last couple of elections.
Robert L. Kelley Jr., candidate for Trotwood City Council
Age:68
Family: Married to wife Hope (Garland) Kelley and three adult daughters
Occupation: Licensed Social Worker and retired Director of The American Red Cross (Dayton Chapter) Family Living Center /Emergency Housing Program
Education: Graduated from Roosevelt High School and received a Sociology Degree from Central State University
Memberships: Corinthian Baptist Church, 501c Committee P E Henderson Family Life Center and member of the NAACP
Political party affiliation: Democrat and endorsed by the Progressive Citizens of Trotwood
ONLINE VOTERS GUIDE
Learn more about what's on your ballot for the November eleciton at vote.daytondailynews.com
Trotwood voters will chose from incumbents Bruce Kettelle and Barbara Staggs and challengers Rhonda Finley, Mark Landis and Robert Kelley Jr. for the city’s two at-large seats in Tuesday’s general election.
Rhonda Finley
Finley, purchasing and logistics consultant for Heidelberg Distributing Company, worked for Trotwood for 10 years before resigning in 2012 as the city’s economic development administrator.
“I believe I provide a level of expertise that is not currently represented,” on council, Finley said.
She believes city leaders have lost their ability to establish relationships with business owners.
“I hear people saying that they wish Trotwood would return to what it used to be. I don’t think Trotwood has ever been what it could be,” Finley said. She said Trotwood is near some cities that are thriving. “We have everything that we need to do the same thing, but we need good leadership.”
Trotwood has the highest gross tax rate in Montgomery County, according to Montgomery County Auditor Karl Keith.
Finley believes the city’s high taxes are an obstacle when it comes to attracting businesses. “Talking as an economic development specialist, often times that makes you not competitive,” she said.
Finley filed a civil lawsuit against Trotwood and then City Manager Michael Lucking in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court in 2012. The lawsuit documents mentioned a 2010 federal complaint that Finley filed against the city and Lucking in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio. The 2010 complaint alleged that Lucking “singled her out for a demotion and reduction in pay on the basis of her race, gender and age.”
Finley dismissed the 2012 lawsuit as a result of a settlement reached by her, the city and Lucking.
Robert Kelley Jr.
Kelley, a licensed social worker and retired director with the American Red Cross, said he decided to run for city council because he believes that Trotwood is on a downward spiral and wants to help the city thrive again.
Kelley referred to the city’s lost of retail businesses and what he sees as the city’s lack of response.
Since 2013, the city has seen the loss of Cub Foods, Kmart, Sears, Target and most recently Bright Now! Dental.
“(The city) will continue to head in a negative direction if these incumbents stay in office,” Kelley said. He added that the council in general and other city leaders cannot use the economy as the only excuse for the city’s loss of business.
“We were hit hard (by the economy) because ours was mismanaged by the people on (council), from the mayor on down,” he said.
Kelley said the council needs to work on having a good relationship with the residents and addressing concerns in a timely manner. If elected, he would push for a town hall meeting to address these issues.
“What’s happening here is that you have issues with accountability, transparency, and you have a big distrust issue because nothing is being done,” Kelley said.
He added that he is a good choice for voters because he will focus on making sure the council is transparent with the residents.
“I just bring a clear, down-to-earth personality and a clear picture about what I feel needs to be done,” Kelley said.
Mark Landis
Landis, a Lowe’s salesman, said he should be elected to council because of his education, his ambition and his plan to create coalitions willing to partner with the city.
The city’s loss of businesses also prompted him to run for council again. His previous attempts were unsuccessful.
The city has seen some recent business arrivals, which include Dry Clean $3.99, Ice Cream Parlour and Donut Palace.
Specialty Manufacturing Solutions and Specialty Machines in Dayton is currently preparing to move into the old Elder Beerman furniture store on Salem Avenue, according to Quincy Pope, interim city manager.
Also, the new KMG Pharmacy is set to open in November.
Landis believes city leaders must focus on attracting various types of retail businesses and some manufacturing. He added that city leaders should also make a better effort of trying to contact potential business owners about relocating to the city.
“They need to do more with Hara Arena and have business conventions, where they ask various businesses to set up booths and then they talk to them and ask them about starting a business,” Landis said.
Bruce Kettelle
If re-elected, Kettelle, a farmer and writer, said he wants to focus on attracting different types of business. “We need to have more a balance of commercial retail, light industrial and service industries so that if one sector takes an economic hit, it’s not so devastating to the community,” he said.
Kettelle said he should keep his council seat because of his knowledge of the city’s strategic plan, a plan that he wants to continue to help fine-tune.”I helped set the strategic plan and that strategic plan is working,” he said.
Kettelle also said that one of the things he wants to continue to focus on as a councilmember is making sure the neighborhoods are attractive to potential residents. “If you bring people back, that will bring the businesses,” he said.
He also wants to continue addressing the issue of high taxes on farmland and supporting efforts designed to help small business.
Barbara Staggs
Staggs, a retired real estate agent, said her council experience and knowledge of Trotwood are some of the reasons why she should remain on council.
She wants to focus on efforts that deal with marketing the city better and continue to work on the goals of the city’s strategic plan.
When asked if she thought it was time to have new faces on the council, Staggs said, “Sometimes trying to go in a different direction and bringing in people that haven’t been involved in the issues, it’s not always the best. If you change direction, you slow down progress.”
Staggs said she thinks the city is moving in the right direction, but believes that there are those who have a negative attitude about the city, which she feels is holding up Trotwood’s progress.
Economic development issues
The city’s economic development matters are handled by the Trotwood Community Improvement Corporation, which is a nonprofit organization whose board is made up of city leaders.
In a letter dated July 13, Norm Essman, outgoing TCIC executive director, suggested to TCIC Board President Karen Celik that the city make his position a city job.
“I think that position needs to be driven by the (city’s) strategic plan,” Kettelle said. “The CIC has shown such intriguing success, I’m not sure that we just want to walk away from it … I’m open to what is going to be the most effective solution.”
Staggs, the city’s vice mayor, said, “I think down the road when the revenue is there, I would have no problem with a full-time economic development director. Of course CIC is a separate arm of the city and in a different category. Since the CIC has done so well. I would hate to see us sever that.”
“I absolutely 100 percent agree that there are some things that you should not outsource, and economic development is one of those things,” Finley said. “The key to economic development is being able to know your community and nurture your businesses. If you are outsourcing that or you just have a part-time consultant, you are not really touching those businesses the way you need to.”
Both Landis and Kelley believe the city should have its own economic development employee.
“That’s a very valuable department, and something like that should be in-house,” Kelley said.
Landis said he believes a non-city employee handling economic development issues could potentially be influenced by outside sources who may not have the city’s best interest in mind.
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