This past Monday night at Pub House 123, candidates for Mayor and City Council came together to share their visions for Galion’s future. Six of the seven declared mayoral candidates took part, each speaking for several minutes before answering questions from the audience.
A big thank-you goes to the venue and event organizers for making it possible.
Just two days later, the Crawford County Board of Elections certified five of those six candidates to appear on the November General Election ballot.
For me, the evening was about more than speeches—it was about people. I had the pleasure of meeting several Galion residents for the first time, including one of the candidates for the Fourth Ward Council seat.
I also valued the chance to hear from my fellow mayoral candidates. Three of them I had already spoken with privately over the past few months, listening to their ideas and hopes for the city. In fact, my decision to run didn’t come until after those conversations earlier this year—discussions that left me determined to join the race.
In the weeks ahead, I’ll be sounding the alarm on several critical issues within city government and sharing specific, actionable plans to move Galion forward—aggressively and boldly. My biggest takeaway from Monday’s event is this: candidates must offer clear goals and objectives, not just platitudes.
It’s not enough to talk about “better communication” as a cure-all. The real question is—do you have the right people at the table to make it happen? On Monday night, none of my fellow candidates explained how they would ensure that in a city that desperately needs a shot in the arm.