Signs are on display throughout Mount Gilead seeking voter support for the two candidates running for mayor: Donna Carver and Chad Swank. Each took a few minutes recently to talk about their hopes for the villages as well as some of the needs they see for improvement.
Incumbent Donna Carver served the village as a councilwoman for seven years before accepting the position of mayor last October after it was vacated when Jamie Brucker accepted the position of operations manager for Morrow County.
Carver also lists her position as president of Williamsport Grange on her resume along with being instrumental in the Veterans Banner Project in the village. She worked as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) and as a writer for the Morrow County Sentinel.
Carver sees “great prospects” for the village. She noted the fiber optic lines being laid in the village will be an advantage for all the residents and businesses when it is completed. Another recent development she sees as having long-term benefit is the camera purchased to inspect the sewer and water lines in the village. She is very aware of the many ways the infrastructure of the village sewer and water lines need repair as well as streets and sidewalks.
Beautification of the village is also high on Carver’s list of goals to continue with the beginning of murals by Jesse Thompson, new benches, and improvements on the public square.
Carver said the Mount Gilead Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) has been dormant for several years. She is planning talks with other villages such as Cardington, which has an active CIC. She would like to see Mount Gilead’s become active again. She also sees potential in working with Preservation Ohio to get grants for buildings downtown. She is still working on the village historical marker for the Obelisk, which is to be placed on the pubic square green space.
The county development office is another avenue Carver is working with for possible businesses and long-range development for the village.
“I love the village,” Carver said. She also praised the hard-working village staff who are dedicated to their work.
Swank served as a firefighter and paramedic for the village of Mount Gilead for 14 years before being named fire chief four years ago. While serving as fire chief, he applied for and received $525,000 in grants for the department for equipment. With the grant monies, the department was able to replace an aging 1990 tanker truck and aging jaws of life, while also purchasing two new sets of electric jaws of life.
Swank has lived and breathed fire-fighting for many years and has worked to make the North Central Ohio Fire Training Academy in Mount Gilead a top-notch institution in the region.
A major goal Swank would like to see for the village is better economic development planning. He would also like to see more transparency in communication between the mayor’s office and the village. He cites his situation in losing his position as fire chief as an example of a lack of communication and transparency.
He believes the village website can be improved with more online access to information. He notes it is hard to find meeting minutes from previous council meetings. He would also like to see some communication there on the problems of the village as well as the positive developments.
Grant writing is another area Swank believes can be improved for the village. He cites his own experience of success in writing grants, but also believes the village could benefit in hiring a full-time or part-time grant writer.
“It’s okay to stay a small town, but we need to be proactive in downtown development,” Swank added. “We need to be looking at more grants, and we need to develop a new vision. Growth helps funding without raising taxes.”
Swank said he would come with a mindset of asking residents what issues they want addressed and what needs they have.
Alberta Stojkovic is a correspondent for The Morrow County Sentinel.
