Four candidates are running for three seats on Pickerington City Council for the November 3 election.
The race features two candidates, Jerry Dailey and Mike Sabatino, who currently serve on council, and two newcomers, Tom Romine and Melissa Wilde. Incumbent Councilman Chris Schweitzer is not running for council. He is, instead, challenging incumbent Lee Gray in the race for Pickerington mayor.
All four council candidates expressed a desire to serve the Pickerington community.
Jerry Dailey
Dailey was appointed to City Council in 2014 by Mayor Lee Gray to fulfill the balance of Brian Sauer's unexpired council term.
He has been a resident of Pickerington for more than 35 years and is a retired engineer.
Dailey is vice chairman of City Council's Service Committee and previously served on the Pickerington Parks and Recreation Board and the Board of Zoning Appeals.
He said serving on council has been an honor.
"I consider it a civic duty," Dailey said. "I have the time now and I have some experience in financial (issues) and public works so I thought I would offer my services to the city if the residents would like to have it," Dailey said.
He said he brings a "different philosophy" to council, one grounded in financial restraint.
He recently voted against the city's plans to spend $620,000 for a projected $2.2 million roundabout at the troubling Milnor/Center/Meadows intersection because he said he believes it is too expensive given the city's budget issues.
"I didn't see the benefits of spending $2.2 million at that location for a roundabout," he said.
Dailey said the city must make road maintenance a priority, and he said a recent study indicating the city should spend $1.2 million a year to catch up to paving it's streets might be too much.
"I think that's aggressive. If we can (spend) $750,000 a year, we might make it work," he said.
Thomas Romine
Romine is a part-time police officer for the village of Carroll and a full-time safety and health inspector for the Ohio Department of Transportation. The Nov. 3 election marks Romine's first foray into politics.
A 1987 graduate of Pickerington High School, Romine is a Marine veteran who is working towards completion of his bachelor's degree from Ohio University.
Romine said if elected he will work to foster more cooperation between the city and Violet Township.
"I think the city could work more closely with the township on projects," Romine said.
"Everybody is tightening their belts and trying to do more with less.
"In the future you're going to have to start joining forces on projects," Romine said.
He said he would like Pickerington to become more of a walkable community.
"My kids have to walk to school and there are no sidewalks," Romine said.
"I find that amazing we don't have sidewalks for kids in our neighborhood."
He said he is familiar with road maintenance issues from his tenure at ODOT and volunteers annually to plow Fairfield County roads in the winter.
Mike Sabatino
Sabatino is running for a fifth term, and has been on City Council since he was last elected in 2012.
A Navy veteran, Sabatino was a longtime business owner until he recently retired.
"As an incumbent, I am aware of the wants and needs of our city and also our limited funds available to address them," he said.
Sabatino said he would like Pickerington to expand its commercial tax base so development pays for infrastructure.
"We must consider the incremental costs associated with development," Sabatino said.
The key, he said, is "creating a bigger tent" rather than raise Pickerington's 1 percent income tax.
But he said that doesn't mean the city has to open its doors to every development opportunity.
"We must be creative enough to attract the right development without giving away the store," Sabatino said.
Melissa Wilde
Wilde volunteers in the Pickerington Local School District and is seeking her first elective office.
As the PTSO vice president for Diley Middle School, Wilde said she would like to see more collaboration between City Council and the school district, particularly on development decisions.
Wilde holds a master's degree in Public Administration from California State, Long Beach.
"Development, city planning and financing are the areas I studied and where my passions lie," Wilde said.
If elected, Wilde said she work to help entice more businesses to move to the city.
"I want to see our city continue to grow. We have a highly-skilled work force in our city and I want to focus on issues that would attract more businesses for our specific population," she said.
Wilde also volunteers as a mentor for young women and girls through such programs as Girl Scouts.
"I believe in the importance of training the next generation of leaders," she said.
Wilde said she wants to work together with others "to make Pickerington a place that people are proud to call home and a city that is more competitive with our neighboring cities."
