Voter Guide: Englewood City Council

Education: Wright State University-Bachelor of Science in Business (Marketing)

Current Employment: Montgomery County Tax Office, Marketing Strategist and Executive Assistant

Community Engagement: Vice President, Northmont Kiwanis Club; T-Bolt Tribe Member; Member of the Greater Dayton League of Women Voters; Montgomery County United Way Campaign Coordinator

Why are you looking for an elected office? I was elected for a partial period in 2019. I shall seek re-election to continue serving the people of Englewood and building on the work that has already been done in the city.

Why should voters choose you? I was born and raised here, invested in this area and plan to stay there for the rest of my life. For almost two years in the local council, I can stand up for the residents. For example, it was a big step for the city to bring the city meeting audio online for people who cannot hold meetings. I also believe the connections I have made with officials and leaders outside of the city and Northmont community can help Englewood.

If you are elected, what will your top three priorities be? 1. Inform residents about the activities of their local government. 2. Support the police, ambulance and fire services. 3. Take a closer look at existing economic development plans and work with other executives to find the best strategies.

What specific plans do you have to address these top priorities? 1. It was a positive tool for residents to put the audio from the meeting online. I would like to see more, however. We need to close closed captioning meetings to keep people with hearing impairments informed. As a city council member, I am also contacted by local residents with questions on multiple platforms and I have promoted city council actions on social media. I think that’s the most important part of the job. You meet and act on behalf of the residents and keep them informed. The public relations will not stop if I am re-elected. 2. After several unfortunate events in 2020, it is clear that our first responders are doing a lot to keep us safe and healthy. The collaboration between Clayton, Union, Englewood Fire / EMS was extremely beneficial. I will never support efforts to cut first responders’ budgets for the tools, safety equipment, and training they need to keep our safety. 3. Some of the development plans have not been updated since 1998. Much has changed in the Northmont community. Technology is also changing rapidly. As you grapple with these plans and change outdated regulations and laws, Englewood becomes more attractive to businesses. I would also like to apply some of the strategies that the Treasury and other cities like Huber Heights and Centerville have used to reduce vacancies in their area. I don’t think copying is the answer. There is no such thing as a “perfect plan”. But opening up a dialogue and learning from it can be productive.

One more thing? www.draperforcouncil.com

Andrew Gough

Education: MA, Applied Behavioral Sciences, Wright State University, 2002; BA, Criminal Justice, University of Dayton, 1999; AAS, Law Enforcement; Sinclair Community College, 1997

Current Employment: Montgomery County, Ohio, 2000-Present

Civic Engagement: I’ve been on the Englewood City Council since 2016 and on the Englewood City Planning Commission from 2011 to 2016. I am the current city council representative on the planning commission. I have also volunteered at Northmont City Schools over the years and volunteer coaching at Northmont Say Soccer, Englewood Baseball, Northmont Wee Bolts (soccer), and Northmont Future Bolts (basketball) for the past 15 years. I am a member of St. Paul Catholic Church in Englewood and have taught religion to our youth for over 10 years.

Why are you looking for an elected office? I am running for reelection because I am an active contributor to the community and want to continue serving on Englewood City Council to ensure our city remains strong, effective and safe. I believe our city council and city manager work well together and our city is run very well.

Why should voters choose you? During my time on the city council, we approved the modernization of our water treatment plant to make softened water from hard water. Our water prices remain some of the cheapest in Montgomery County. The fire service cooperation between Englewood, Clayton and Union was initiated in June 2020. It has improved response times and will save millions of dollars in all of our cities in the years to come. In addition, the city recently added 17 new full-time fire / rescue services to meet demand for emergency medical services. City streets are some of the best in Ohio, and our snow removal and road maintenance are top notch. Our police station is fully equipped with body cameras, and we were one of the first Montgomery County police stations to do this. Our emergency response times are excellent and crime in our city is low. Englewood is financially sound and has little to no debt. The city is investing heavily in parks and recreation with the building of Challenger Field for the mentally and physically challenged in Centennial Park. This is one of the few in this region of Ohio, and I am proud that our advice, along with support from the Englewood Little League, the Northmont Education Foundation, and the Montgomery County Development Block Grant Fund, has made it possible. The City Council has approved plans to build a new Dayton Metro-Library on National Road. This $ 9.8 million facility will be a great addition to our community.

If you are elected, what will your top three priorities be? In the event of re-election, one of my priorities is to continue to ensure that the fire / ambulance / police force has the right equipment, training and resources to do their job effectively and professionally. Total crime in Englewood is also at a 16-year low, while other cities in Ohio have seen total crime rise. I also believe that our city has to be responsible for taxes. Our city currently has little to no debt and we have been financially healthy despite this COVID-19 pandemic. Englewood must continue to be business friendly to attract new and keep existing businesses in our community.

What specific plans do you have to address these top priorities? Fortunately, our city has no major problems and these priories are easy to get to. Our city is already operating effectively and is cost effective. However, our budgets should always be scrutinized in order to work more efficiently and responsibly. Our fire brigade and police should also always have the right resources to do their job effectively. They should be fully staffed, continue to have high standards, and be well trained. I will continue to vote to provide financial support to our emergency rooms, water and sewage works, and road maintenance departments.

One more thing? Englewood is a great place to live and raise a family. It’s a safe and welcoming residential and commercial community. Our Challenger Field in Centennial Park has also completed a successful opening season and is very popular. This league has received tremendous support from our city, local businesses and volunteers. The next year is set to get bigger and become even more popular with adults and children with intellectual and physical challenges who want to be active in sports. Our citizens should also use our city parks and the subway park. They’re some of the best in Montgomery County, and they all have newer equipment. Plus, they’re well-groomed and safe.

Darren J. Sawmiller

City: Englewood

Education: Apollo Career Center (Criminal Justice), Sinclair Community College

Current position: Caterpillar logistics center

Community Engagement: Montgomery County Republican Central Committee, Chaplain (Sons of the American Legion Post 707), Irish Club (Dayton), Victory Church Leadership Team (Children’s Service), Kiwanis Club of Northmont, VFW Auxiliary Member Post 8445, Englewood Elementary PTO

Why are you looking for an elected office? City council membership would be a way for me to give back to the community that has supported and encouraged me and my family for the past 10+ years. My various leadership roles, various service opportunities, customer service, and public relations have given me skills and insights that I believe could be useful at the council table, in public service, and in dealing with our neighboring communities. I behave with integrity and commitment. I intend to stay true to these values ​​in everything I do for the city.

Why should voters choose you? I am honest in both my actions and the way I approach problems. I am a representative for all people and do not have a narrow perspective. I strive to do a great job by investing a lot of time and energy. My main motivation is the interests of the people of Englewood. I am running for city council to serve and work hard for my neighbors, to call them and resolve their concerns quickly and effectively. When we work together, we can move Englewood forward, not just for our children but for our grandchildren as well.

If you are elected, what will your top three priorities be? Promote sustainable economic development and key infrastructure needs. Invest in the future of our children and grandchildren. Make a long-term plan to keep our roads safe and provide our first responders with all the tools they need.

What specific plans do you have to address these top priorities? Get back to basics and be proactive in recruiting new businesses to our community and keep our current offices here. Get involved in new ideas and opportunities for our younger citizens to grow with our region and become part of the city. Rearrange resources so the people of Englewood can live in a beautiful city without paying so much out of their own pocket. Especially for our senior community.

One more thing? I plan to live in this town with my family for a long time, and I want to continue to play an active role in making Englewood a great place for our community’s children as they grow up.