2023 Green Voter Guide: Races for mayor, council and law director contested
Welcome to the 2023 Voter Guide produced by the League of Women Voters and Akron Beacon Journal with funding from the Knight Foundation.
There are contested races in Green for mayor, city council at-large, and law director on the Nov. 7 ballot. The race for Green Board of Education is uncontested with Eric Chojnacki and Dave Cohen as the only candidates for two seats.
Early voting is taking place through Nov. 5 at the Summit County Board of Elections Early Vote Center, 500 Grant St., Akron.
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Responses are not edited, vetted or corrected by the League of Women Voters or Beacon Journal to allow candidates to speak in their own words.
Interactive Voter Guide
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2023 Election: Summit County Voter Guide
Green Mayor
Barbara Crouse Babbitt
Training/Experience: Former Judicial Attorney, Ninth District Court of Appeals; former Assistant Prosecutor, Summit County Prosecutor's Office, Civil Division; former private legal practice
Education: BA, Denison University 1992 ; JD, Northwestern University School of Law 1996
Website: barbforgreen.com
Why are you the best candidate for the office? I am committed to keeping Green a great place to live for ALL residents. My legal background, interpersonal skills, and skills developed through 27 years of community service provide me a solid foundation from which to lead our city. I highly value honesty and transparency. My record on city council demonstrates that I am fiscally responsible and listen to the residents of Green. I am not a career politician and I've not been hand picked to follow in anyone's footsteps. I am a lifelong resident who loves Green and seeks to protect the city's future. My vision for Green's future involves increased fiscal restraint and realistic priorities for spending. I will focus on projects which protect the safety of Green citizens and maintain the standards our residents deserve -standards such as safe, properly maintained streets, sustainable infrastructure, parks that are kept in good repair and serve many types of residents, and community programming for residents of all ages.
What is your vision for economic development for your community over the next ten years? My vision for economic development in Green begins with a focus on attracting business to the city and restoring our tax base. Green has seen a number of large employers leave the city over the last several years. It is crucial that we attract and retain the kind businesses that are sustainable in the post pandemic era and will remain in Green long term. We must develop incentives and foster a climate within the city and the government that makes businesses want to come here and stay here. It is also very important that new business fit into our community. In addition to attracting businesses to provide jobs that support our tax base, we want businesses that appeal to our residents' interests and improve their lives. Additionally, we must employ purposeful planning and zoning to ensure that business development does not impede enjoyment or salability of residential property.
What are the most significant issues facing your community and what ideas do you have to address these issues? Economic Stability: We must rein in our spending. In recent years, the city has purchased a golf course, taken on significant debt for roundabouts and a community center, and dipped into street repair funds to finance a non-priority pet project. I will refocus spending and prioritize safety concerns and the maintenance of our amenities and infrastructure. I will also pursue community partnerships and other creative financing sources for projects. Safety: The safety of Green residents is of primary importance. I will work to maintain a strong relationship with our police force, the Summit County Sheriff's Department. I am also committed to improving our fire response to the southwest part of the city. Accountability: I will restore transparency and work to rebuild trust between the Green community and government. Development: I will promote a measured approach to growth in the city, always keeping in mind the purpose of our zoning and the character of our community.
Rocco Yeargin
Training/Experience: Attorney for 26 years focused in the areas of Consumer Protection, Estate Planning, and Probate Law; Small Business Owner for 16 years; Green City Council Member for 5+ years.
Education: Hiram College, B.A., Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa; University of Akron School of Law, Magna Cum Laude
Website: roccoformayor.com
Why are you the best candidate for the office? In my 26 years as an attorney, I have worked hard to solve problems for my clients on a daily basis. As a consumer lawyer, I have fought to level the playing field in favor of everyday people against powerful Interests. In my probate practice, I have walked with people through the grief of loss while directing them through the court process. And as a Green City Council member, I have used my experience as a problem solver and compassionate listener to resolve resident concerns in a timely fashion. In addition to my professional commitments, I have enjoyed developing relationships with residents through community groups and initiatives such as the Green Rotary, the Green Area Chamber of Commerce, softball coaching, ministries of my church, and advocating for minority and disabled residents. I am proud to raise my three children in the City of Green. I bring more community involvement, dedication, and passion to the job of Mayor than any other candidate.
What is your vision for economic development for your community over the next ten years? A strong local economy is critical to the community’s health. Our business sector pays for the many quality parks, streets, and safety services that define our quality of life. Realizing that businesses come and go over time, it is imperative that we continue to promote business development and thoughtfully invest in the infrastructure improvements that will result in balanced growth. To this end, I will focus on the speedy completion of Massillon Road construction before improving the Arlington Road corridor and connecting streets. In addition, our city economic development team will continue to work with our business community to make Green an attractive destination for new business. We must continue to capitalize on our convenient location to major cities, our proximity to Interstate 77, and our partnership with the airport to build our tax base. All of these improvements and related growth must be balanced with protecting the high quality of our residential neighborhoods.
What are the most significant issues facing your community and what ideas do you have to address these issues? As I listen to residents from every corner of our community during my door-to door campaign, one of the most common concerns mentioned is the need to manage growth in a way that improves the quality of life. To accomplish the twin goals of improving the resident experience in Green while creating the conditions for economic success, it is important that we thoughtfully maintain and improve our quality streets to stay ahead of traffic concerns. We must also improve our walking and bicycle infrastructure in ways that bring our community together while addressing the concerns of homeowners every step of the way. We also need to promote our business sector but also manage that growth to protect the quality of our neighborhoods and way of life. Importantly, the Mayor’s office should model what community looks like by collaborating with the schools, community organizations, and residents to forge solutions that work for every aspect of the community.
Council-at-Large
Elect three from five candidates.
Richard Brandenburg
Education: Master's Degree in Accounting
Training/Experience: 25 years as a CPA and finance professional
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Vote4RichardBrandenburg/
Why are you the best candidate for the office? There are no other finance professionals on Council or seeking a role on Council in 2023. With my experience as a CPA and Councilman, I am focused and equipped to serve our residents and keep our city financially sound. Over the past 25 years, I have helped businesses, non-profits, individuals and the City of Green to be successful. My experience includes in-depth work in the areas of accounting, audit, debt, decision making, economic development, process controls, taxes and more. Strength in these key finance areas is necessary for our city to be successful. On Council, my role is to thoroughly evaluate the long-term impact of every project the Mayor brings up. First, I focus on the proposed cost compared to the benefits claimed to make decisions. I dig in to get a sense of the true long-term cost, review examples of similar projects and ask questions of our city leaders. My goals are to identify the long-term costs and to help residents and Council to make an informed decision.
What is your vision for economic development for your community over the next ten years? I have seen a lot of changes in Green over my 15 years as a resident. There has been significant growth with some great additions and, of course, the headaches that come along with growth! Growth comes at a high cost, and I know from my experience as a CPA that there are many cities in our area struggling with a heavy load of debt from making poor choices. Keeping debt, expenses and our taxes low is what inspired me to seek the office of Councilman in 2019 and to seek re-election in 2023. Another goal of mine is to encourage businesses that offer necessary services to residents and potential employment to locate in the City of Green. Businesses pay the income taxes that make up the majority of city tax revenues and enable the city to provide necessary services. We need to attract businesses to the airport, commercial and industrial areas that are committed to the community for the long-term to stabilize income tax revenues and keep Green a great place to live.
What are the most significant issues facing your community and what ideas do you have to address these issues? In recent years, the City of Green has received significant outside investment in new homes, apartments and rental properties. These new residents and current residents all require city services to enjoy their lives. At the same time, inflation has been significantly increasing the cost of providing these essential city services, and the city has lost a number of major employers that have not been replaced. The City of Green is now challenged to find good employers that will stay for the long term and that are committed to Green’s success. Road conditions are also deteriorating at a rapid rate. Our city had a traffic study done in 2012 that recommended $3M / year required for roadway resurfacing and repair to keep our roads in good condition. With inflation, this amount should be at least $4M. However, in recent years, far less was spent on road maintenance in favor of new construction. The city is now challenged to reduce costs and invest more in our roads.
Clark Anthony DeVitis
Education: Green High School graduate (2013) ,Bachelors of Science in Biomedical Engineering (University of Akron, 2017), Associates of Emergency Fire Services (Stark State, 2023)
Training/Experience: Experience as a present member on Green City Council since 2020, voted Council President in 2023. Chair of Public Safety 2021-2023.
Current Occupation: Firefighter and Paramedic for the City of Solon
Why are you the best candidate for the office? I am a Bulldog, born and raised. The City of Green is everything to me. I am a lifelong resident of Green, and live here with my beautiful wife, Breanna, and our newborn daughter, Elsie. Our family is committed to building our lives here. I want to see the best from this city, its services, and its schools as our children and the future generation grow up. I have served on council for four years and would be honored to receive your support to extend my service for another term. My service does not end at council. I have been a career firefighter and paramedic for nearly five years, and am currently serving at the City of Solon Fire Department. Working as a firefighter and paramedic is a humbling position; every day you meet people in their most challenging moments, and fight to make a difference in their lives. I aim to continue to bring this attitude of service to the residents of our City; making a difference in the lives of our people and the future of our city every day.
What is your vision for economic development for your community over the next ten years? The City of Green must continue to attract business, big and small, but with consideration to our residents and their daily lives. We must make our city appealing to new companies and work to retain existing business. With strong safety services, parks, and schools, we have created a healthy place for business and a wonderful place for their employees to reside. The City has been vigilantly building up these services while remaining fiscally responsible in doing so. While on council, I will support incentives that encourage business development and will promote responsible growth and benefits for our residents. Green’s residents’ quality of life is paramount when crafting business growth strategies. Our city is positioned for success, with two state routes, interstate access, a commercial airport, and existing industrial and commercial parks. With a strong core of businesses, we can continue to provide and expand our premier services to our residents, without increasing tax burden.
What are the most significant issues facing your community and what ideas do you have to address these issues? Safety services continue to be a focus of many residents. My public service experience has put me in a position to improve our fire and sheriff presence. During my first term on council, the city opened Fire Station #3, increased sheriff patrol and added a K9 unit. We are looking to improve safety responses to the southwest corner of the city. Nationwide, we are battling massive inflation rates, and the City must keep that in mind as we invest in our future. We must look for creative ways to improve city services and infrastructure despite increasing costs of materials and labor. We must leverage grants and our Tax Increment Financing program to decrease tax burden while continuing to improve our community. Housing has become a challenge for potential buyers in strong communities like Green. We must consider methods to make permanent housing affordable for young and motivated blue and white collar families, while maintaining Green’s identity and history as a suburban farming community.
Gerard Neugebauer
Education: MBA - University of Akron, 1991, BS Civil Engineering - University of Akron, 1987
Training/Experience: Mayor - 8 Years, Council-at-Large - 4 Years, Planning & Zoning Commission - 8 Years, Design Review Board - 2 Years
Website: LeadershipforGreen.com
Why are you the best candidate for the office? I have served the City of Green for over two decades as Mayor, Councilman, and as member of several boards and commissions. I have spent this time working with our businesses, local school board, city administrative staff, and residents to understand and meet the needs of our community. I bring a strong background in finance to help keep our city strong. I have a track record of growing income tax revenues by $7.7 million while maintaining our $20 million operating reserve and lowering our city debt by $7 million. Over the last 12 years, we have maintained the lowest property tax rates in Summit County by working collaboratively with our local businesses and school district. We continue to improve and expand our excellent park district, providing space for our residents to be active or reflective.
What is your vision for economic development for your community over the next ten years? Green has a diverse business community with 1,200 businesses, big and small. None of our businesses represent more than 2% of our income, so we are resilient to the ebb and flow of companies searching for a new home. We attract businesses by being a great place to work, live, and play. We have world-class parks and recreational facilities. We have an excellent school system and are currently replacing three older schools with new Middle and Elementary schools. We aggressively use TIF (Tax Increment Financing) to fund the development of a modern, efficient transportation system without burdening our city finances. We have three exits in I-77 to make Green a quick trip to anywhere in northeast Ohio, and the Akron-Canton Airport to make Green a quick trip to anywhere in the world. With plenty of land for development, with great access to anywhere you want to go, Green has a 31 year history of strong economic growth that will continue for years to come.
What are the most significant issues facing your community and what ideas do you have to address these issues? Public safety remains a core objective in our growing city. During my 8 years as mayor we added a 3rd fire station to improve our emergency response in the City. We doubled our sheriff patrols during peak response periods and added a K-9 unit. We started a drug task force in 2016, to better address opiate crises that was spreading across our country. We started our Quick Response Team to reach out to those impacted by drugs to offer treatment and hope. We started a Community Paramedicine program to take care of the elderly at home to reduce the need for emergency response. Building an active, involved community is also key to a thriving city. We created volunteer programs to allow residents to participate in their community, beautify their city, and allow our students to participate in the local government. We support active, social lifestyles for our youth, adults and elderly with excellent parks, programs and recreational spaces.
Justin Speight
Education: MS - Logistics, Trade, and Transportation / BS - Communication Studies / AS - Aviation Management
Training/Experience: 20 years - United States Air Force Reserve / 4 years - Green City Council
Why are you the best candidate for the office? As a military veteran, I am the best candidate for Green City Council. My years of service have instilled in me discipline, leadership, and a strong work ethic. These qualities are essential for effective governance. I understand the importance of teamwork and collaboration, traits that are crucial for building consensus among council members. Moreover, my experience in the military has given me a unique perspective on issues such as public safety and infrastructure development. With my dedication to service and commitment to excellence, I am confident in my ability to make positive changes for our city as a member of the Green City Council.
What is your vision for economic development for your community over the next ten years? Over the next ten years, my vision for economic development in the City of Green is one that fosters sustainable growth and innovation. I envision a community that thrives on a diverse economy, where small businesses flourish alongside large corporations. To achieve this, I propose investing in infrastructure improvements that enhance connectivity and accessibility. The continuation of upgrading our transportation systems will not only reduce congestion and improve safety but also attract new businesses and residents to our community. Furthermore, I believe in nurturing local entrepreneurship by providing resources and incentives for startups. By creating an incubation center at the former FedEx building on Boettler Road and offering tax breaks to innovative ventures, we can foster a culture of creativity and attract more talent to the City of Green.
What are the most significant issues facing your community and what ideas do you have to address these issues? Over development and traffic are two of the most significant issues facing our community today. As our population continues to grow, so does the need for more infrastructure. However, this rapid development has led to increased traffic congestion and a strain on our resources. To address these issues, we need to prioritize sustainable development practices. This includes implementing smart growth strategies that adhere to our zoning code. Additionally, it is essential to engage in long-term planning that takes into account future growth projections. In conclusion, over development and traffic are pressing issues that require immediate attention. By prioritizing sustainable development practices, investing in infrastructure, and engaging in long-term planning, we can address these challenges effectively while preserving the quality of life in our community for generations to come.
Erin Yoder
Training/Experience: 25 Years Customer Service and Collections, 13 years Insurance Agent
Website: www.yoder4citycouncil.com
Why are you the best candidate for the office? I am not a career politician. I represent all of the people just like me, your average citizen who lives paycheck to paycheck. I have the ability to hear our citizens in a different way and use what they would like to see for our city and in their life. I am not going to just rubber stamp anything that I'm told to on the Council, we work for the people and I take that very seriously.
What is your vision for economic development for your community over the next ten years? Instead of building more homes, I would love to see us utilize all of the energy grants and start adding solar panels to our buildings. Our city is literally named Green and we should capitalize on that. This will allow us to not only save money but if we can sell some of it back to the electric company, we could make money while saving the grid. Our city is unique because we offer both city and country and can use this to bring more of the multi-billion dollar bridal industry here..especially with how close we are to the airport. We can have progress in our community while keeping it balanced. We need to see beyond ourselves and do better for the people we represent who moved out of the city for what we offer.
What are the most significant issues facing your community and what ideas do you have to address these issues? We are currently pricing our seniors out of our area with high taxes and our schools and buses are filling up. We have a ton of infrastructure that we're updating to keep up with our growing city. Our farm roads are struggling to keep up with the amount of traffic on them. People here are very frustrated with the constant construction and over housing of our area. We also just lost FedEx and apparently we needed their income taxes. We shouldn't be so reliant on businesses to make sure we have the money for our city.
Director of Law
Lisa Dean
Training/Experience: 25 years of legal experience in the public sector (Summit and Portage Prosecutor's Offices, Judicial Attorney in Domestic Relations Court, Magistrate in Cuyahoga Falls Mayor's Court, Law Director in Green) and as a lawyer in the private sector
Education: Bachelor of Arts from Kent State University, 1992 and Juris Doctorate from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, 1998
Website: deanforgreen.com
Why are you the best person for the job? I am the first and only elected law director for the City of Green. As such, I have the unique experience of being the only person to have ever actually done this job. I have worked very hard this past four years to establish this role as independent and to maintain the integrity of the office, and I look forward to continuing in dedicated service for the next four years!
What are the top two issues you want to address if you are elected? 1) Our city ordinances are in the process of a recodification for the first time since we became a city 30 years ago. I initiated this process, and I would like to see this program through to its completion and implementation. There are a number of our laws that were lacking or outdated, and it is important that we continue to make progress for the benefit of our citizens and businesses. 2) Since elected, I have hosted multiple, educational programs surrounding the law and legal rights that were free and open to the public. I want to continue to use this position to offer these services as a benefit to the community. For example, we are having a Law Clinic at the City of Green on Saturday, October 7th from 10 a.m. until noon where citizens can ask a lawyer any legal question they may have, free of charge.
If elected, what knowledge and skills will you bring that will benefit your community? I have 25 years of legal experience that is well-rounded and packed with service to the community. I am nearing the completion of my fourth year as the legal advisor to the Mayor's Administration and Council. As the Law Director, I am also responsible for providing
legal advice to the employees, boards, commissions, volunteers, and others in all matters affecting the City of Green. Prior to becoming the first elected law director, I had five years of experience as a magistrate in a mayor's court, experience as a judicial attorney, experience as a law clerk in local prosecutors' offices, and experience as an attorney in private practice.
John Greven
Candidate did not respond
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 2023 Green Voter Guide: Races for mayor, council and law director
