2023 Twinsburg Voter Guide: City Council race contested in Ward 1
Welcome to the 2023 Voter Guide produced by the League of Women Voters and Akron Beacon Journal with funding from the Knight Foundation.
There's only one contested race on Twinsburg city ballots Nov. 7 with two candidates seeking the Ward 1 seat on City Council.
Uncontested races include: Twinsburg mayor (Sam Scaffide); City Council At-Large (Bill Furey); Ward 2 Council (Daisy Walker); Ward 3 Council (Karen Labbe); and two seats on the Twinsburg Board of Education (Beth Egan and Maria Hamilton).
A levy for the Twinsburg schools is covered elsewhere.
Early voting is taking place 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.
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2023 Election: Summit County Voter Guide
Council Ward 1
Chuck Bonacci
Education: University of Akron, Bachelor of Science Business Administration - Marketing & Advertising, University of Akron, Associate of Arts - Criminal Justice
Training/Experience: Certified HR Professional, Training Specialist, Human Resource Specialist, Certified Professional Ski Instructor
Website: www.bonacciforcouncil.com
Why are you the best candidate for the office? I’m the best candidate, because of my passion for & loyalty to Twinsburg. Twinsburg’s Ward 1 has been my home since my youth. I graduated from Twinsburg City Schools and the University of Akron. In 06 Kathy and I purchased our home on Heritage Dr. I have 15 years of HR experience and recently recognized for 25 years of Federal Civil Service. Serving on the Environmental Commission since 16, currently as the Chairperson. As the Chairperson I’ve planned and executed community events (cleanup, document shredding, recycling and Earth Day). Executing these requires working with several city departments, Twinsburg City Schools Staff Members , Summit Metro Parks, other local agencies and businesses. This afforded me the opportunity to gain valuable insight into city operations. I know Twinsburg has what it takes to be a more attractive place for businesses & families. I want to be part of finding the solutions through Respect Purpose Action to get us there.
What is your vision for economic development of your community over the next ten years? Twinsburg is blessed with a strong business base. I believe future growth & development can happen with minimal impact to what is existing. A strategic plan for the city is critically important & could help city department’s and boards and commissions develop a synergy. Meeting with residents, talking with local business owners & participating in community focus groups I’ve heard some opportunities to improve Twinsburg. Business owners have mentioned access to workforce. One business owner, who recently invested in Twinsburg mentioned access specifically to the metro bus routes and expanded schedules. I will advocate for increased access to public transit and better connection to the Cleveland RTA at the Oakwood Border. Many residents have mentioned a desire to leave their cars parked and ride bikes safely in Twinsburg, bike paths and lanes could help. A storefront revitalization program can spur investment and attract new businesses to Twinsburg.
What are the most significant issues facing your community and what ideas do you have to address these issues? For a city to operate revenue is a must. Twinsburg like many communities has seen income tax revenue decrease because of changes to where many people are working. I believe there’s an opportunity to increase revenue by encouraging residents who are working from home in Twinsburg to ask with their employers HR to set Twinsburg as their work location for withholdings, some residents may even see a tax decrease. Having toured the waste water plant, Twinsburg has capacity to expand. Perhaps the waste water plant can take on additional capacity from neighboring communities. In addition to increasing revenue cost containment can be accomplished by sharing regional resources. Maybe some of our capital expenditures for items like service department equipment can be offset through regionalized sharing agreements. I’ll work hard to be fiscally disciplined while ensuring the high quality city services and amenities that make Twinsburg a great place to live or work remain.
Jeffrey A. Deeds
Education: Bachelor of Science in Landscape Architecture with an emphasis in Urban Planning, The Ohio State University
Training/Experience: Vice President of Development for The Visconsi Companies
Why are you the best candidate for the office? I have a history of involvement in the Twinsburg community. I started as a youth T-ball, soccer and basketball coach & commissioner. I have been an active member of TAB, the city plan review commission and more recently I was chosen by Mayor Scaffide and City Council as the current Ward 1 Council Representative. In every area of my involvement, I have been active and trusted. In my professional life, I am VP of Development for a Nationally recognized real estate development company. I believe my real estate background is vital as the City works to prepare a new zoning rewrite. I personally believe that Twinsburg's diversity is one of its biggest strengths and I object to the notion that our nation is "racially divided" in the manner that the National media likes to portray. I am a proud and active member of our JEDI (justice, equality, diversity, inclusion) Committee. I feel that I listen to residents' concerns, ask intelligent questions and respond with common sense answers.
What is your vision for economic development of your community over the next ten years? It is my belief that the three most important opportunities for economic development lie in 1) downtown redevelopment; 2) strengthening schools; and 3) selective redevelopment of our commercial, industrial and retail corridors. Downtown redevelopment - I am proposing a multi-year plan for the downtown core. The strategy is to incorporate small projects every two years (streetscape, facade improvements, public art, etc.) We will create a sense of place to draw visitors, businesses and residents to our downtown and give them reasons to stay. Schools - It is my belief that the #1 draw for business, is the existence of quality schools. It is imperative that we pass the upcoming levy and keep our K-12 schools strong. Selective redevelopment - Twinsburg is a desirable business community, especially geographically where we have two exits on I-480. The city needs to be selective with its tax abatement program and concentrate on high quality companies whose values align with city goals.
What are the most significant issues facing your community and what ideas do you have to address these issues? We are extremely fortunate to be living in a community where we don't have any significant issues. That being said, we can't be so naive as to think that a disastrous gun/shooting incident couldn't happen in our schools/shopping centers/homes. Our city needs to make certain that our officers and first responders are prepared for the worst. This past summer, I witnessed a snapshot of our preparation as the police closed off portions of the parade route for our annual Twins Days parade (prior to the parade kicking off). Part of my first-year goal, as the new council member, is to set aside a half day with each of the city's department heads. My next meeting will be scheduled to take place with the police chief. It is important that we offer our men and women in blue top-notch training and the latest in technology and equipment to prevent and/or mitigate such an event in Twinsburg. Learning what our safety forces need will be a positive first step.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Twinsburg Voter Guide: City Council race contested in Ward 1
