Coshocton mayor candidates have community at heart
COSHOCTON − Incumbent Democrat Mark Mills believes he has the city on the right direction as mayor, while Republican Tom Heading feels more needs to be done.
Mills is finishing his first term as mayor, having defeated incumbent Republican Steve Mercer four years ago. The Coshocton native has more than 25 years experience in the restaurant industry, ranging from cook to executive management. He's a member of Grace United Methodist Church, Sons of the American Legion, Boy Scouts of America and serves on several local boards.
Heading first moved to Coshocton in 1994 when he became district executive for the Boy Scouts of America. In 1995, he became a basket maker for the Longaberger Company and was with the company 13 years. He's currently a research and development chemist for Wiley Companies and has been with them more than 10 years. He's also a member of the Coshocton Presbyterian Church, Coshocton in Bloom, Coshocton Tree Commission, Coshocton Rotary Club, Coshocton Republican Central Committee and has been a coordinator for Financial Peace University. He previously played for the Coshocton Community Band and served on the board for the United Way of Coshocton County.
Why are you running for mayor?
Mills: I am seeking re-election to continue the progress that has been achieved over the last four year to make our hometown a better place to live, work and play. I want to continue the work I have started in my first term. I wish to continue working with local stakeholders to grow and beautify the downtown area, grow business and industry, both large and small.
My administration will continue to clean up local properties, both residential and commercial to beautify our community. I wish to improve the 100 plus year infrastructure and am currently seeking funding through several channels. I will continue to work with Coshocton County officials and collaborate will all local organizations to achieve optimal results.
Heading: In the early 2000s, I developed a personal mission statement to organize my volunteer activities. There are three points of focus. The first is working with teenage men to support them to learn the qualities we want our daughters to bring home. Second, once they find each other, I want to help them understand personal finance, so they can save towards short and long-term goals and have some to share with neighbors in need. The third is choosing Coshocton to raise their family.
I am running for mayor to focus on that third point. The lessons I have learned from working with and leading volunteer groups have directed me to study servant leadership. This is based on the belief that a leader's primary responsibility is to serve their team. In doing so, they create a culture of trust, collaboration, and mutual respect that contributes to higher performance and success.
What are your goals for your coming term if elected?
Mills: One of my major goals is to secure the maximum amount of funding from the Governor’s Office of Appalachia through its Community Grant Program. A local steering committee has been working together since Gov. Dewine’s groundbreaking announcement in October 2022 that $500 million of funding would be available to 32 Appalachian counties. Major goals for this funding would be downtown revitalization and working with county officials to improve the Skip’s Landing/County Road 1A area.
Another goal would be to secure funding to improve infrastructure by working with local, state and federal partners with the assistance of our government affairs team at Strategic Public Partners.
Heading: I will have three main focuses as mayor.
Developing the economy: In a rapidly changing economy, workers need education and training to succeed. Also, invest in infrastructure projects such as roads and broadband internet access to promote economic growth and job creation.
Keeping the public safe: In the future, I intend to prioritize investments in public safety by supporting local law enforcement and emergency services. Crime prevention initiatives, such as neighborhood watch programs, should also be revived.
Engagement with the community: Coshocton's community is strong. I want to prioritize community engagement initiatives that build a sense of belonging and promote civic engagement. This will include supporting local events and festivals, promoting volunteerism and creating opportunities for residents to participate in decision making processes.
As the incumbent, what are some accomplishments of your first term in office?
Mills: Accomplishments during my first term were not made by me alone. All accomplishments have been achieved through hard work, dedication and cooperation with the entire community. These include but are not limited to a dedicated team of city employees, outside partnerships and collaboration with local, state and federal agencies. The biggest challenge of my first term was being the first mayor in 100 years to lead this city through a worldwide pandemic. I am extremely proud how I have helped this city adopt a community mindset; you cannot have “community” without “unity.” This includes a strengthened partnership with the county government.
A couple examples of accomplishments are:
The merger of the city and county health departments, becoming the Coshocton Public Health District. This merger will free up approximately $2 million over the next ten years that can be saved or used towards other services. This merger had been discussed for over a decade without any real progress towards solidifying it.
My team successfully negotiated with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to expedite the funding process so that $980,000 was secured for the West Lafayette water project. Without my perseverance this funding could easily have been lost. As we continue down the path of becoming a regional water supplier, my team has successfully been awarded approximately $10 million for the Warsaw waterlines project.
As the challenger, what are some elements of your background you feel will serve you and the people well if elected?
Heading: I grew up in an U.S. Air Force family and lived in multiple cultures during my youth. My father retired as a colonel in Mississippi after 27 years of service. After residing in varied locations, I recognized how remarkable our community was. The people I became friends with encouraged me to get involved by volunteering to promote strong families and faith-based organizations. When the job with the BSA finished in 1995, Caroline (my wife) asked me to only look for employment in Coshocton. I agreed because we both had fallen in love with the area.
This article originally appeared on Coshocton Tribune: Mark Mills challenged by Tom Heading for Coshocton mayor
