Meet the 2023 candidates for Lafayette City Council
LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Meet the candidates for Lafayette City Council who have an opponent for the position on the 2023 Tippecanoe County municipal ballot.
Early voting begins Oct. 11, 2023, and in-person on Oct. 24 through Nov. 6, at the Tippecanoe County building.
The Journal & Courier asked each candidate three questions. Here are the questions and their responses. The presentation of the candidates is in order of district and in alphabetical order.
There are six Lafayette City Council candidates that are running unopposed.
Jerry Reynolds – Lafayette City Council District 1 – Republican candidate
Perry Brown – Lafayette City Council District 3 - Democratic candidate
Melissa Weast-Williamson – Lafayette City Council District 5 - Democratic candidate
Kevin Klinker – Lafayette City Council At-Large - Democratic candidate
Nancy Nargi - Lafayette City Council At-Large - Democratic candidate
Steve Snyder - Lafayette City Council At-Large - Democratic candidate
Eileen Hession Weiss – Lafayette City Council District 2 - Democratic candidate
Tell us about yourself and your ties to Lafayette?
I am a lifelong resident of Lafayette. Having worked in various positions and volunteered in organizations in Lafayette, I have had the opportunity to interact with a great many citizens. I love this community and am committed to its responsible growth in the future.
What are the three issues you would prioritize in addressing in regard to the City of Lafayette?
1: Citizen engagement of all ages. Too many people are turned off by politics today. I want to encourage people to become involved in their local community, as that is where a great amount of their tax dollars are spent and where they can have the most impact.
2: Public Safety. Investing in Police and Fire Department personnel and giving them the best training and equipment is essential to a great community. We have maintained high standards in Lafayette and commensurate pay is paramount to recruiting high quality employees in these areas.
3: Fiscal Responsibility. It is incumbent upon all elected officials to make sure that the citizen's tax dollars are spent in an efficient and responsible manner.
What makes you the better candidate for the seat?
I would not necessarily say a better candidate, but my business and volunteer background has prepared me for this position. Having been City Clerk, holding accounting positions in varying businesses and volunteer opportunities with nonprofits, I have had the opportunity to experience dealing with people and working together to solve problems. Regardless of political affiliation, this community works together to solve problems and I am proud of that legacy. I would be honored to continue serving the citizens of the 2nd District, if it be their wish for me to do so.
Mary Fisher – Lafayette City Council District 2 – Republican candidate
Tell us about yourself and your ties to Lafayette?
I have lived in Lafayette my entire life and graduated from Harrison High School and Purdue. I teach Special Education Preschool for Lafayette School Corporation. My grandfather and great grandfather were sheriffs of Tippecanoe County. I am dedicated to public service.
What are the three issues you would prioritize in addressing in regard to the City of Lafayette?
Three issues that I am concerned with are housing, public safety, and utilization of our existing buildings. We need to have access to affordable housing in and around the city. Rent and home values are high and continue to rise. The value of my home has doubled in the 14 years that I have lived there. Landlords should be held accountable for maintaining properties more than they are currently.
There has been a significant rise in the rate of violent crimes in Lafayette. I believe in the broken window system. If we take care of the small things, the big things will follow.
We have more and more empty strip malls in and around town, yet we continue to build new. This makes our existing properties fall to ruin. If we were to incentivize developers, we could draw more interest in those properties.
What makes you the better candidate for the seat?
I feel that I am a better candidate for representing my district and the city because as the city begins to face new challenges to work on quality of life issues, I want to bring my deep family roots in public service and my personal experiences as a working mom to the Council to offer fresh perspective.
Josiah Eller – Lafayette City Council District 4 – Libertarian candidate
Tell us about yourself and your ties to Lafayette?
I am a conservative Christian, father of two boys. I was born in Lafayette and haven’t made it far geographically. I work here and serve the community in my local church.
What are the three issues you would prioritize in addressing in regard to the City of Lafayette?
Limit government as much as possible. I would like to put the power into the hands of the community and out of government in as many facets as possible. And anything that I cannot do that with, I would like to see accountability for the things government must do.
What makes you the better candidate for the seat?
Republicans talk the talk when it comes to small government, but they don’t walk the walk. For anyone desiring smaller government, I will take a principled approach to minimizing or eliminating anything I can. And I would also like to stand with Democrat voters on police accountability. Too often in our own community, in the last decade, I’ve seen too many officers refuse to de-escalate the situation. We even had a situation make national news, for all the wrong reasons. This is a problem I want to remedy immediately.
Lauren Alhersmeyer – Lafayette City Council District 4 - Democratic candidate
Tell us about yourself and your ties to Lafayette?
My name is Lauren Ahlersmeyer and I have lived in Lafayette for 38 years. I attended Lafayette Schools and Purdue University and I currently teach elementary school in the Tippecanoe School Corporation. I’ve been married to my husband Scott for 26 years and have proudly raised three boys in Lafayette.
What are the three issues you would prioritize in addressing in regard to the City of Lafayette?
My focus centers on supporting and bolstering effective public services, sustaining, and enhancing the availability of multiple amenities, and fostering good-paying job opportunities. Effective public services ensure the smooth functioning of essential systems, encompassing education, transportation, and public safety. Maintaining and expanding these services, when needed, guarantees a higher quality of life for residents. Simultaneously, continued enhancement of amenities, such as parks, and recreational facilities, contributes to a well-rounded and enjoyable lifestyle. Lastly, promoting and attracting industries that offer good-paying jobs is paramount. This not only stimulates economic growth but also enhances the standard of living, providing stability and prosperity to the city's inhabitants. Addressing these fundamental pillars forms the foundation for a thriving and vibrant Lafayette, ensuring a higher quality of life and overall well-being for its residents.
What makes you the better candidate for the seat?
My unique blend of experience as a dedicated teacher, current councilperson, devoted wife, and loving mother sets me apart as the ideal candidate for the city council seat. As an educator, I've honed essential skills in communication, problem-solving, and community engagement. My current role as a councilperson has given me a deep understanding of local governance and the needs of our community. Being a wife and mother has instilled in me a strong commitment to building a safer, and prosperous future for our families. With this multifaceted perspective, I bring a comprehensive approach to addressing the diverse challenges our city faces.
Bob Downing – Lafayette City Council District 6 - Democratic candidate
Tell us about yourself and your ties to Lafayette?
Forty-three years I taught and coached at Jefferson High and have been a city councilman for District 6 for past 12 years. I have lived in Lafayette since 1962, married, and have five sons. Being a councilman, I have had the opportunity to see our city improve on every level.
What are the three issues you would prioritize in addressing in regard to the City of Lafayette?
Public Safety - Our new Law Enforcement building gives our police and concerned advocates a highly technical facility to process situations that affect citizens and community. The council has approved pay raises for law and fire departments to secure and retain highly qualified candidates.
Traffic- With our local growth, we have identified highly traveled roadways and continue to gather data for improving the traffic flow throughout the city. Being on the traffic commission, I am able to hear these concerns and recommendations.
Environmental Concerns – The LEAP project is a top priority for the city and county. The mayor and city council members must monitor the effects of this state project. The city has and will continue to install solar panel to enhance our solar energy supply.
What makes you the better candidate for the seat?
For the past 12 years, I have had experience of working with the citizens of Lafayette, especially in District 6. Through the leadership of Tony Roswarski, Cindy Murray and department heads, I have been able to communicate concerns to improve issues that have affected areas in District 6 – i.e. neighborhood awareness, sewer/drainage dilemmas, parks, trails, and other recreational enhancements.
In this position, I know communication is valuable and getting feedback to concerned citizens is important to me. It is critical for a city council person to have “follow through” in helping others; I know I work for the people.
Perry Barbee – Lafayette City Council District 6 – Republican Candidate
Perry Barbee did not respond to the newspaper email at press time.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Meet the 2023 candidates for Lafayette City Council
