Councilman Michael Kline is not running for re-election. The top three vote-getters in this election will serve a four-year term.
Draper, 23, is the youngest woman elected in the county and says she brings fresh eyes and a unique perspective to the council.
“I want to continue to work for the people of Englewood,” she said. “When I talk to residents I learn from them and then working with the city I learned things and I want to put two and two together and figure out how I can help the residents.”
Draper works for the Montgomery County Treasurer’s Office and said her priorities if elected will be to create a better relationship between the city and residents. She also said she will continue to work with residents regarding their daily concerns like trash pickup and tall grass issues in neighborhoods. She also wants to focus on the city’s economic development plan to bring businesses into town.
“I want to keep serving the citizens and keep seeing the city move forward,” she said.
Gough, 46, works for the Montgomery County Common Pleas Court and has been a council member since 2016.
“I’m very invested in the area, I’ve lived here for more than 20 years. My kids go through Northmont. I’ve volunteered in all types of different things here in the community. I like it and I don’t plan on going away and hopefully, I get elected and continue what I’m doing,” he said.
He said if elected, his priorities will be public safety and infrastructure upgrades throughout the city. He also said that he wants to keep the area business-friendly and is proud of the work done to build a baseball field in the community for children with special needs as well as hiring more full-time firefighters.
“I’m here to serve our citizens and I think I have the experience, and we’ve done a lot of good things with the city over the past three to four years that I’ve been on council, and I hope the citizens see that and give me another term.”
Hill, 35, is a professor teaching social work at Central State University and said he chose to run for city council because he feels his experience will help him serve the community.
“Social work is really rooted to the well-being of individuals, even the courses that I teach and even the service projects I have in the classroom, they are aligned with what the local, state and federal government deals with. Healthcare, extracurricular activities, educational activities, the welfare of an individual, this is what I teach and this is what I practice and research.”
He said if elected, he will put the people first and work to help small businesses grow and bring new business to town. He also said he wants to upgrade local parks by adding benches, gyms, an amphitheater and wifi.
“I’m a change agent,” Hill said, adding that he is committed to the well-being of all citizens in Englewood. “If I am able to make something happen ... I’m going to see that happens. I want to see smiles, I want to see people happy. I want to see people enjoying life to the fullest.”
Sawmiller, 38, works at Catiplillar and said he ran because he wants to continue to be involved in the community.
“I have two children in the area that live with me and it’s all about their future,” Sawmiller said. “We plan on living here and I want to be a part of what is being done in the community and giving them a future.”
He said if elected, his priorities will be to attract small businesses to the area and to help keep those businesses operational once they open. He also said he wants to focus on the city’s infrastructure and be an advocate for creating programs for all children in the community.
“I’m in this for the people,” Sawmiller said. “I have no other reason to run other than being the people’s voice. I serve at church, I serve throughout the community without being in public office and that’s why I want to run. To serve my community, to be a part of the community and help out where I can.”
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