The three at-large Kent City Council positions are important. Unlike all other Council seats, the at-large ones represent the entire Kent community. Students have a notoriously low representation on Council. We need to change that.

Bill Schultz

Hands down, Schultz has the most experience among the candidates. He has been a public servant for almost 24 years and realizes the importance of Campus Link.

Schultz’s levelheadedness and in-depth knowledge of Council are very important factors in his endorsement. On numerous occasions at last week’s forum, Schultz was forced to dispel the inconsistent and misleading information provided by his opponent, Lloyd Atkinson.

At one point Atkinson said Council spent 0 percent of income taxes on streets last year. Although the statistic was correct, Schultz explained that the amount of money spent on roads ($500,000) has been fairly consistent the past few years. The funding may not have come from income taxes, but it did come from other sources. It’s troubling to think a potential councilman would flaunt such a statistic around without looking into it.

Paulette Kordinak

The only woman in the race, Kordinak will add some diversity to Council. She has had years of experience as a realtor and teaches real estate classes at John Carroll University. Regional development through the Bicentennial Plan and Campus Link is the most important issue Council faces. Kordinak’s experience in the realty arena adds greatly to her credentials.

Kordinak is progressive. She realizes the importance of forward-thinking in Kent, but she mustn’t hesitate to take large steps. At one point she backtracked slightly on her support for Campus Link, saying she was wary about the amount of money that could be spent on the plan. Kent needs aggressive leaders. It is extreme prudence that has made the community stagnant. Will tax dollars need to be invested to bring about Campus Link and the Bicentennial Plan’s fruition? Yes. But that investment will bring Kent out of dumpy downtown and into model community.

Rick Hawksley

Hawksley has had a fair amount of experience on Council, serving for more than three years. He’s an architect, so he knows the importance of city planning and development.

Hawksley is perhaps the most eloquent speaker among the group, offering clear explanations and ideas. This greatly contrasts incumbent Mike DeLeone, who makes no qualms about his problem with public speaking.

A public official has no room for stage fright. Councilmen and women must conduct weekly public meetings and must be able to express opinions during them. DeLeone mentioned parking as being the bane of the city. Even though he has been a university employee for 25 years and has been on Council for more than seven, DeLeone doesn’t seem to have a grasp on issues affecting Kent and Kent State. While parking is important, it’s only a minor point in the development of downtown. DeLeone doesn’t seem to understand this.

The above editorial is the consensus opinion of the Daily Kent Stater.