Incumbent candidates Carla Fiehrer, Eric Pohlman and Susan Vaughn are seeking re-election to the body, but first-time candidate Andrew Conn also wants to be a part of the city’s top decision-makers. And among the three elected, whoever is the top vote-getter will become the city’s next vice mayor for two years.
The four were invited to participate in a candidates forum on Oct. 9 at the Miami Hamilton Downtown center. The center and TVHamilton presented the forum with the Greater Hamilton Chamber of Commerce organizing and presenting the one-hour event.
Conn is hoping to beat one of the incumbents seeking re-election and said being “a new face” is an asset for him.
“I’m not a politician, I’ve never held any city government office before, I’ve never been on any municipal boards or commissions,” said Conn. “I don’t have any political agenda or aspirations save this one: are the decisions I’m making today in the best interests in the city of Hamilton, business community and its residents?”
He said his “fresh perspective” on City Council will “foster new ideas, new approaches to issues and concerns, and will be a catalyst for city council to think outside the box and be creative and solve problems for the city.”
Pohlman, who was the top vote-getter among the candidates in the much larger field in 2019, said he would continue to be a dedicated council member leaning on his decades of small business experience.
“That’s what I did here in town,” said the former mechanic shop owner. “Hamilton was good to me, and I still think we need to do all we can for small businesses.”
Additionally, he said infrastructure improvements need to be a priority ― including looking at every avenue of funding to improve the city’s infrastructure ― as well as being fiscally responsible as the city looks to plan long-term for its prosperity and well-being.
Vaughn, who, like Pohlman, is wrapping up her first term on council, said the public will not see a lapse in her work if re-elected. Though it’s not technically a full-time job, it is for her, though she doesn’t call it a job.
“It’s rewarding every day that I’m out on the streets and talking to people and engaging,” she said. “I will be dedicated to making this, continuing to make this our home.”
She said her vision for Hamilton is future-forward while living in the present because “you can’t lose sight of what’s to come down the road.”
“We have a great future for our city and for our young people that will next be the leaders,” she said.
Carla Fiehrer, the longest-serving council member among the candidates, said her leadership over four terms on City Council would be proven at the ballot box.
“I believe the most important role for City Council is connecting with citizens, and we should be ambassadors for them,” said the 16-year council member. “We should be able to be the ones who should answer the questions that they have because they don’t know everything that’s going on.”
“I have served for 16 years, and rather than sit and tick off everything we’ve been able to do successfully, I hope that people can see what I have done as one of the leaders of our city,” said the council member who served on multiple boards and commissions prior to her time, and since joining, City Council in 2008. “I think about our journey all the time. What we’ve accomplished and what still lies ahead.”
Election 2023
Early voting: Early voting is underway and registered voters can cast in-office ballots at the Butler County Board of Elections, 1802 Princeton Road, Hamilton. They can also request a vote-by-mail absentee ballot by downloading a form from VoteOhio.gov or contacting the county elections office at 513-887-3700. Vote-by-mail ballots must be postmarked by Nov. 6 (you should ask the post office to postmark the envelope).
Early voting times: Ohio has four weeks of in-person early voting. Here are the times and dates:
- 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 16 to Oct. 20, and Oct. 23 to Oct. 27
- 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 30
- 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 31
- 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1 to 3
- 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Nov. 4
- 1 to 5 p.m. on Nov. 5
Election Day: Election Day is Nov. 7, and polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voters who did not mail back any vote-by-mail absentee ballots may drop them off at the county elections office on Princeton Road. Polling locations cannot accept vote-by-mail ballots.
More details
The Journal-News is providing readers with election-related content every Sunday, including today, where we’re looking at the more populous cities, townships, and school districts in Butler County. Not all races are contested, meaning there are not more candidates than open seats up for election in those contests.
Visit journal-news.com/elections for more on the candidates.
MORE ONLINE
Visit journal-news.com to view the candidate forums for the Hamilton City Council and Hamilton City School Board races
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