We are at a pivotal point in local government leadership right now and I feel that I can bring a strong voice with a demonstrated history of leadership to the city council if elected. We’ve focused on downtown long enough and need to start fixing and developing what’s broken or lacking elsewhere. Take a drive down Vermillion Street and it won’t take a fancy study to tell you that we can do much better. We need to provide resources and empower HEDRA to approach property owners along this corridor to hopefully spur development of vacant parcels and blighted properties by ensuring they are “shovel ready” if a new business or restaurant is looking at coming to Hastings.

I am the only candidate with a master’s degree in public administration and have a thorough understanding of public finance, land use, collaborative governance, and public policy. I served nearly eight years on two city commissions most recently as ViceChair of the Planning Commission. I asked tough questions during my terms and had the courage several times to vote against staff recommendations as it’s my opinion that gray exists between the black and white of an issue. We as leaders need to act with common sense and ensure that public good is at the forefront of our decision making as that’s where the rubber meets the road.

What I hope to accomplish if elected: Public Safety: We need Community Service Officers (CSO’s) and have needed them for quite some time. I’d like to get this done as soon as possible as I feel that our department could more proactively police thus reducing crime with the increased staffing. Turning to fire, we need to shift our staffing model to more fulltime firefighters as paidoncall positions cannot be filled. We also need to start planning for a second station on the south end of town to reduce response times to the southern end of our service area.

Fiscal Responsibility: We need to stop the wasteful spending, plain and simple. It’s reprehensible to me that staff can say we don’t have $5,000 for an Arts Commission but then approve buying a brand new, fullsize pickup truck 4 months earlier when a vehicle half that price could’ve served the same purpose. As a taxpayer, I expect my elected officials to scrutinize every lineitem and ensure that a business case justification is made, and all other options are vetted before capital expenditures are approved.

Parks: We need to invest significant resources here. Vermillion Falls is a treasure that’s fallen to the wayside, playground equipment is damaged and broken. We need to do better.

That’s me in a nutshell and what I will set out to accomplish if elected. I have the courage to lead and the education and experience to hit the ground running in January. I’d like your vote next Tuesday and in November! I encourage anyone interested in learning more to find me on Facebook or to call me at 6513074024.

Ian Martin