Candidates' Night: Ward I Candidates Say Economic Development is Key

Editor’s note: The following information is from Avon Lake’s Candidates' Night, held on Oct. 27. for complete information on candidates. 

Ward 1 candidates and faced off at the Oct. 27 Candidates’ Night. Gallagher, a business owner, and James, a lawyer, both touted economic development as a primary focus should they get elected.

Gallagher said he would focus on filling the former Tops building, which has stood vacant for years in Towne Center. is still collecting on a lease and Gallagher said the city might need to subsidize to “close the gap” of the current market value of the lease and what is currently being paid to Kopf.

 “I called Mr. Kopf and asked him what the problem was,” Gallagher said.  “The city might need to subsidize.”

Gallagher said he would promote the city in its entirety.

“We need to market the city the rest of Northeast Ohio and the rest of the country,” he said. “We can’t just look at tax rebates. We need to look at new businesses and encourage the ones that are here.”

Asked what the most important issue the city faced over the next two years was, both said economic development.

“Empty storefronts are an issue,” James said. “We need to find ways to promote current businesses and bring in new ones.”

Gallagher said city leaders need to focus on what makes Avon Lake attractive to business.

“We need to get aggressive with bringing in businesses,” he said.

Gallagher noted he runs 13 corporations and understands the economic climate.

“I’ve had to cut 60 jobs,” he said. “I’ve had to make tough economic decisions. We’ve gotten through rough economic times by making tough decisions.”

James, who has worked with Judge Lisa Sadler at the Tenth District Court of Appeals in Franklin County and held a position as a former assistant attorney general with Ohio Attorney General’s office, said he had excellent government skills.

“I have great working relationships with people in Columbus,” James said.

If elected, James said he would maintain the first-class services the city has to offer, including the police, fire and service departments. Gallagher said he would focus on power outages in Ward I and get to the bottom of the flooding problems.