Delaware Vice Mayor Kent Shafer has announced he will seek reelection to Delaware City Council in November. In a press release issued by Yocum Communications announcing the decision, Shafer said he will run for one of the three at-large seats that will be up for grabs in the election.
Shafer, a 33-year veteran of the Columbus Division of Police, was first elected to council in 2013 and is now seeking his third term. He has served as vice mayor in the city since 2015. Along with serving on council, Shafer is also the chairman of the Parking & Safety Committee, a member of the Finance Committee, and serves as the city’s representative to the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission.
“It’s an exciting time to be on Delaware City Council,” Shafer said. “Our city is experiencing an incredible surge in growth, the downtown is booming, and we’re starting to see growth and revitalization on the east side of the river. It’s great to be a part of it.”
While Shafer has seen his share of growth come to the Delaware community, there remains plenty more he would still like to see if re-elected to a third term. Among the projects Shafer is still hopeful he can have a hand in are the oft-discussed plans to bring a hotel to downtown Delaware, as well as a parking garage and greater access to downtown parking in general.
Shafer also highlighted his wish to create programs that incentivize and increase affordable housing, continue the development of the airport, and bring development to the Sawmill Parkway corridor that will attract businesses to Delaware.
“I feel very positive about the accomplishments we’ve made in the past several years,” Shafer said. “But I’ve always been a believer that you can’t sit back and rest on your laurels. With growth comes challenges, and we need to be ready to meet those challenges.”
“I am particularly proud of how the city reached out to citizens to help mitigate the negative economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Shafer told the Gazette. “We’ve continued to grow our downtown and have become a destination for dining and entertainment. The DORA has significantly enhanced the ability to enjoy our downtown businesses. We are in the process of gaining a downtown hotel which will be helpful to not only our downtown merchants, but to OWU and many businesses in our industrial park.”
Shafer went on to say in the release, “I see my role on council to be multi-faceted. I enjoy working with constituents to resolve local concerns and improve safety in our neighborhoods. I also am proud to help local companies find ways to grow their business. When that happens, we keep jobs and dollars in Delaware.”
