Retain Simmons in Elyria's 5th Ward

Diane Simmons has been on Elyria City Council for a little over a year, but she's already proven she belongs there. Her short tenure reflects her appointment by fellow Democrats in July 2020 to replace former 5th Ward Councilman Marcus Madison after he stepped down. Since then, Simmons, 62, has shown herself to be a hard worker devoted to improving not just her ward, but the whole of Elyria. Voters should elect her in her own right to a full two-year term. Simmons' opponent, independent Brad Armstrong, is a community activist who works a variety of jobs, including in the Athletic Department at Lorain County Community College and as a wellness coach. The 37-year-old also runs a popular Easter egg hunt on the south side every year. However, he's never held elected office, which means he lacks the experience and knowledge Simmons has garnered during her time on Council. The difference was obvious to us during separate endorsement interviews with the two candidates. Simmons was able to delve deeper into issues facing the city, such as the need for police body cameras and the importance of Issue 6, a 0.5 percent income tax increase that voters have approved twice and that has funded road work, parks and city equipment. She also demonstrated a more practical view on how to solve problems, rightly recognizing that long-standing issues, such as the need to redevelop downtown or the Midway Mall area, require patience and hard work. She pointed out that the city is engaged in ongoing efforts to revitalize both areas. Armstrong, too, identified problems in the city, including the need for sustained economic development, the importance of body cameras and the need to tear down the old Shane's Furniture building downtown. What he lacked, however, was the in-depth knowledge to offer concrete solutions. He told us that the most important issue facing the city was a lack of communication between city officials and residents. He argued that Simmons wasn't well-known in the ward or doing enough to fix the problems there. That's not our impression. We interviewed Simmons twice this year, once before the May primary (we endorsed her over another community activist, LeighAnn Arroyo, in that contest) and again this fall. Both times we found her to be engaged with the concerns of residents. "When they have problems, when they have challenges, they need to know we're here to help them," Simmons, who works for R.W. Beckett Corp., said. Which is why she has sweated the small stuff, such as litter and high grass that are concerns residents have raised with her. She has pushed to bring a pharmacy to the south side and wants to give the new owners of the old Gas USA a chance to succeed. There's an additional wrinkle that complicates Armstrong's candidacy: his conviction in 2014 on felony charges of aggravated assault and disrupting public services. Police reported that he became angry with an ex-girlfriend after going through her cell phone then punched and choked her to the point of unconsciousness. Those are serious offenses, and voters would be remiss if they didn't at least consider Armstrong's criminal record when deciding whom to vote for. Armstrong told us that it was a mistake and that he had "changed my life so much" since then. While Armstrong has paid his debt to society by successfully completing probation, Ohio law largely bars convicted felons from holding public office. That prohibition, however, doesn't prevent Armstrong from running for one. Still, it's an open question whether he could be seated on Council were he to defeat Simmons. As Elyria Law Director Amanda Deery said earlier this month, a legal challenge to Armstrong's eligibility to serve could be filed, putting the decision in the hands of a judge. Armstrong told us that given how he'd turned his life around, he couldn't see a judge keeping him off Council. Perhaps, but he sought to have the court records of his case sealed earlier this year and a judge denied the request. Voters should be wary of what could turn into a protracted and expensive legal fight leaving residents of the 5th Ward in limbo over who would represent them on Council. Even without Armstrong's criminal conviction, Simmons is the better candidate because of her experience and practicality. Voters in the 5th Ward would be well-served to keep her on Council.