Two incumbents, four challengers vie for four Elyria Council at-large jobs

There will be at least two new faces on Elyria City Council next year as two incumbents and four newcomers will compete for four available at-large Council seats. Democratic Councilmen At-Large Tom Callahan and Vic Stewart, who is also Council president, both declined to seek reelection this year, guaranteeing that Council would have some turnover. The incumbent Councilmen seeking reelection are Chad Schneider and Phil Tollett, both Democrats, while fellow Democrats Gina Rothgery and Matthew Van Wormer seek to join them. Independent Clifton Oliver and Republican Paul Lungo are seeking to break the Democratic sweep of at-large positions that held in the 2023 election. Paul Lungo Age: 59 Party: Republican Education: Trinity High School and Cuyahoga County Community College Family: Known my significant other Jody since high school Job history: Longtime member of the Teamsters (union) in Cuyahoga County. I was a member of the International Aerospace Machinist Union through working at Nordson in Amherst. Also worked at Boble's Office Supply in Elyria. Clifton Oliver Age: 45 Party: Independent Education: Business management degree Family: Single; one daughter; four siblings Job history: Marine Corps veteran; veteran advocate for the American Legion, Social Security Administration; currently warehouse manager and logistics of an international greenhouse supply chain Gina Rothgery Age: 58 Party: Democratic Education: High school graduate Family: Husband, Brian; two sons; five grandchildren Job history: Worked for the city of Elyria for 31 years in roles including secretary, laboratory technician and traffic technician Chad Schneider Age: 40 Party: Democratic Education: Elyria High School, Hondros School of Business, LCCC Family: Two children that attend Elyria Schools. Job history: Licensed Realtor for 22 years; Elyria Council at-Large representative seeking third term. Phill Tollett Age: 62 Party: Democratic Education: Graduate of Elyria Catholic High School and Baldwin Wallace University Family: Wife, Kathleen; two children Job history: Director of procurement, Canteen Continental, 18 years Matthew Van Wormer Age: 42 Party: Democratic Education: Elyria Catholic High School ('01); Bowling Green State University ('07) Family: Wife, Amanda; three daughters Job history: Huntington Bank, 2014-present, currently branch manager Website: Elyrians for Matthew Van Wormer Facebook page What makes you the best candidate for the position? Lungo: I am not claiming to be the best candidate, but I am the right candidate for the job. I am an outsider to the current political scene, with a citizen's perspective. As the Republican in this race, I offer a different voice, focused on accountability, transparency and listening to the people, not the insiders. I am not a career politician. I am a resident who wants to bring common sense, fairness and a focus on real results back to Elyria's city government. Oliver: I'm a lifelong resident of Elyria with a passion for building a safer, more affordable and business-friendly community. My leadership experience in the Marine Corps and as a manager has taught me the importance of accountability, teamwork and service. I'll bring practical solutions, integrity and a strong work ethic to City Council to ensure taxpayer dollars are used wisely and every resident's voice is heard. Rothgery: I'm retired from the city after 31 years. I'm very proficient and confident with the workings of the city and plan on bringing that knowledge into decision making. Schneider: I have so much local knowledge of Elyria with my background in real estate for 20+ years, four years of City Council experience and lifelong residency. I feel that these three components keep me engaged and connected well within the community and local government. I have also served our community in numerous volunteer roles and positions. With the Council at-large race, two positions are vacated due to retirements. It is important to elect experienced leadership to the at-large ticket. I bring that experience, along with an open mind and a commitment to continued growth, in this role. Tollett: I would be the best candidate because of my experience both in City Council and chair of the Civil Service commission. My years as chair of the Finance Committee has made me the most qualified for financial issues which affect the city. Van Wormer: I've seen the ups and downs of Elyria throughout my life, and I get the chance to work with residents and business owners on a daily basis, so I have a great sense of the economic challenges they are facing. By building relationships, through trust and understanding, I am able to find solutions in most situations, or guide people in the right direction. What is the biggest challenge facing the city and how would you address it? Lungo: Elyria's biggest challenge is rebuilding confidence in leadership and direction. Talking with several residents at the Elyria Apple Festival, many told me they feel unheard and disconnected. As someone outside the usual circle, I see the need for transparency, fiscal discipline, stronger focus and what works. We start with the basics: safer streets, cleaner neighborhoods and steady growth that supports working families and local businesses. Elyria needs a fresh perspective and a return to citizen-first government, not politics as usual. Oliver: Elyria's biggest challenges are high water bills, crime and attracting new businesses. I'll push for financial transparency, invest in public safety and promote partnerships to bring jobs and growth. Rothgery: The biggest challenge is the growth in the city. We are starting to see a positive turn in economic opportunities, infrastructure updates/growth, equitable housing, community engagements, incoming business and the like. We need to ensure that we are communicating, engaging, listening to, as well as encouraging investors into our city, while respecting the rich history of the city of Elyria. Schneider: Rising costs. I have concerns with cost projections for healthcare, tariffs and policies at the federal level that impact us with budgeting. Elyria has been fortunate that our tax base has continued to maintain overall. I am thankful to residents supporting levy renewals. We still have some issues with commercial vacancies, but we are moving in the right direction. I will continue to work with business partners and city leaders to support smart growth and redevelopment plans. We all need to voice our concerns with federal leaders regarding policies that are negatively impacting us financially. Tollett: The thing that will affect our city most is technology. The understanding of both benefits, and potential negatives, are a constant balancing Van Wormer: We need to look for ways to continue offering great services to our residents while looking for ways to lower the cost of living. This could be through grants or other programs that can help the city defer the costs of certain projects. Also, we need to streamline things for new businesses so they can get their doors open and provide new opportunities to Elyrians.