Meet the Candidates – Brecksville City Council

October 19, 2023

Seven candidates are vying for two open seats on Brecksville City Council. Incumbents Dominic Caruso and Ann Koepke are seeking re-election to four more years in in office. They are being challenged by five political newcomers, including Stephanie Simon Bartos, Dan Bender, Eric Geyer, Mark Jantzen and Steve Schadler. The following are questions posed to the candidates by The Brecksville Magazine. Their answers were limited to 225 words. The following are their unedited responses. ∞

1. What is your primary reason for running for a seat on city council?

Bartos: Serving in various leadership positions of the organizations and communities that have shaped my personal and professional life is a priority of mine. Having served on the Alumni Board of Directions for Miami University, secretary for the Cleveland All-Breed Training Club, philanthropy chair of the Brecksville-Broadview Heights Preschool Mother’s Club, and as an attorney and executive for local businesses, I have practical experience in helping organizations advance while preserving the strong foundation upon which they were built. I am a third-generation Brecksville resident with two young children. As a result, I am very active and engaged in this community and eager to help it continue to thrive.

Bender: We are fortunate to be raising our four children in the town that has always been home to me. I also work in Brecksville and serve our business community so I have a very vested interest in our future. My primary reason for running is that I feel a calling to lead this community during a critical time for Brecksville. It’s my way of giving back to a community that has given me so much. In particular, I believe that my background in business and finance will help city council be good stewards of the tax revenue we receive.

Caruso: It has been humbling and rewarding running for and serving on council for these four years. In my current role as vice-president, I am committed to continue to serve our city and its residents with integrity, dedication and humility. This is a transitional moment in our history, and I offer my experience and leadership to support our new mayor and the continuing success of Brecksville.

Geyer: Julie Anne and I moved to plant roots and raise our family. We love our neighbors and really want Brecksville to be the best possible place for our children to grow up. Having trusted professionals who listen to and serve others is important in electing someone to city council. As a pharmacist, father and Eagle Scout, I believe I embody those qualities and would be honored to help guide our city in a way that many would agree with.

Jantzen: To build on our foundation of what makes Brecksville a great place to live and raise a family through enhancing city services while being accountable to residents for the city’s spending. I am confident that my business management, ownership and board experiences, the leadership and commitment to service gained as a Naval officer, and my work in the community as a 20-year resident will allow me to make a positive contribution to council that will benefit our city and residents in the present and far into the future.

Koepke: I am running for re-election because I am invested in the success of Brecksville. I will ensure we keep what we love about Brecksville and make the right choices to get what we want. We must maintain balance by increasing income tax revenue without losing our small-town feel, providing modern amenities in a park-like setting and enhancing public spaces while minimizing traffic.

Schadler: I’m running for council because I want to see a city hall full of individuals of integrity and experience who are, at all times, going to place the best interests of the residents of this great city first. I’m excited about the opportunities Valor Acres and the redevelopment of Central School hold, but I don’t want to see those opportunities evolve at the expense of what Brecksville residents love most about our town – namely our serene, small-town charm.

2. How should the city prioritize its spending over the next four years?

Bartos: Serving on the 2023 Charter Review Commission gave me a direct line of sight and appreciation of the city’s charter. This city has consistently prioritized providing excellent community services from police and fire protection, curbside refuse and recycling collections, street maintenance, public improvements, planning/zoning, and senior and human services, along with recreational and leisure activities. In my professional life, I am responsible for sourcing, and managing funding to maximize return on investment. In my opinion, the city has done an excellent job prioritizing spending and I would like to continue on that path.

Bender: Through my involvement with the charter review process, I’ve concluded that there is an opportunity to enhance our efforts related to human resources so that the city will remain a desirable employer. Hiring, retaining and developing employees is increasingly challenging but must be a priority for Brecksville to continue to provide the top-tier safety and services that we all value. Addressing the mental health needs of our first responders ought to be something we all champion. From an infrastructure standpoint, investing in the Joe Vadini Complex and Ralph DeSantis Field on Stadium Drive can create great value for our residents.

Caruso: I would continue to exercise a fiscally responsible approach, focused on maintaining our high standards for safety/police, EMS/fire, and services. Maintaining and improving our current and future facilities and infrastructure, including common-sense connectivity projects, should remain a top priority. We have always received a robust amount of grants. Many of these grants have matching fund requirements. I would advocate that we continue to budget accordingly to take advantage of as many grant opportunities as possible. I would continue the practice of creating economic incentive packages with payroll and job growth requirements that include a claw back if those benchmarks are not achieved. These benefit our city by growing our tax base without taking money from the schools.

Geyer: Aside from the essentials of infrastructure and safety, I think the city should focus heavily on using economic development funds to fill in the vacant businesses we have, particularly on the south end of town. This could provide an influx of revenue, which could help fund larger projects around connectivity, updating the community center and providing more services for the residents.

Jantzen: First, I do not have a pet project or agenda; the city’s future success is more complex than one idea. As in business, my priority is to evaluate all opportunities while prudently and efficiently spending our tax payers’ dollars. This means delivering continued high quality public safety, maintenance and essential services. Then, we can ensure that every discretionary project is given equal consideration based on the long-term quality of life and financial impact on our residents. And since spending requires revenue, patient development is key to attracting businesses with high paying jobs to grow the tax base, not rates on residents.

Koepke: City spending is prioritized by immediate needs first (salaries, street repairs, debt repayment, etc.). Continuing to seek grants and increasing non-residential revenue sources is critical. We must continue to expand neighborhood connections to schools, parks, downtown and business areas. We must keep in place our high standards of safety and services. Our community gardens and recycling programs are wonderful. We should expand our environmental program offerings. We must also enhance communication with an updated city webpage.

Schadler: Our spending over the coming years should be disciplined and focused on meeting the needs of residents. Our city services and first responder community are extraordinary — we should focus on keeping them that way. With a new service director and a new mayor, we need to ensure they have the support they need from city council reps who understand that investing in these areas is a priority. We need to keep Brecksville, Brecksville — and that is exactly what I will do if elected.

3. How will you ensure residents have a voice in city matters?

Bartos: I will strive to make myself available and accessible to any resident who wants to speak with me. I will also work to bring awareness of any upcoming public hearing and the importance and value of attending and voicing opinions during public hearings and city council meetings.

Bender: During the pandemic, meetings began to be live streamed which is a positive since it enhances transparency. I think we should continue that, but I also encourage residents to attend meetings for planning commission, recreation commission and the Board of Zoning Appeals, along with council meetings in person if possible so they have an opportunity to ask questions or offer recommendations. Personally, I work in Brecksville and can meet with residents to hear their concerns.

Caruso: From the beginning of my term, I advocated for enhanced communications. COVID-19 funds allowed us to outfit our council room with the technology needed to live stream and post all public meetings. This practice I will vigorously support; be continued indefinitely. I will also advocate we incorporate ways for our new ERP system and existing apps to be effectively utilized by our city and its residents. I will also look for additional in person settings where I am available for dialogue with residents. I have been and will remain a phone call/text away at 440-759-7203.

Geyer: Ensuring that residents have a voice is of the utmost importance to me. I believe that Brecksville could improve how it actively facilitates feedback and input from residents by starting with a refreshed city website. A new website could provide a form for residents to submit ideas, feedback and concerns within seconds. They could also sign up for alerts or emails for areas of interest. Making a digital city calendar could also help remind residents of events that they are interested in, helping foster community engagement. Lastly, I promise to ensure that city council works to proactively share agendas for city meetings and actively seek out residents that may be impacted by decisions made on agenda items.

Jantzen: While the city has made it easy to stream or review all public meetings and use the newly introduced app to stay informed, I would encourage every resident to attend meetings; there is nothing more effective than engaging in valuable dialog on a real-time basis as issues are being discussed. Additionally, more actively encouraging broader public participation in various advisory groups (Central School review, board of zoning appeals, recreation board, etc.) is an ideal opportunity for council to benefit from our residents’ broad and valuable perspective.

Koepke: I am always available to residents. I am regularly at the schools, school events, the Human Services Center, City Hall and out and about town. My contact information is available at brecksville.oh.us/City%20Hall/council.html, annkoepkeforbrecksville.com, on Facebook at Ann Koepke for Brecksville City Council and on the back of the Brecksville Bulletin. I will advocate for better communication through a user-friendly website, frequent informative social media posts, better advertising of important meeting topics, and surveys to gather data for infrastructure, recreation, and other projects. I have a master’s degree in urban planning, design and development. School training, internships in cities, sitting on Brecksville City Council, experience in a private sector planning firm and working in the Ethics Office of a Fortune 500 Company taught me how to listen, compile information and use it to advance towards achievable outcomes.

Schadler: It is the number one job of elected leaders to listen respectfully to residents, be responsive to their needs, and vote accordingly. Three years ago, I created “Steve’s Brecksville Politics Symposium” to hear from residents and help them be heard. That has given me the opportunity to listen to residents all over town who have input for the city and have been affected by decisions it has made. Almost 8% of registered voters in Brecksville are in the group, and I ensure you, as an elected official, I will bring the same rigor and enthusiasm to listening to residents each and every day that I have over the last three years. ∞