Meet the Candidates: Berea City Council: John Payne

My name is John Payne; I am a graduate of Berea Community and Berea College. I have served the community for years at the Madison County Public Library where I work as an assistant director. I have raised my family here and spent most of my career in public service. In my time, I have successfully completed Citizens Police Academy, Leadership Madison County, police ride-alongs, and numerous other leadership programs to better serve and understand the needs of the community.

I am running for Berea City Council so that I may continue to work to improve the quality of life for our residents. Throughout my four years on the council, we were able to add walking trails, shared-use paths, and two new parks, while also improving roads and public spaces. The city was able to expand partnerships, add jobs, and update several infrastructure projects.

Our Biggest Issue is to maintain a strong local economy, we must continue to attract grocery, small business, local industry, artisans, and non-profit organizations. Our community benefits when we can live, shop, work, and enjoy activities without leaving Berea.

Berea city government must work to promote responsible and sustainable growth to meet the ever-changing needs of our community for years to come. This includes improvements and maintenance of public spaces and services, careful planning, partnerships, and advocacy. Berea city government must promote local employment, affordable housing, public services, and the use of state and federal funds to benefit infrastructure throughout the city.

From the publisher: John's candidate profile was inadvertently left out of this week's edition. The Citizen apologizes for the error.