ASHLAND – Four candidates have thrown their hats in the ring to be considered as the council’s next 4th ward representative.
Council members are arranging interviews and plan to select an appointee by the end of the month, council president Steve Workman said.
The chosen council member will serve the remainder of Al Farnam’s term, through Dec. 31, 2021. Farnam was serving his first term on council when he died last month.
Regardless of who the council chooses to fill the open seat, the appointee will be a woman, council member and ward 3 representative Dennis Miller told attendees of Tuesday’s council meeting. That’s because all four applicants for the position are female.
Workman said he believes having a woman on council will be “refreshing.” Currently, the council is made up of four men.
Candidates for the seat include Kathleen Chandler, Alice P. Farnam, Sandra Tunnell and Angela Woodward.
Chandler is a human resource specialist at Star USA Inc., an international trade consulting firm. She has 10 years of management experience having worked as an hourly floor manager at McDonald’s and as a call center supervisor before transitioning to human resources.
In her resume, Chandler cites management, communication and leadership as her key skills and abilities.
She holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science as well as a masters of business administration in human resources management, both from Ashland University.
Alice P. Farnam, who goes by Penny, was married to the late councilman Farnam and now hopes to finish his term to represent the people of the fourth ward.
In her letter to the council, Farnam commended the council “for the direction the City of Ashland has taken in getting its financial house in order, and for the hard work and dedication they have shown in keeping the city moving forward.”
Farnam was owner and operator of Grumpy’s, a coffee shop on College Avenue, from 1994 through 2003. She also worked six years as a registered nurse and has experience as an administrative assistant to the principal at Taft Elementary School.
She holds a bachelor of science in nursing from Brenau College in Gainesville, Ga.
Tunnell is a veteran of the city council, having served eight years as representative of the fourth ward prior to her unsuccessful run for mayor in 2017.
“I hope you have seen that, despite my loss, Matt and I still work together frequently, with no ill will,” Tunnell wrote in her letter to the council members.
Tunnell wrote that numerous people have asked her to apply for the council position and that she takes that community support seriously.
She emphasized her experience on council and her demonstrated dedication to helping Ashland prosper as assets she would bring to the table as a council member.
In addition to serving as Executive Director of Ashland Main Street since its inception in 2011, Tunnell serves as president of the Ashland Public Library board and secretary of the Ashland County Women of Achievement board. She was appointed to the Ohio Public Works Commission by Ohio Senate President Larry Obhof in 2018.
She also volunteers with the local Republican party and the Ashland Downtown Dream Cruise Car Show and has written numerous guest columns for local media outlets.
Prior to her work with Ashland Main Street, Tunnell was a manager at Woodforest National Bank and First Merit Bank.
Tunnell holds a bachelor of arts in history from Stephens College.
Woodward is Executive Director of Ashland County Cancer Association and also serves as secretary at Compassion Free Will Baptist Church and a fundraising coordinator at Ashland Christian School.
Her past experience includes roles as executive director of the Loudonville Chamber of Commerce, office administrator for Ashland County Cancer Association, patient medical assistance program coordinator at Ashland Christian Health Center and therapeutic recreation director at Kingston of Ashland.
She holds an associates degree in applied science from North central State College.
In her application for the council seat, Woodward included recommendation letters from Ashland county Cancer Association board president Jane Roland and Compassion Church pastor Travis McKenzie.
She wrote that she believes being a newcomer to city government would be an advantage, “for I will not have any preconceived notions about what is best for Ashland.”
The 4th Ward includes much of the city’s north end– most neighborhoods north of Sandusky Street, Main Street and Cleveland Avenue. A detailed map of the city’s wards can be downloaded below.
