Seren has essential skills and vision to be mayor

After robust debate and a definitive vote, we, the citizens of Cleveland Heights, have the opportunity to directly elect the chief executive who will guide our city. We are fortunate to have excellent candidates, each of whom brings different strengths to the contest, and we could be well served by any of them.

But, I think we would be best served by Cleveland City Council Vice President Kahlil Seren. Having served on council since 2015, Seren is thoroughly knowledgeable about Cleveland Heights government, policy, initiatives, planning and history, and will be able to govern as mayor from day one.

Seren has the progressive worldview that so many of us in Cleveland Heights subscribe to, but he is also a pragmatist, working toward inclusive compromise to get things done. His is a calm, reflective voice, even when there is discord—he possesses the kind of thoughtfulness Cleveland Heights needs most right now.

Candidates will often talk about their vision for a community. But vision without action is just an aspiration. Candidates will also sometimes talk about their ability to take decisive action, but without a vision that guides that action, we may end up just going in circles.

A vision for our city, along with practical and proven ability to implement—Seren has both, which makes him the ideal choice for our first directly elected mayor.

I hope that you will join me, state Reps. Janine R. Boyd and Terrence Upchurch, state board of education member Meryl Johnson, former Cuyahoga County Council president Dan Brady, current Cuyahoga County Council President Pernel Jones Jr., Cuyahoga County Council members Sunny M. Simon and Yvonne M. Conwell, and many others in supporting Kahlil Seren for mayor of Cleveland Heights.

Earl Pike

Earl Pike, a nonprofit director, has been a Cleveland Heights resident for 25 years.

Read More on Opinion
Volume 14, Issue 8, Posted 8:43 AM, 07.30.2021