My name is Ciara Kitchen, and I am running for Ward 3 Alderman because I care deeply about the future of our community.

I’m a wife and mother of five who believes strong communities are built when people step forward to serve. Several months ago, I began attending city council and parks meetings to better understand how decisions are made that affect our families and our town. What I found was a desire to become more involved and help move our community forward in a positive way.

I work full-time in medical billing, help manage a small business, and recently led the creation of Crawford County Youth Football, where I serve as President. In its first season, CCYF has already brought together more than 170 local children and dozens of volunteers. Seeing our community rally around something that benefits our kids shows what we can accomplish when people work together.

I strongly support our local law enforcement and city employees who work hard every day to serve our community. While I believe the city’s budget deserves careful review, I have no intention of going after anyone’s pay or benefits.

If elected, my priorities will be improving communication, strengthening trust between leadership and residents, and supporting recreational opportunities and community events that bring families together.

Cuba has always been home to me, and I believe that by working together we can continue building a strong future for generations to come.