FAIRBORN — Mayor Dan Kirkpatrick announced that he would be running for a second term.
Kirkpatrick said he has enjoyed his first term as mayor so far. He announced approximately one month ago he would seek a second term.
“I am blessed to be working with a very motivated and sincere group of councilmen and councilwomen,” he said. “We’ve accomplished a lot by working together for the common good of Fairborn.”
He said his favorite part was getting to know the residents of Fairborn.
Kirkpatrick is running for re-election, he said, so that he can “finish and continue working on issues and concerns” that came up during his first term.
“We need to continue working to bring new businesses into Fairborn,” he said. “We also need to further develop closer relationships beween the City of Fairborn and the Fairborn City Schools.”
If elected, Kirkpatrick plans to continue with programs that have already begun, like the monthly Citizens Forums, and he will look for new ways to advance the city.
Local resident Terry Burkert is running for Fairborn City Council. His motivation for running, he said, was his desire “to be able to represent the people and help to get things accomplished in a timely manner.”
Born in Illinois in 1949, he joined the Air Force when he was 20 years old, where he worked as a pneudraulic repairman. He spent his four years in the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam. In 1973, he was honorably discharged at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. He worked in civil service until 2001, when he became a contractor.
Burkert noted some issues that Fairborn needed to address. He said the city needs to become more attractive to potential businesses. His solution would be to work closely with businesses to better understand their needs.
He also cited littering as a big issue, but that the city could work with the local colleges, such as Wright State, to eliminate this problem and make Fairborn a better place to live.
Burkert said his best characteristic is his honesty.
“I’m honest, I’m a man of integrity,” he said, “and if I tell you I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it.”
If elected, Burkert said he would “try to be the best representative of the people and work closely with the other council members to make our city the best city in the area.”