The Milan News-Leader
A Heritage Newspaper
Weekly Publication
Diaz won't seek re-election
Michael Armitage, Rod Hill and Kym Muckler to vie for support in August primary
By Brian Cox, Staff Writer
PUBLISHED: May 17, 2007
Mayor Owen Diaz announced Monday night that he would not seek a third term in the November elections, relieving three mayoral hopefuls of the challenge of facing an incumbent.
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Michael Armitage, Rod Hill and Kym Muckler filed by the 4 p.m. deadline Monday to declare their candidacies to be Milan's next mayor. An Aug. 7 primary will be necessary to narrow the field to two candidates.
For Milan City Council, five candidates will vie for three open seats. Martha Churchill is the lone incumbent running. Council members Jim Latham and Tim Gibelyou are not seeking re-election.
Newcomers running for council are Joseph Chapin, Russell Dotson, Thomas Herzog and Lisa Mullens.
Diaz, who was elected two years ago in a landslide, said he struggled with his decision not to run again, but ultimately concluded other interests, business and personal, required his attention and time, necessitated his stepping away from city politics.
"I also think the city could do well with some fresh perspectives," he said.
Three candidates are willing to step in and provide that new perspective.
"We need a strong mayor to step up and lead this city forward," said Armitage, a council member elected to a four-year term two years ago who decided to run for mayor because he believes the city is at a critical juncture.
Armitage, 24, must resign his seat on council by July 9 and plans to resign from the Milan Police Reserves, as well, to avoid any cloud of conflict of interest.
"I'm giving up the two things that are the most important to me because I think I can better serve the city as mayor," he said. "I'm committed to the city moving forward."
Muckler, who covered city politics for 10 years as a reporter for The Milan News-Leader, said her extensive knowledge of what has come before and brought the city to a state of financial crisis will help her forge a new direction for Milan.
"What we've done in the past hasn't worked," she said. "What I bring to the table is a fresh look at how to solve some problems."
Muckler, 43, would endorse exploring opportunities to sell water and sewer to surrounding municipalities as well as police services as ways to generate much needed revenue. She concedes some of her ideas may be controversial.
"We have to be willing to wrap our minds around new parameters to solve problems," she said. "What was unacceptable before may very well have to be acceptable now."
Hill, 51, is a technical illustrator who served two years on City Council and has been involved with creating master plans for Milan Parks and Recreation, the Downtown Development Authority, the wastewater treatment plant and others.
He would like to see city leaders focus more on Milan's future.
As mayor, Hill, 51, would steer the council toward committing to infrastructure improvements, expanding the downtown area and marketing Milan.
"Our best defense against becoming a ghost town is to stay desirable," said Hill, adding he believed vision on the part of the city's leadership has been lacking the past several years. "If you ignore the future, when you get there all you'll have is another hole."
All three candidates acknowledged that the city's next mayor will face significant challenges.
"The next mayor will not have an easy job," Armitage said. "Some unpopular decisions will have to be made."
Staff Writer Brian Cox can be reached at 429-7380 or bcox@heritage.com.
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