Ward 4 candidates Snyder and Owens share priorities for Wooster City Council race

While there are five Wooster City Council candidates on ballots for the Nov. 4 Election, only two of them are in a contested race: Carrie Snyder and Tyler Owens. 

They are vying for the Ward 4 seat held by Scott Myers, who isn’t running again. 

Incumbents Jennifer Warden (Ward 2) and Steve Huszai (at large) and newcomer Drew Paul (at large) are the three other Wooster City Council candidates. Barb Knapic is the at-large council member not running whose term is up at the end of this year.

Here’s a look at the Ward 4 candidates, why they decided to run and their top priorities for Wooster:

Snyder, a Republican who was named executive director of Ohio Right to Life in the summer after 15 years on the organization’s board of trustees, is a mother of nine children, three of whom were adopted through foster care, and runs a resale shop in Wooster with her husband. 

“I am running for this position because I love Wooster and I have benefited from being in this community for two decades,” Snyder said. “I want to join with others who care about the city to continue to improve and refine Wooster as we grow and face new challenges and opportunities.”

Keeping the community a safe and welcoming place for all, and smart growth that balances the need of healthy cities to grow with the goal of keeping Wooster’s small-town, friendly feeling are some of her priorities if elected, Snyder said. 

“I’ll work to encourage a neighborhood mindset where people know each other, look out for one another and care enough about their community to maintain and improve the place where they live,” Snyder said. “I support partnering with nonprofit groups to help citizens in areas of need, whether that be for housing, food, clothing or beautification efforts.”

Owens is an independent candidate who works at his alma mater, Ashland University, as the Help Desk manager. His wife also works at her alma mater, the College of Wooster. 

“I am running for city council because I believe the people of Wooster deserve to have choices in life,” Owens said. “Whether that choice is who your city council member is, where you can find a place to live or how you can get to work, I want to expand the choices that people here have.”

Working to expand housing options for working- and middle-class people and provide reliable public transportation for city residents to get to and from work are some of his top priorities for Wooster, Owens said. 

“I want people to choose Wooster because Wooster chooses them and, together, we can continue to build a thriving community that includes everyone,” he said. “If on Nov. 4, I am chosen by the voters of Ward 4, my top priority will be serving the people of Wooster.”