(Election 2024 - Photo Illustration/MetroCreativeConnection)

VIENNA — The city of Vienna has ten candidates on the ballot for the November election. One of these candidates is the late Roger Bibbee, a former councilman. City officials state that following Bibbee’s passing he will still appear on the ballot due to a request from the family. According to these officials, signs will be posted at all voting locations stating that a vote for Bibbee is a symbolic gesture and that votes for the late councilman will not count toward the final election total.

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KATHY BOSWELL-DAVIS

* Age: 58

* Address: 407 58th St.

* Previously held offices: N/A

Kathy Boswell-Davis, a write-in candidate for Vienna City Council, shared her plans for fostering growth and building a stronger community if elected.

She has years of experience serving as vice president and chairwoman of her community in Washington Bottom, organizing events and fundraising efforts to maintain local precincts. This experience has given her a clear understanding of community needs and effective engagement, she said.

Speaking about her platform, Boswell-Davis highlighted her plans to promote economic growth, particularly by attracting new businesses to the area.

“I have a gentleman right now waiting for a building to become available so he can bring his restaurant business up here and start a chain,” she said, which shows her commitment to revitalizing the business landscape.

In addition to economic initiatives, she aims to tackle housing development to encourage population growth, with hopes to restore vitality to the city.

Looking to the future, Boswell-Davis envisions the development of support groups for the older generation, focusing on education about living wills, power of attorney, and other community-building efforts. Additionally, she cited the importance of safe recreational spaces for children, advocating for the expansion of Jackson Park.

“I’d like to see Jackson Park grow and be there where it’s currently located, for safety reasons. I don’t think we need a children’s playground down by the river,” said Boswell-Davis.

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SETH COLVIN

* Age: 38

* Address: 5807 Fourth Ave.

* Previously held offices: N/A

Colvin moved to the area in 2022 with his wife, Sydney, who is the daughter of current Councilman Jim Leach. Colvin aims to focus on infrastructure and to create a more appealing city for younger families, like his own. Before moving to Vienna, Colvin was an engineering manager for Tiefenbach North America. Now, Colvin owns and runs his own manufacturing company, Geist Machine.

“I think at the core responsibility of any municipality is infrastructure,” said Colvin, “With my engineering background and an eye toward continuous improvement, I believe I add a lot of value in this area.”

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HARRY DEITZLER

* Age: 73

* Address: 149 Bella Vista Drive

* Previously held offices: Deitzler has previously served as Wood County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney, Wood County Prosecuting Attorney, President of West Virginia Prosecuting Attorneys Association, member of Charleston City Council and president of the West Virginia State Bar.

Deitzler currently works with the Deitzler Foundation to help fund local schools and charities. Deitzler said he wants to support the countless unpaid and “unselfish” volunteers within the community as well as “our underpaid and overworked school teachers.”

“I will work steadfastly with the mayor and other council members to accomplish the best results that we can for our fellow citizens in Vienna,” said Deitzler. “My years of past experience with government, advising the Wood County Commission when I was prosecuting attorney and working with other mayors … will enable me to work well with … other members of the council to address and meet the needs of Vienna in an efficient and timely manner.”

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BRIAN PATRICK FLINN

* Age: 49

* Address: 1202 19th St., Apt. 5.

* Previously held offices: N/A

Flinn said he wants to tackle infrastructure issues and create jobs to boost the economy if elected to serve on Vienna City Council. Additionally, Flinn hopes to create better accessibility for disabled individuals in the community on projects like the kayak launch and Spencer’s Landing.

Flinn said he saw gaps in some of the plans like Spencer’s Landing and that he desired to find alternative routes to make it safer and more accessible for every Vienna resident. He has a degree in mechanical engineering and holds associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in legal studies. Currently, he is also working toward a master’s degree in legal studies.

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JIM LEACH

(Incumbent)

* Age: 64

* Address: 1711 Grand Central Ave.

* Previously held offices: Leach held two terms on Vienna City Council and ran for Wood County Prosecuting Attorney in 2000 and also ran for West Virginia State Senate in 2018.

If re-elected Leach seeks to focus on improving the cultural, residential and commercial ventures of Vienna. Some the plans include a comprehensive five-year plan from the Public Works Department, riverfront development and the development of Spencer’s Landing.

“With these improvements, Vienna will increasingly attract people from all walks of life,” said Leach.

Leach cited successes with the senior community in Vienna, particularly the Senior Center. Leach viewed the Senior Center as a success for the community and is pleased that they offer a myriad of city-sponsored trips and events to serve the seniors in the community.

Part of Leach’s platform included looking at the area’s youth and their needs.

“We also have strong children’s programs, but can do more for our younger families who struggle with child care and other challenges in today’s world,” said Leach.

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TWILA JEAN MARTIN

* Age: N/A

* Address: 3800 Fourth Ave. B

* Previously held offices: N/A

Martin was not available for comment at press time.

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TONY DANIEL MORRISON

* Age: 36

* Address: 1210 15th St.

* Previously held offices: N/A

Morrison is active in the community as he serves on both the Friends of Vienna board as well as the Wood County Prevention Coalition. He said he wants to be a part of the big things going on in Vienna such as the development of Johns Manville and Spencer’s Landing. He hopes to bring a fresh perspective to the city. As a lifelong resident, Morrison aims to have the youth of the community grow up the same way he did which he quantifies as a safe place to grow up “on the right path.”

“I’ve spent time in many other small towns across America and have seen how they made big improvements on small budgets,” said Morrison. “I know it is possible and we won’t have to reinvent the wheel. So that’s why I felt led to run.”

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CARRIE RAPP

* Age: 35

* Address: 1308 Greenmont Hills Drive

* Previously held offices: N/A

Rapp is the daughter of current Vienna Mayor Randy Rapp. She is a member of the Friends of Vienna group, serves on the Spencer’s Landing Development Committee and volunteers with Vienna Recreation. If elected, she hopes to hone her focus on the seniors and youth of the community.

“I want to accomplish an expansion of the senior center services,” said Rapp. “I think there’s a lot of untapped potential with connecting individuals with resources they may not realize are even available.”

Rapp also said it takes a village to create change in the community and that she hopes to see Vienna rally around its seniors and the youth in the community to enact change.

“If elected, I look forward to positively contributing to the betterment of the community and ensuring that it stays a great place to live,” said Rapp.

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TAMI RHODES

* Age: 70

* Address: 4604 Sixth Ave.

* Previously held offices: N/A

Rhodes attends Vienna City Council meetings regularly and prides herself in the ability to speak during the public forum portions of the meetings. According to Rhodes, if elected, she hopes to create transparency within the community and double down on accountability for the actions of those serving within the government. Rhodes hopes to implement the West Virginia Checkbook program which offers real-time updates to the city’s budget on the State Auditor’s website. According to Rhodes, there are around 50 cities and 45 counties that utilize this program.

“So it just keeps everyone transparent and open,” said Rhodes, “(It) lets everyone keep track of where our tax dollars are headed and just for accountability so there’s no question in the future of how much was spent on this or that.”

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HENRY SASYN

* Age: 59

* Address: 1307 Greenmont Hills Drive

* Previously held offices: He ran in 2020 for a seat on Vienna City Council.

Sasyn has lived in Vienna since November of 1996 and as his children started participating in activities he began to become more and more involved with the community. According to Sasyn, this included fundraising for the YMCA and volunteering with different sports teams.

“Vienna needs to be brought back on the right track,” said Sasyn.

Sasyn mentioned that he works at Momentum Performance Materials and one of the issues his company is battling is attracting talent to hire, as well as other companies in the area are reconciling with this issue. If elected, Sasyn hopes to work toward making Vienna a place where people want to live by helping the citizens of Vienna figure out what they want to be for a community and what efforts need to be made to retain the population.