DAYTON — Voters have decided which four candidates will face off in November for a run-off for a seat on the Dayton City Commission.
The four candidates chosen in order of number of votes are:
- Matt Joseph (incumbent)
- Chris Shaw (incumbent)
- Valerie Duncan
- Marcus Bedinger
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A deeply divided commission has dragged debates and meetings for three and four hours at a time.
Current Mayor Jeffrey Mims, Commissioners Chris Shaw, and Matt Joseph have often found themselves at odds with Commissioner Darryl Fairchild and newest Commissioner Shenise Turner-Sloss.
They are so divided the commission decided to spend $30,000 for an outside mediator for the commissioners, all Democrats, so they might be able to work together more effectively.
Joseph and Shaw, incumbent candidates, spoke about their wins Tuesday night.
" It’s gratifying to see the voters agree with out approach to how things are done, what we’re doing, some of the focus on demolishing decrepit housing, focus on bringing jobs back to the city, focus on making the city clean and safe,” Joseph said.
“I look at this as an opportunity to get the message out, especially when we go through things on the dais that we really shouldn’t have to have those conversations, it’s an opportunity to clarify those kinds of conversations, it’s an opportunity to clarify things, to say ‘Hey, we’re trying to do the best thing for you as the city of Dayton residents and that’s what we’re going to continue to do, I’m really excited about it,’” Shaw said.
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Duncan and Bedinger will be looking to build momentum on issues they believe voters are interested in.
“Social services is another thing that I want to focus on, human services. We need to look at senior services, at homeless, at people trying to kicking addictions, abused women,” Duncan said.
Bedinger said he is “so excited for Dayton.”
“I was certainly not thinking of this race when I moved back home but when you get approached to run, you have to think about the practicalities. To get this kind of support from the community, it’s just evidence of the appetite for change for a new direction and new vision,” Bedinger said.
Voters will choose two commissioners in November.