Mentor City Council Election 2011 Candidate Profile: Brian Wollet

Editor's Note: As part of Mentor Patch's local election coverage, we will provide profiles of each of the candidates running for office. These profiles will offer biographical and issue-oriented details about each of the candidates to help you, the voters, make more-informed decisions at the ballot box. We also will have a short video of each candidate in which we ask them, "What is the biggest issue facing Mentor and how would you address it?"

Stay tuned for more coverage of the election. 

Name: Brian Wollet

Age: 35

Occupation: Supply Analyst

Education: Masters of Business Administration, John Carroll; Undergraduate completed at Youngstown State, Finance Major

Office Sought: Ward 2

Elected Experience: None

Non-Elected Experience: Mentor Fair Housing Board member and president 

Treasurer, New Directions for Living 

Candidate Statement: As I go door to door, I am learning what the concerns of the citizens of Ward 2 are. As their councilman, their concerns will be my concerns because that is what public service entails.

I’m finding three of the biggest concerns to be roads and traffic, drainage and the amount of vacant buildings, especially on Mentor Avenue.

As to the traffic, I am a little surprised that we’ve never looked into synchronized traffic lights for our busiest streets like Center Street, Mentor Avenue, Reynolds Road and Tyler Blvd. Not only could this reduce travel times but also the idling time, so drivers would actually save gasoline, which is pretty pricy right now.

In addition, we should continue the current plan to improve and maintain our roads.

In regards to drainage, I believe Council commissioned a study from CT Consultants years ago; I think that might be a good place from which to start a review of the problem.

You really have to define a problem properly first if you want a good solution. A good solution is what the people deserve.

As to the vacancies along Mentor Avenue and elsewhere, there just might be a partial solution coming from the state of Ohio Legislature. House Bill 18, currently in the state house, would provide a non-refundable state tax credit for companies that chose to purchase and operate in formerly vacant building.

Because we have so many, we are well positioned to take advantage of this, if it passes. I think we can have a first-mover advantage on this if we get a jump on other cities. In addition, the business incubator is in Ward 2, on Center Street. We need to give that a jump start and some more publicity.

Something you should know about me is that I am a fiscal hawk. I believe that government should be limited; but also that it is most effective, for the most part, at the local level. Good government is that which is closest to the people.

I hope I have not sounded too negative as there is so much that is better about Mentor; the natural beauty of our parks, the friendliness of the people, the historic old neighborhoods and the bustling commercial areas too.

One last thing I hear a lot from people, as I go door to door, is about the games of musical chairs, or running for cover, by a few city council members. It has to be nearly impossible to work cooperatively and constructively with people when you are plotting your next election against them at the same time. I pledge that if I am elected, I will not run for an at-large seat in 2013.

And lastly, please go to www.brianwollet.com to get involved in the campaign, as it is all about Ward 2, not me. Let’s make it better in Mentor Ward 2.

Related Links:

See Wollet's statement at the Mentor Area Chamber of Commerce Candidates and Issues Luncheon: http://patch.com/A-mFQn