Grayson Vandegrift |
University of Kentucky School of Journalism and Media
More than a year before the mayoral election, Midway already
has its first candidate.
Mayor Grayson Vandegrift announced Tuesday that he would run
for re-election next year. The election will be in November 2018; the filing
deadline is in August.
“It’s something I probably thought I would do from the
get-go,” Vandegrift told Midway Messenger reporters. “I feel we’ve accomplished
a lot over the last three years and I feel like there’s a lot left to do.”
Vandegrift, 35, served one two-year term as a council member
before being elected mayor in 2014, defeating three-term council member Sharon
Turner. He has been Midway’s mayor since Jan. 1, 2015.
“When I ran for mayor originally, one thing I said is that,
you know, when it is all said and done, Midway, I think, should be considered
the model for small cities,” Vandegrift said. “I think we are on our way there,
but I think we still have some work to do. I feel like I’m the right person to
keep the ship heading in that direction.”
The filing deadline for city office was once in January, but
the council recently moved it to August. Vandegrift was asked why he is
announcing now.
“I just figured, I’d made up my mind and there was really
just no reason to wait,” he said. “I just figured, no time like the present.” He noted that some countywide offices already have
candidates.
“I don’t think it hurts to just remind everybody that I’m
going to run for re-election. I’m very proud of my record; I’d put it up
against anybody,” he said. “There’s always one
or two people who, I think, like to dip their toe in the water and see what
people think.” But he said in response to a question that he hadn’t heard of
anyone else interested in running. Turner didn’t return a call seeking comment.
On Sept. 18, the city council voted 5-1 to increase the pay
for the mayor and council members elected next year. The mayor will get $1,400
a month, not the current $100 a month.
Vandegrift said the big pay raise did not effect his
decision to run for mayor again.
“They could’ve lowered it and I would’ve done it,” he said
with a laugh. “I put a lot of time into this, and you do make sacrifices. I
think it’s fair, to be honest with you, but it didn’t have any bearing on my
decision.”
The mayor once ran a restaurant on Main Street. He said he works part-time at Railroad Drug and cares for his son in the mornings. His wife Katie is a banker.
The mayor once ran a restaurant on Main Street. He said he works part-time at Railroad Drug and cares for his son in the mornings. His wife Katie is a banker.
Vandegrift said that if elected, he would continue to work
on “paying down the water and sewer debt,” which would lower water and sewer
bills for residents. He added that he would like to pay off the debt on the
current sewage-treatment plant early.
“I don’t think its fair for a city that is doing well in
every respect to have to ever raise rates on citizens just because it has to
come from that fund,” Vandegrift said.
Asked to name his biggest achievement in office, he said it
was the recruitment of Lakeshore Learning Materials, a supplier of preschool
and elementary school educational materials, which says it will employ 262
people, making it by far Midway’s largest employer. “I worked very hard on
Lakeshore,” he said, adding later, “I think they will have just as big of a
community impact as Midway University does now.”
Vandegrift said in his announcement, “Working together as a
community we’ve brought new industry to Midway Station, creating what will
eventually be over 350 well-paying jobs. We’ve increased the city’s revenue,
lowered property taxes each of the last two years, and absorbed a rate hike by
Kentucky American Water so as not to pass it on to the consumer. We’ve encouraged volunteerism, which among
other things has led to the vast improvements of Walter Bradley Park.
“We’ve paved roads and launched a successful public/private
sidewalk program. We’ve made upgrades to the Midway Volunteer Fire Department,
begun water and sewer upgrades, and improved city properties and city services.
We also amended our civil-rights code to include protections in housing, public
accommodations, and employment for the LGBT community.”
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