Akron City Councilman Announces Candidacy for County Seat

On Wednesday, November 16, 2011, more than thirty friends, family, and supporters of current Ward 8 Akron City Councilman Phil Montgomery braved the cold and gathered at the Highland Square Branch of the Akron-Summit County Public Library. Wearing ‘Montgomery for Council’ t-shirts and holding signs, supporters listened to Montgomery speak of being the “next generation of leadership.” Montgomery, who turns thirty next month, said, “I often hear people say that young people are the leaders of tomorrow. Well, I am here to tell you that we are the leaders of today.”

Montgomery has served on Akron City Council since April 2011. He was chosen by the Akron City Council to fill an open seat left vacant when Akron City Councilwoman Sandra Kurt was appointed to a seat on Summit County Council. Montgomery has served as a member of the Budget and Finance, Health and Social Services and Public Utilities committees since his time on council.

According to Montgomery, the list of issues he would focus on as a member of County Council include social services, economic development and job creation, and fighting the issue of ‘brain drain,’ which commonly refers to the migration of young, educated or skilled workers to other areas. “By creating more opportunities for college graduates and other young people, I am certain we can keep our talent right here at home.” Montgomery also took a moment to put in a word for the Children’s Services (CSB) and Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services (ADM) boards, urging passage of the CSB levy in 2012 and the ADM levy in 2013. Montgomery is currently a member of the ADM board in Summit County.

Summit County Council District 4 covers portions of wards 1, 2, 4, 5, and 10, and all of ward 8 within the City of Akron, which includes Highland Square. District 4 also includes six precincts in Bath Township and two precincts in the City of Cuyahoga Falls. The primary election date is currently scheduled for Tuesday, March 6, 2012.

In addition to the ADM board, Montgomery is a member of the Community Aids Network Akron Pride Initiative board of directors. He also serves as vice president of Summit County Young Democrats and is an active member of the Summit County Progressive Democrats and the Stonewall Democrats of Summit County. He holds a Bachelor’s degree from DeVry University and a Master’s in Business Administration from Ohio Dominican University. Montgomery currently leads the Internal Audit team for Time Warner Cable in Northeast Ohio.

“This campaign is going to be about the next generation of leadership, new ideas, and finding ways to put those ideas into action,” said Montgomery.

View Photos from the Campaign Announcement
Download High-Res Headshot of Phil