Candidate Q&A: Lafayette City Council District 2
Candidate Q&A: Lafayette City Council District 2
A candidate Q&A with Democratic incumbent Eileen Hession Weiss and Republican Mary Fisher, seeking the District 2 seat on the Lafayette City Council.
Democratic incumbent Eileen Hession Weiss and Republican Mary Fisher are seeking the District 2 seat on the Lafayette City Council in the Nov. 7 election.
Here, the candidates discuss their approach to the four-year position.
For more: Find bios of each candidate, along with a city council district map and information about where and when to vote at the end of this article.
Why are you running?
Eileen Hession Weiss: I am running because I want to get more people involved in their government. The highest office in the land is that of citizen, and we are not doing it very well. Local government is very important, also where citizens have the highest impact. I want to emphasize the importance of being involved and educated about what is happening in the community. Also, because I still have something to give to the community, I want to be part of the solution and not the problem.
Mary Fisher: Did not respond.
How long have you lived in Lafayette? And how did you land in the city?
Eileen Hession Weiss: I was born and raised in Lafayette. I have lived here all my life, apart from a few years tending to family matters.
Mary Fisher: Did not respond.
Name two of your top priorities for the district. And how will you handle them?
Eileen Hession Weiss: As stated before, citizen engagement is very important. I have organized meetings with members of the St. Joseph and Saw Mill Run neighborhoods regarding the work done at the corner of Teal Road and Fourth Street. We brought the state, contractors and city officials to meet with the neighbors and have their concerns heard. Though it was a state project, the city of Lafayette did what it could to mitigate any problems in the neighborhoods. This helped keep irritations to a minimum during this difficult time. The other is public safety. Investing in the police and fire departments is and will continue to be a priority. Our standards are high and the pay and working conditions must be commensurate to maintain that standard.
Mary Fisher: Did not respond.
What do you see as the biggest challenge for the district? And how do you propose to solve or deal with it?
Eileen Hession Weiss: The best part of our community is also its biggest challenge. Affordable and safe housing is the greatest need in our community. I will continue to work with the city officials to ensure that our rental housing is safe for citizens in which to live. With the constraints we are under, this is difficult, but not impossible. Most of our Landlords are wonderful, but we have a few problems that need to be addressed and we are doing what we can to alleviate those. I do not blame builders for building market-based housing. Because of the demand, rentals are almost always leased before they are completely built. As to house building, working with agencies to get grants to build affordable housing is something I will be looking into to see what can be done at the state and federal levels. It is not an easy problem to solve, but one I am committed to working on in the future.
Mary Fisher: Did not respond.
How well do you think the city has handled issues of available and affordable housing? What is the most pressing issue related to housing and how would you address it?
Eileen Hession Weiss: See the previous answer.
Mary Fisher: Did not respond.
What, if anything, should the city do about the Indiana Economic Development Corp.’s plans to build a water pipeline from Tippecanoe County to feed developments in Boone County and in communities along the 35-mile route?
Eileen Hession Weiss: The city of Lafayette will work to inform our constituents and to assist our legislators in passing legislation that would put processes and laws in place to help safeguard our community. We are also going to pursue an independent review of the findings. We will work diligently to try and influence the size of the pipe should it be built. The ultimate decisions live with the state of Indiana and the state legislature. Everyone needs to be contacting them with their concerns.
Mary Fisher: Did not respond.
Rate how the current city administration has run and positioned Lafayette for the future. What changes, if any, would you like to see in the city’s focus?
Eileen Hession Weiss: The city administration has done an excellent job in guiding our city. The responsible growth of our city has been done with great planning and cooperation between entities within Tippecanoe County. The working relationship of both mayors and the county commissioners has positioned our community to be a leader in the state. This cooperation works extremely well when dealing with industry, businesses and citizen involvement.
Mary Fisher: Did not respond.
Name two specific things that separate you from your opponents and why they matter.
Eileen Hession Weiss: I know little to nothing about my opponent, so that is a difficult question. What I would say is that having worked in various positions in Lafayette, I have had the opportunity to engage with countless members of our community. Between my business background and my work with various social service agencies, I have had the privilege of interacting with various personalities and situations. This has assisted me in serving the citizens of the 2nd District. It would be my great privilege to continue doing so in the ensuing years.
Mary Fisher: Did not respond.
Candidate bios
Eileen Hession Weiss
Party: Democratic
Age: 71
Occupation: Retired
Education: Graduate of Central Catholic High School
Past elected positions, if any: Clerk of the City of Lafayette from 1984 to 1995; Current City Councilperson for District 2
Community boards or other community service: Currently serving as Treasurer of American Legion Auxiliary Unit 11 in Lafayette; member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church and 9:00 Liturgy Musician.
Immediate family: Husband Jim is deceased, 2010; Daughter, Kim Weiss, granddaughter Campbell Weiss. They live in Overland Park, Kansas. Son, Nick Weiss (Wife, Margaret), grandson Max Weiss, sophomore at Purdue; granddaughter Nicole Weiss, sophomore at Conant High School. They live in Elk Grove Village, Il.
Your campaign site online: I do not have a campaign site online.
ABOUT THE NOV. 7 MUNICIPAL ELECTION
WHERE TO VOTE AHEAD OF NOV. 7: Early voting started Tuesday, Oct. 24. Here are the times and locations. Voters should bring a valid ID.
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 24,-Friday, Oct. 27: Tippecanoe County Office Building, 20 N. Third St., Lafayette.
8 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Oct. 28: Clarks Hill Christian Church, 9510 Pearl St., Clarks Hill.
8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 30-Friday, Nov. 3: Tippecanoe County Office Building, 20 N. Third St., Lafayette
Noon-6 p.m., Thursday, Nov. 2-Friday, Nov. 3: West Lafayette City Hall, 222 N. Chauncey Ave.; Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds, 1406 Teal Road, Lafayette; First Church of the Nazarene, 3801 Union St., Lafayette.
9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4: West Lafayette City Hall, 222 N. Chauncey Ave.; Tippecanoe County Office Building, 20 N. Third St., Lafayette; First Church of the Nazarene, 3801 Union St., Lafayette.
8 a.m.-noon Monday, Nov. 6: Tippecanoe County Office Building, 20 N. Third St., Lafayette.
ELECTION DAY POLLING PLACES: Polls will be open 6 a.m-6 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7. Registered voters in Tippecanoe County may use any vote center.
West Lafayette Wellness Center, 1101 Kalberer Road
Faith West Community Center, 1920 Northwestern Ave.
West Lafayette City Hall, 222 N. Chauncey Ave.
Evangelical Covenant Church, 3600 S. Ninth St., Lafayette
Tippecanoe County Fairgrounds, 1406 Teal Road, Lafayette
Northend Community Center, 2000 Elmwood Ave., Lafayette
Christ United Methodist Church, 3610 S. 18th St., Lafayette
First Church of the Nazarene, 3801 Union St., Lafayette
Gathering Point Church, 7201 Wesleyan Drive, Dayton
ON THE NOV. 7 BALLOT: Get a full list of candidates here.
CHECK YOUR VOTER REGISTRATION STATUS AND THE CANDIDATES ON YOUR SPECIFIC BALLOT: Go to the Secretary of State’s portal at www.indianavoters.com.
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