State College Borough Council member Evan Myers announced Thursday that he will run for re-election this year.
‘I want to build on my accomplishments of the last three-plus years, but there is much work to do,’ he said in a release. ‘We have made progress on gaining citizen participation by enacting proposals I have made, but we need to go further.”
Myers is currently in his first term as a council member. He was elected as a Democrat in 2013.
In his announcement, Myers emphasized the importance of citizen input in borough decision-making, citing recent moves by council to take meetings to different neighborhoods and lengthening the budget process to gain more input from residents. He said he wants to build on efforts to make State College a more inclusive community that brings together neighborhoods, businesses, Penn State and students, and he has encouraged the university to designate a liaison to council.
“There are important issues that need to be addressed forthrightly and urgently, such as our shrinking tax base, pressure on homeowners and a tough and thorough review of zoning codes, covering everything from building size and height to the impact of development on density and safety,” he said.
Myers added that he wants to have more community input for planning and development and a positive working relationship with the university and its students.
“State College has a strong future, if we work together,” he said.
Myers is the Chief Operating Officer for AccuWeather and a Penn State graduate. He and his wife have three children, all of whom are State College Area High School graduates and two of whom are current Penn State students.
He previously was chair of the State College Planning Commission and has been a member of the Consolidation Study Commission and the Downtown Vision and Strategic Plan Committee.
Three borough council seats are up for election this year, including the seats currently held by Myers, Theresa Lafer and Council President Tom Daubert.
Borough residents also will elect a new mayor, with Elizabeth Goreham announcing she will not seek a third term. To date, just one candidate has announced a mayoral bid — former council member Don Hahn announced on Wednesday night his intention to run.
