This article is part of our Candidate Spotlight series. Candidates were provided with the same questions and invited to submit written responses, which are reproduced word-for-word here. SBLN and the author do not support any particular candidate or viewpoint.
Who are you, and what are your ties to St. Bernard?
“My name is Jonathan Stuchell and I am the current Mayor of the Village of St. Bernard. Professionally, I am a Funeral Director and Embalmer with T.P. White & Sons Funeral Home in Mt. Washington and have lived in this wonderful village since 2000 with my wife Darcy and our college age sons, Gus and Max. I have served as Mayor for the last four years and was the previous Safety Director under former Mayor, John Estep. I have also served as the President of the St. Bernard Community Improvement Corporation (CIC) since 2017.”
What is your favorite place in St. Bernard?
“I’m going to make that plural and my answer is our parks. This is where we have common ground, and our residents can come together to enjoy our recently improved amenities. We now have new equipment at 7 of the 9 playgrounds, a completely renovated pavilion with new pickleball courts, and a thriving community garden. “
Why are you running?
“I am running for another term as Mayor because we have unfinished business. I have been blessed to be able to associate myself with a tremendous group of individuals who continuously strive to make our village a better place to live for everyone. We have made the necessary changes in city hall to have qualified people in our vital positions and our next major task is to seek out a qualified administrator to serve in the capacity of Director of Public Safety and Service. We have gained tremendous momentum to be in a position that will fiscally allow us to continue to make improvements to our infrastructure and our Vine Street corridor.”
What do you consider to be your most impactful contribution to the community so far?
“Over the past four years, numerous positive developments have significantly benefited our community, making it challenging to single out just one. We successfully negotiated police and fire contracts, ensuring that St. Bernard retains the finest personnel dedicated to the village’s safety, maintaining full staffing levels for the well-being of all residents. Additionally, we’ve enhanced playground facilities and revitalized our wonderful pavilion. We’ve also revived community events that foster unity and draw former community members back to St. Bernard. Furthermore, we’ve transformed city hall into a highly professional operation by recruiting qualified individuals to efficiently carry out their duties. These achievements, among many others, have had a substantial impact on our community. If granted another term, we will persist in our efforts to enhance our community and make St. Bernard an appealing destination.”
What are three goals you hope to achieve if elected?
- “Redevelopment of St. Bernard Square and enhancing Vine St. Corridor/Business District.
- Hiring of a qualified administrator to serve in the capacity of Director of Public Safety and Service.
- Continued improvement of our public spaces and streets.”
What is the most important issue facing St. Bernard in the coming years, and how do you plan to address it?
“Fostering Change! We can maintain traditional values that make St. Bernard a unique place but we need to focus on sustainability. There needs a catalyst that gives an identity to St. Bernard as being a true destination as a place to visit and reside. Economic development will be a constant focus as the village is ultimately dependent on its industrial partners. I will continue to collaborate with trained professionals and partner with officials on both the county and state level to ensure St. Bernard’s continued momentum.”
Is there anything else people should know about you?
“I enjoy what I am doing, and I love St. Bernard. This is a special place, and I may not have been raised here but I have made it my own. One thing that I can guarantee is that you will never hear me say “We’ve never done it that way before”. We have to be open to change and I am committing to making St. Bernard a safe and diverse community where all can thrive.”
The election will be on November 7, 2023. Early voting is underway at the Hamilton County Board of Elections. You can find more information on early voting here and more information about other candidates and races on the ballot here.
Check out Mayor Jonathan Stuchell’s campaign on social media by clicking on the button below!
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