Councilmembers Smedley, Kotses announce they won’t run for re-election

Athens City Councilmembers Arian Smedley and Peter Kotses have both announced they are not seeking re-election in 2021.

Smedley, who represents Athens’ First Ward, announced her decision Saturday on Facebook. She cited her day job at the Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities and child care as contributing to her decision to not run.

“With graduate school now in the rear view mirror, a healthy growing infant to care for, and an incredibly fulfilling role at the ACBDD [Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities] (my day job), I must put public office on the back burner,” Smedley wrote in her Facebook post. “As much as I have enjoyed this experience, I am looking forward to scaling back a bit.” 

Smedley’s current term runs through 2021. She wrote in an email interview that for the remainder of her term she plans to focus on strengthening ArtsWest, to establish a “good neighbor” recognition program to celebrate those who go out of their way to help others in the community, and to help make improvements to the West State Street Park and the area around it, among other issues. 

“Babies need lots of love, care, and attention, and it's just harder to do all that's needed if one's plate is very full,” Smedley wrote in an email. “I'll certainly work hard in this last year, probably even harder than otherwise, because I'll want to make the most of my last year.” 

Kotses, an at-large representative on council, also shared his decision not to run again on Facebook Saturday, shortly after Smedley. 

“Council for me has been a great learning experience, and I want to thank everyone who has supported and allowed me to be a representative for everyone in the City of Athens,” Kotses wrote in his Facebook post. 

Kotses wrote in an email that most councilmembers leave after three terms, and it was good to have some rotation in order to get different perspectives. He also said he’s ready to use time spent on council and apply it elsewhere. 

“Initially I thought my route forward would include public service as I love governance, but I do not like politics,” Kotses said. “I'm too much of a moderate and I understand now that I would have to change my beliefs to move into a full time elected position. I can't do that.”

Solveig Spjeldnes, a resident of the West Side, shared a Facebook post announcing her intent to run for Smedley’s seat as a Democrat. She is currently seeking signatures from registered Democrats in the First Ward. 

Spjeldnes is a former associate professor in the department of social work at Ohio University, having taught social welfare history and policy courses and conducting research on poverty, racial inequality and social justice issues. 

“I want to run because I love Athens, want to serve my community, and I believe I would love the work,” she wrote in an email. “I want to participate in making Athens an even better community for all.”

Spjeldnes wrote she has no specific agenda and wants to listen to ward concerns and pay attention to needs and problems that arise. However, Spjeldnes said she has specified areas of focus, including social justice and “advocating for people who need a voice” as well as addressing concern with housing and landlord issues and finances in Athens. 

“Perhaps the biggest current concern is that Athens is facing a financial crisis that affects individuals, the university, businesses and the city,” Spjeldnes wrote. “With revenues down, we will need to be careful, wise and creative about financial decisions.”

While no one has yet announced publicly that they’ll be seeking to run for the seat being vacated by Kotses, he urged in his post that now is the time to collect signatures for anyone who has considered serving the public.

“My own opinion is now more than ever we need diversity on council. All things need to be considered be it race, experience, location in the city, profession, viewpoint, perspective, history and so many more points,” Kotses wrote. “If you see something lacking on council that you see in yourself and you feel up for the task it's time to consider the opportunity.”