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Riggs to run for mayor of Pickerington
By TAMARIA L. KULEMEKA
The Eagle-Gazette Staff
tkulemeka@nncogannett.com
PICKERINGTON - Pickerington City Councilwoman Heidi Riggs has spent much of her career in leadership roles.
Riggs, who hopes to take her leadership skills to the next level, announced on Tuesday that she will run for mayor of Pickerington in the Nov. 6 general election.
''I want to be more of an ambassador and represent the city,'' Riggs said in a telephone interview prior to her official announcement in downtown Pickerington on Tuesday. ''We need to re-engage our citizens in the political process and the decisions we make, and just making them part of the solution.''
Riggs' goals include re-engaging the public through technology and community outreach efforts, offering community enrichment programs for area youth and senior citizens, and promoting economic development through the combination of business and job retention and a broad based economic expansion plan.
Riggs has spent the past several months working on her platform. She started to consider running for the position about a year ago.
''Personally, it's just a natural progression from where I've been as a councilwoman,'' Riggs said. ''I hope I'm received well. I just want to get my message out there to the citizens and let them know what I want to do for the city.''
Councilman Keith Smith said he thinks Riggs would make a fine mayor.
''I think she would focus on building bridges between the city and our surrounding government entities and within our city government as well,'' said Smith, who also serves as president of council. ''She has the experience and the leadership capacity to be a great mayor for our city.
It is unclear if Riggs will face any other candidates in the November election.
The filing deadline for candidates is Aug. 23.
Pickerington Mayor David Shaver has not announced whether he will seek re-election. Shaver, who is on vacation this week, could not be reached for comment Tuesday.
Councilman Michael Sabatino said he believes that Riggs will face some competition, though he said he was not at liberty to say who it is.
''I would hope that whomever is elected as mayor has the best interest of the citizens at heart,'' Sabatino said. ''I (also) would hope everyone involved in running for mayor is running for mayor of Pickerington and not the dictator of Pickerington.''
Riggs is the human resources manager at RDP Foodservice in Columbus. She spent 18 years in various government offices prior to that and served as the human resources director for the Ohio Secretary of State's Office until January.
She was appointed to Pickerington City Council to fill a vacancy in the spring of 2003. She was elected to the council in November 2003. Her term expires in January 2008.
She served as president of council in 2004 and has chaired various council committees.
Riggs' accomplishments include the passing of the Pickerington housing moratorium in 2003, chairing the 2004 City Manager Search Committee and incorporating impact fees for new development as part of the pay-as-you-grow plan, according to her campaign bio.
