By Anna Skinner
The Westfield City Council met Jan. 11 for the first council meeting of the year, but before the meeting started, all members were sworn-in, including two additions Mark Keen (District 1) and Joe Edwards (District 3).
After all councilors, the mayor and clerk-treasurer were sworn-in to their city positions, councilmen Rob Stokes and Bob Smith were recognized for their service, as 2015 was their last year on the council. President Chuck Lehman presented both men with plaques to appreciate their service to the city.
“I’ve had a number of people ask me why I did not re-up this time, but there’s no one specific reason why I didn’t. It’s been a great ride, and I encourage everybody to stay involved in the city aspects in any way they can,” Stokes said. “I thank everyone, I thank the citizens and everyone on the staff and the city, and I can’t speak highly enough of it.”
“It’s been a great job,” Smith added.
Stokes served eight years on the Westfield City Council, and Smith was a firefighter for Westfield beginning in 1979 and became a member of the council in 2004.
Chuck Lehman was re-elected as council president and Jim Ake was re-elected as council vice president. Before the meeting began, Mayor Andy Cook shared a few words on the progress of the city and where he hopes to take it throughout his next term.
“I want to highlight where we’ve been in the last eight years and where we will go in the next four years. We are really making a place here in Westfield that attracts families, a place where we have a Grand Park and Grand Junction,” he said. “What I would really like to emphasize is the process on how we have achieved all of these things, and it really involves the openness and the transparency of the public working with our staff and working with our council.”
Cook credited the accomplishments of Westfield over the years to the various groups coordinated by the city and the public, such as the Grand Junction Task Force.
“It goes back to these groups we’ve seen formed, and I would say we have more public involved in our process and our decisions than any other city in Indiana, and I think that’s a safe statement,” Cook said.
Multiple members of the city council claim their proudest accomplishment was Grand Park and that their biggest goal is Grand Junction.
“We need to continue to grow the commercial aspect of our community, and that is happening with the completion of the U.S. 31 project which gives us economic opportunities in our corridor, and that is vital for us to continue success for community,” Ake said. “Along with the commercial development, I hope to establish the Grand Junction Plaza and to continue to develop downtown as a destination point.”
To contact council members, call 804-3015, or visit www.westfield.in.gov/council/.
Timeline of current Westfield City Council
- 2001-Cindy Gossard elected as clerk-treasurer
- 2004-Bob Smith elected for town council
- 2007-Andy Cook elected for town council
- 2008-Westfield becomes a city
- 2008-Andy Cook elected as mayor
- 2008-Rob Stokes elected for city council
- 2008– Steve Hoover elected for city council
- 2012-Jim Ake elected for city council
- 2012-Cindy Spoljaric elected for city council
- 2013-Chuck Lehman elected for city council
- 2016-Joe Edwards begins city council service
- 2016-Mark Keen begins city council service
- 2016-Rob Stokes leaves city council
- 2016-Bob Smith leaves city council
