Tragedy propelled her into a role she didn’t seek, but now that she’s here, Mayor Paula Hicks-Hudson intends to stay.
Standing outside the Wilson Park pool in North Toledo on March 18, Hicks-Hudson officially announced her intention to run for mayor in the November special election, as a group of supporters cheered.
Acknowledging the “tragic situation” by which she came to the office — the Feb. 6 death of former Mayor D. Michael Collins, five days after he went into cardiac arrest — Hicks-Hudson stressed the need for continuity and to move forward together as a community.
“My goal as mayor is to take this impetus of some great things that are happening and move forward,” Hicks-Hudson said, mentioning the negotiations with Fiat Chrysler and passing a balanced city budget as two major projects. “With ProMedica moving Downtown there’s going to be such a spinoff, such a synergy of other businesses and energy that I need to be in that place to help move those things forward.”
City Council passed a budget on March 19.
Hicks-Hudson said she chose Wilson Park because it symbolizes how community members can come together to solve a problem.
“This is an example of people who have an idea and who decide we’re not going to just accept things, we’re not going to complain about things, we’re going to do something about it,” she said. “And that’s what this administration is going to be about. Doing things.
“I want to take that impetus and take that collaboration and move forward as the mayor for the city of Toledo.”
Hicks-Hudson said good jobs, good neighborhoods and good stewardship of taxpayer money are important to her.
“From neighborhoods come cities,” Hicks-Hudson said. “If we have livable, workable, safe, strong neighborhoods, we have livable, workable, safe, strong cities.”
Hicks-Hudson said her strengths are working hard and caring about community, she said.
“My predecessors have their own unique skills, each of them do. But I think I come with [my own] experiences and just a belief that we can do better and we will do better in the city,” she said. “My difference is just being who I am.”
Hicks-Hudson is Toledo’s first black female mayor and said she’s honored to see young girls looking at her as a role model.
“It’s been really interesting to see young women, young girls, who say, ‘Oh, there’s the mayor. Oh, I know her. Oh, she looks like me.’ I think that’s important for young people to see.”
Asked about Collins’ widow, Sandy Drabik, who has said she’s considering running to finish her husband’s term, Hicks-Hudson said she welcomed all candidates, deferring to voter choice.
“That’s her choice to do and if she believes that she has those necessary skills to bring it forward, then she should do that,” Hicks-Hudson said.
“I want people to vote for me because they believe I’m the best candidate and I have done the best job I could do. … I have the role to govern and manage the city and I intend to do that, hoping that between now and November folks will say, ‘Yes, she is doing a great job. She’s doing what we need her to do and we want her to continue.”
Ruth Ashford, who plans to run in May for the District 4 Council seat vacated by Hicks-Hudson and currently held by appointee Scott Ramsey, said she supports Hicks-Hudson. “She’s a professional person. Very, very intelligent. Very competent to run the city,” said Ashford, whose husband is state Rep. Michael Ashford. “She has a vast amount of government knowledge and public experience.”
Rachel Richardson of Art Corner Toledo is also a supporter, having worked with Hicks-Hudson on arts funding for mural projects and other neighborhood initiatives.
“She has a community empowerment model that she lifts us up from the neighborhood communities rather than the 22nd floor down,” Richardson said.
Council members Ramsey, Larry Sykes and Matt Cherry were also present.
“I really like her involvement and vision in the neighborhoods and she’s also supported the business community,” Ramsey said. “She brings a good broad-spectrum perspective to the job and she’s already in the position. She stepped up through a difficult situation. I think that’s admirable and I like what she said about continuity.”
Hicks-Hudson deflected a statement about the day being about her.
“It’s not about me,” she said. “I disagree. It’s about keeping the city moving forward and making sure we are on the right path in what we need to do.”
