HAGERSTOWN, Md. (DC News Now) — One person has emerged from the 18 candidates who were vying for an open Hagerstown City Council seat. Matthew Schindler will become the council’s newest member.
“I really feel like there’ll be a great addition to the current city council members as well as the mayor of Hagerstown,” resident MaryEllen Waltemire said.
During the city council interview, Schindler talked about his top priorities after starting up in the office.
“My number one top priority for the city is to see a lot of the vacant and blighted properties it turned around it to see more life downtown,” he said.
Schindler mentioned he was also big on providing more resources to battle ongoing issues.
“Providing all the resources that we can, whether that be tools to our first responders, whether that be drug abuse, and substance abuse, treatment or awareness, to try to prevent homelessness,” Schindler explained.
Some residents said Schindler’s ideas for Hagerstown will help the city move forward and make it a better place to live.
“I think he’s right on target with those ideas,” Waltermire said. “I feel like Matthew has just open-mindedness that’s really very important, as well as just a different perspective because of his work and volunteer opportunities within the city.”
“It’s everyone’s responsibility to do what they can to make the community live in a better place and for me, the highest form of service that I could provide or that I can see for the city of Hagerstown is the mayor and council,” Schindler said.