Former Marshall Village President John Schuepbach beat incumbent candidate Chris Campbell by 18 votes to regain the seat following the April 2 spring election.
Campbell was first appointed to the village board before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2018, and then was elected as village president in the middle of the chaos in 2021.
He recently took time to reflect on the race and his unique tenure in village government with The Courier.
"It's a public position and this is what happens. Yes, we were surprised by the outcome on April 2, but greater men than me have been defeated by less votes when it comes to that. So, yes I was disappointed but it's really just one person. You're one vote," Campbell said.
Campbell expanded by saying that he felt he reached a lot of people and received positive feedback throughout his most recent campaign. He spent time on canvassing, placing yard signs, and conversing with residents.
In fact, connecting with other individuals surfaced in the conversation when Campbell brought up the gratitude he had for his experience on the board.
"I think the greatest things that I got out of this were the friendships with my fellow board members. There had been a few of them that had come and gone. We had some controversy in there, but we worked our way through that. Really, I'll be friends with some of those people forever," Campbell said.
The former village president also said that through his experiences on the board and with his fellow trustees, he gained an appreciation for listening.
By taking up the new role of village president, Campbell said he learned the importance of giving everyone a chance to say their piece on different subjects. He mentioned that the desire to hear people out, regardless of what one's viewpoint may be, is a quality lacking for many in today's world.
"I learned the importance of listening, and not just listening so I can talk. Because that's what some people do, and I was one of them at the beginning. But, you have to learn that, and it was important to me. A lot of people mentioned to me how I made sure everyone felt heard after awhile," Campbell said.
Another trait that Campbell said he learned during his term was patience. He mentioned that village government progresses very differently from traditional workplaces, and that there is a litany of moving pieces to account for.
It took a bit for him to adjust to the pace at which municipal governments move, even if they want and need to speed up.
Campbell first year as village president in 2021 ended with the departure of longtime Village Administrator Judy Weter and then Village Clerk Lindsey Johnson.
Quickly, the village found itself shorthanded at the beginning of 2022. Many were having to help out with tasks and areas they were unfamiliar with, including the then president.
It was all hands on deck to keep the village running until Campbell and staff went through three rounds of interviews to find current Village Administrator Brandon Bledsoe.
In addition to being more hands-on in the municipality's operations than a president typically is, Campbell also helped the village adjust on-the-fly during the stay-at-home order.
Ultimately, the infrastructure that village staff and the board implemented during that time has stuck around. The transition to fully online meetings is credited for the option residents now have to attend meetings virtually.
The last of the board's achievement that Campbell singled out was the beginning of renovations to the Marshall Village Hall. Even though he would have liked to be around to see its completion, he expressed pride in the team for getting the project to the finish line.
As for the future, Campbell says he has no current plans to run again for the board. He appeared to be at peace with returning to life as a normal Marshall citizen.
"I'll just go back to a life of being a resident, which all we really are to begin with," he said.
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