Ward 2's Matt Bentley is the first candidate to seek Hillsdale's mayoral office
HILLSDALE — Freshman politician Matt Bentley is the first candidate to announce his intention of seeking Hillsdale's top office as the race to find a new mayor this fall inches closer.
Bentley, of the city's Ward 2, was elected to the council last November and took office and with five months experience, he is seeking to fill a void left in the city when Adam Stockford resigned from office Dec. 1, 2024, and moved to Camden Township.
The Hillsdale Daily News interviewed Bentley on his positions and why he wants to run for mayor. These were his answers.
Why did you get involved in local government to begin with?
"My friend Joshua Paladino recruited me to run for councilman of Ward 2. I resisted for over a year. Why would anyone want to give up their private life for the stress of being on city council? But Josh is persuasive and unrelenting."
Why did you decide to run for mayor?
"I have been firmly against the TAP Grant/Road Diet/bike lanes from the moment I heard of it, as I know the people of Hillsdale are. I have been organizing and lobbying against it since December. The citizens were told that there would be a council vote sometime between the January 16th public hearing and the end of February. Feedback would be heard, adjustments could be made, and we could alter or end the process at any time. None of that happened. On February 4th, we received an email from Manager Mackie, that council's authorization to apply for the TAP Grant was not needed. There have been many such cases. Two weeks later I decided to run. Two weeks after that I filed the paperwork. Regardless of whether I become mayor or not, I will continue to fight against the bike lanes until 2027."
What direction would you like the city to go if you're elected mayor this fall?
"I am running for Mayor of Council. The specific name of the office may seem unimportant, but I would argue that the actual title does shed light on one of the reasons that I am running. I love Hillsdale. Hillsdale in many ways remains as it was forty years ago. Hillsdale doesn't need me as mayor. It doesn't need some grand vision of the future. It needs the roads to be repaired. Council and staff seem unable to provide serviceable roads. I am running to be Mayor of Council because City Council is where the dysfunction is."
What skillsets/knowledge do you have that you believe will make you a great mayor?
"I don't have any particular expertise in municipal matters. I've only been on council for five months. I don't have any delusions about being a Great Mayor — Hillsdale has a 'weak mayor system'. What I bring is the voice of the people of Hillsdale, because I am the people of Hillsdale, and I'm willing to fight to preserve the city which we were all blessed to inherit."
— Contact Reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@hillsdale.net or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @cmurrayHDN.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: First candidate for Hillsdale mayor race this fall explains platform
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