A Word From Cindy

            For those of you that dont know, my late father George Nowak served as Ward 1 Councillor for twenty-two years. To this day, I still meet people that offer me a personal story of his kindness and dedication to this community. His politics were rooted in improving the little things that affected people in big ways. During my childhood, he and my mother Rene worked tirelessly to raise a family of four children with little means to spare. In the face of their already full lives, they made it a priority to teach my siblings and I the importance of supporting the community. By running for reelection for the position of Ward 1 Councillor that my father proudly held many years ago, I hope to continue my own chapter to my family's legacy. 

 

            Seven years ago, when I retired from my career as a police officer, a group of my neighbors approached me about forming a neighborhood association. Though I knew this would require an abundance of time, learning and effort, I felt that I owed all of these things to the community that had supported me throughout my entire life. As part of an incredibly capable and devoted group of neighbors I helped found the Willows Neighborhood Association and served as co-chair for 4 years since its creation. In this role I had the opportunity to build relationships with many city officials. Through creating effective lines of communication in these relationships, I witnessed accountability greatly improve. Collaboration between our community and city government had inspired tangible progress that continued to grow under my dedicated leadership. Now, my roles are reversed and I as your Ward 1 Councillor strive towards open communications with all Ward 1 entities.

 

            Ward 1 is arguably Salem's most diverse ward which means there is always a great deal of change and development transpiring. I believe that listening to the residents of Ward 1 allows me to understand their concerns for the change being brought about in our community. Designing and presenting platforms for residents to get involved allows for the inevitable advancement of our community to more effectively meet the needs of the people it serves. Each neighborhood in our Ward 1 adds something unique and essential to Salem, which makes engaging equally with all of Ward 1 of paramount importance. By pursuing the insight of historians and experts, we can make growth in our ward respectful of our past and suitable for our future. As your Ward 1 Councillor, I am able to present a unified voice to ensure your benefit is the top priority in matters that involve the interest of the city as a whole. 

 

                I constantly look forward to the opportunities for community engagement. I appreciate your support and hope we can continue together on our endeavor to create a Ward 1 that showcases our shared passion for Salem.