Duties: Supervises daily operation of city government and employees. Works with City Council to establish budgets and ordinances.
Annual salary: $56,826
Term: Four years, beginning Jan. 1
The Candidates
Terry McDonald
Age: 55
Occupation: New Haven mayor and part-time pastor at Woodburn United Methodist Church
Education: 92 credit hours toward pastoral ministry degree
Family: Single, with one daughter and two sons
Party: Republican
Website: “Terry McDonald For Mayor 2015” on Facebook
Why you're running for office: “My passion to serve the people of New Haven continues to burn strong to lead our community to greater things as I have demonstrated as mayor.”
Why should people vote for you: “Our demonstrated commitment to fiscal management, infrastructure improvements and economic development has shown that our leadership team has earned another term in office.”
Sharon Robison
Age: 51
Occupation: emergency-room nurse
Education: Associate degree in nursing from University of St. Francis
Family: Widow, four children, four stepchildren and 10 grandchildren
Party: Republican
Website: Sharon Robison (Robison for Mayor) on Facebook
Why are you running for mayor: “I think some new vision and direction for New Haven would be a good thing.”
Why should people vote for you: “I bring new vision and a different kind of leadership.”
Mayor, challenger compete to guide growth in New Haven
Seeking his fifth term as mayor of New Haven, Terry McDonald says that continuing economic growth is his top priority. In the May 5 primary, he faces a fellow Republican, Sharon Robison, who says that she would put more emphasis on the city administration's relationship with the New Haven Police Department.
Whichever candidate wins will have a growing city to lead. At a time when many small towns in Indiana are stable or even losing population, New Haven is increasing. By U.S. Census Bureau estimates, New Haven's 2013 population was 15,474, up about 25 percent since 2000.
McDonald says that his administration has made itself as cooperative as possible in helping businesses relocate to, expand operations or at least remain in New Haven. “Everybody you need to expand or build is at your beck and call,” he said.
The city's population growth doesn't mean that there isn't more to do, Robison says. “I believe that we need to be more probusiness. For New Haven to be a place you want to live in and to visit, you need to have places to shop,” she said.
Both McDonald and Robison have deep connections with the police department. From 1985 until he was first elected mayor in 1999, McDonald was a police officer. Robison's late husband, Craig Robison, who died in 2011, was a New Haven Police Department detective.
“All our public safety areas need more money,” she said. Beyond that, she says, she would be more involved with public safety. “We need to increase public awareness of the really great police department we have,” she said.
No Democrat has filed to run for mayor of New Haven.
