Among the candidates vying for Hillsdale’s mayoral seat, none lean more naturally conservative than Cathy Kelemen. Her instincts align well with the values many of us in Hillsdale hold dear—faith, family, and responsibility. But instincts alone don’t make a mayor. Experience, depth, and engagement matter just as much, if not more. And while Kelemen shows promise, it’s clear she’s still growing into the role she seeks.
On Public Camping and Safety: The Right Concern, But Light on Strategy
Kelemen is right to emphasize caution and level-headedness in response to vagrancy—reactive politics often create unintended consequences. Her support for Share the Warmth demonstrates compassion, and her recognition that the Baw Beese Trail camping issue “needs to be addressed” is a good start. But the real question remains: how? Hillsdale doesn’t just need acknowledgment—it needs a plan rooted in principle and enforceable policy.
Downtown Development: We Can’t Just ‘See Both Sides’ Anymore
When it comes to the Keefer House and Broad Street redesign, Kelemen’s “I need to look into it further” and “we need more input” responses are honest—but they reflect a candidate still catching up. The Keefer House has long been a point of frustration for taxpayers, and Broad Street’s bike lane debate isn’t just about asphalt—it’s about whether our town will prioritize commuters and commerce, or continue bending to state grants that often come with strings attached. Voters need firm leadership, not fence-sitting.
Library Appointments: Parental Rights Matter, But So Does Local Governance
Kelemen’s stance on library content—emphasizing parental responsibility—is fair, and certainly conservative in spirit. But local government has a duty, too. Delegating all responsibility to parents while dodging clear positions on board appointments is a missed opportunity. We elect mayors to govern, not just to defer.
On Staff Resignations: Culture Doesn’t Fix Itself
Three resignations tied to a “negative culture” in City Hall is no small matter. Kelemen’s admission that she isn’t sure what that means is again refreshingly honest—but also concerning. If she wants to lead City Hall, she’ll need to quickly develop the insight and assertiveness to diagnose dysfunction and correct it. Hillsdale can’t afford another term of passive leadership.
Still Learning—And That’s Okay (For Now)
To her credit, Kelemen acknowledges she’s still learning. That humility is rare in politics, and it’s why many conservatives see potential in her future. But humility must be paired with action, curiosity with preparation. A mayor must be ready on day one—not just with principles, but with answers.
Should she fall short in this election, many of us look forward to supporting her as a candidate for Ward 3 in 2026. Council would give her the hands-on experience she needs to be the strong, conservative mayor Hillsdale may one day deserve.
While this was a critique from her answers to https://hillsdalian.substack.com/p/mayoral-candidate-profile-cathy-kelemen?fbclid=IwY2xjawLmvklleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHkt8-b4k1-nbcOaw9KXQgP0B3GRlO3ilVprgrny1D0m19F46muocJzHbG2Xx_aem_iMFZE3NqLYKfug2kLV00bg
We’d Like to thank Cathy for coming to our past speaker event, introducing herself and answering our questions, Ward 3 needs more conservative minded people stepping up and learning how to get our absurdly ridiculous government back to upholding the Constitution and listening to The People, not the administration and staff; they are there to carry out the will of the people and treat everyone fairly and unbiasedly. These past few years have shown the stark disconnect our elected Representatives and employees have to the people they claim to serve.
The Hillsdale Conservatives.