An Endorsement for Mason City Council - Murali Swamy
Candidate signs have popped up all over town, signaling that Election Day is rapidly approaching (November 4, with early voting beginning October 7). Every one of the 8 candidates for city council had an entry in the Mason Heritage Day Parade last weekend, the traditional public start of election season.
While the countdown is on for the two councilmembers who are term-limited (Mayor Nelson and Vice-Mayor Chance), our work on the city council hasn’t slowed down. We have very full agendas at each meeting through December. Our finance committee is meeting almost weekly as they work on the city’s budget. Their goal is to complete their work so we can vote on the budget in our November meeting—the last one with our current council.
The time commitment for this role, while part-time, is still significant. It’s why I'm excited to introduce you to another candidate, Murali Swamy. He has impressed me deeply with his engagement, work ethic, and heart for our whole city. He contacted me last summer after discovering that one of the people he worked with was my husband. He was interested in meeting me and learning more about getting involved in our community.
Another City Council Candidate Introduction
I’m delighted to introduce you to Murali Swamy.
At first, we just talked about how local government works here. I learned that in India, where he’s from, voting in local elections means nothing. When people from India become American citizens, they often lack personal experience with local elected officials being available and responsive to them, and typically only vote in national elections.
This year, our council needed to update our zoning laws about marijuana dispensaries because Ohio voted to legalize adult-use in 2023. The city zoning banned medical marijuana dispensaries but said nothing about adult-use. We had voter data showing us that the majority of Mason voters approved of legalizing adult-use marijuana, so we planned to approve dispensaries in the city…. Until we started to hear from hundreds of residents.
The large majority of opponents to the businesses had Indian names, so I asked Murali if he could help me get in touch with this community to better understand their concerns. In light of their input, our council completely reversed course and voted to keep all marijuana dispensaries out of the city (even though some of us support legalization), demonstrating that local officials can listen to their constituents and vote accordingly. Murali told me that this experience has made a big impression on Indian Americans and their interest and engagement with local government.
As he expressed interest in running for council, I asked Murali about how he views the role of city council member—who does he believe he would work for if elected? He expressed a similar perspective.
“I believe everyone who makes up our community—families, small businesses, large employers, developers, faith-based organizations, and more—has an important role in ensuring Mason continues to thrive. That means no single group or interest should outweigh another. My responsibility is to listen to all voices and make decisions that reflect the best interests of the community as a whole, even when that means setting aside my own personal ideology or preferences. That’s the kind of leadership Mason deserves. ”
Much of the work we do on council takes years to become reality. We approve projects for large companies to locate here, and we may even get to participate in the groundbreaking ceremonies, but often other council members will get to celebrate the grand openings years later. I celebrated the grand opening of Dorothy Lane Market and the upgraded Cincinnati Open facility, while my predecessors on council were the ones who voted at the start of those projects.
Mural’s experience as a businessman and entrepreneur gives him this needed long-term perspective. He told me, “I see it as my responsibility to help leave Mason even stronger—even if I’m not the one cutting the ribbon when the work is complete. Mason is thriving today because of the foresight and dedication of leaders who came before us, and I want to continue building on that legacy. As a business leader and entrepreneur, I’ve learned the importance of balancing immediate priorities with long-term vision.”
We have also discussed some of Mason City Council’s recent history and conflicts—legislation supporting personal agendas, community protests, recalls, and referenda launched by residents—and how he would define the council’s role both here and related to partisan or national politics. Some members of the state legislature have introduced and sponsored so-called “culture war” legislation, and it seems that every year, the state government tries to take more control over local governments. (I’ll never forget a meeting with our city manager and finance director when they said their ideal state representative leaves cities alone completely because attention from the state rarely means respecting “home rule.”)
I wrestle with this still, and I appreciate the perspective Murali shared with me on how he views the intersection of state and local government.
“At its core, I believe, City Council is responsible for decisions that directly impact Mason’s quality of life—protecting public safety, maintaining infrastructure, supporting our parks, guiding development, and ensuring fiscal stewardship. Council’s job is to provide governance that reflects the community’s values and priorities—to focus on Mason and make sure our city continues to thrive.
I don’t see City Council’s job as evaluating or reacting to state or national political agendas, nor is it to micromanage staff or advance personal agendas. Of course, if state policies ever directly impact Mason, I will act decisively to protect our community’s best interests. ”
I am proud to endorse Murali Swamy for Mason City Council. In my opinion, he is the kind of thoughtful leader who will serve Mason residents well. Murali Swamy seeks to serve all of us, and he has already demonstrated a willingness to collaborate and cooperate. He invited all the candidates (at least, all who had filed as of May) to his campaign launch event, setting the stage for a less contentious election cycle.
Learn more about Murali on his website, and I encourage you to attend an event or contact him to set up a time to chat one-on-one and ask any questions you have directly.
The MADE Chamber hosts a candidate forum during local election years. It’s scheduled for Thursday, October 9, from 5:30-9pm in the Harvard Room at William Mason High School.
5:30 p.m. - Candidate Meet & Greet
6:00 p.m. - Mason City School Board Forum
7:00 p.m. - Mason City Council Forum
*Times are subject to change based on candidate availability
I highly recommend attending this forum, or, if you cannot make it in person, ICRC-TV will live-stream it and make the recording available on their YouTube channel. This is the best (and often only) opportunity to hear from all of your candidates in one sitting, and the contrast between them becomes crystal clear.
