Town Council:
Why I’m Running
“I am excited by the possibilities of Walton’s future, and I want to play a central role in making these big dreams happen for all of us.”
I first wrote that sentence in 2017 during my first run for town council. I’m still excited by possibilities and now I’m tired of waiting to see them happen.
I am running for town council because I am tired of waiting for “someone” to make a difference in how our town council operates. I am a firm believer in the notion of only bringing a problem to the table if you are also willing to work on the solution. The status quo has a tight grip on the Walton Town Council and since no other person has stepped up to challenge its incumbent members, it might as well be me. I am the someone I’ve been waiting for and I’m seeking to work with others who are also tired of waiting and are ready to make our dreams a reality, now.
I’m running for town council to give Walton voters the option of a fresh point of view and a broader vision of its future. Our community deserves a town council that is forward thinking, responsive to our needs, and transparent and inclusive in its decisions and actions. Our community needs a clear and bold action plan for its future that includes ambitious new directions and brave leaders who are excited about helping us realize our goals together. I am willing and ready to bring your vision for Walton to the table and then act on them.
Who Am I And What Am I About?
I was born in Virginia and raised in south Louisiana and Mississippi. I received a BFA in Fine Arts and a BS in art education from Louisiana State University and taught high school art in Baton Rouge, LA.
I traveled to NYC for my MS degree in Arts Administration at Bank St College and Parsons School of Design. As a student, I met and married Ted, and we settled into apartment life in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. My studies guided my work on the administrative staff of Pratt Institute, where I eventually headed the School of Professional Studies. Ted and I moved to Brooklyn in the late 80’s. There I co-founded a visual arts organization, South Of the Navy Yard Artists (SONYA), in our Fort Greene/Clinton Hill neighborhood and was its president for 12 years managing the popular visual arts event, the SONYA Studio Stroll which attracted thousands of tourists to our neighborhood each spring.
My professional career has always focused on building community, mostly around and through the arts. This trend continues in Walton where I have helped the Walton Theatre add visual arts to its programming through the Arts in the Parlor series of exhibitions. I also joined the board of the Walton Theatre Preservation Association. In 2019 I was on the planning team of the Walton Art Walk which brought hundreds of people out to experience art and artmaking in the heart of Walton.
Seventeen years ago, a visit to an artist friend’s studio near Hancock eventually led to our purchasing a vacation home/studio in Walton. Like many other “weekenders”, we found it harder and harder to leave the beautiful Walton countryside and return to the city on Sunday evenings. So, when Ted retired nine years ago, we pulled up our Brooklyn roots and transplanted them here as full-time residents. We now live happily with our cats, Chester and Lil’ Girl, in a converted dairy barn on East Brook Road. It includes my art studio business, East Brook Studios and several workshops for Ted.
Local Government Is Interactive
I believe the answers to both our challenges and our dreams are in all the great ideas, concerns, advice, warnings, stories, rumors, and histories I’ve collected from Walton residents. And I will continue to ask and nudge and cajole the people of Walton to help give direction to our plans, to take charge of our best ideas and to be an active participant in our future.
How You Can Help
Our strategy is to reach as many Walton voters as possible face-to-face and ask for their vote. Ways to get involved include:
- Invite Kathleen as a guest speaker to your next club meeting.
- Introduce Kathleen to your neighbors by throwing a potluck party! (We have a simple plan to follow to do this.)
- Help address envelopes and stick labels.
- Make calls the last two weeks before Election Day, Nov 7, reminding people to vote.
- Like and share Kathleen’s post on social media.
- Join Kathleen’s email list and then forward her emails to your friends with a personal endorsement.
- Join the door knocking team to help inform your neighbors about voting this November 7th!
Contact Me
I’m anxious to talk with anyone who has an idea, suggestion, or offer to get involved! I’ll do my best to make it happen!
hayekkathleen@gmail.com
607-865-7201—home office
347-564-5288—cell phone