Jason Atherton will be the only name appearing on the Nov. 7 ballot for the Carroll City Council Ward 2 seat. Atherton is originally from Vienna, Va., and retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2021 after a 20-year career. He has lived in various parts of the country while enlisted and ended his career overseeing multiple recruiting stations across the Midwest. He and his wife Karen, who is from the area, decided to return to Carroll to raise their three kids. According to Atherton, the decision to run for the Ward 2 seat did not come easy, but he says it is time for the next generation of leaders to step up.
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Atherton is part of the private partnership involved in the Hoyt Mansion restoration project. The group has invested a significant sum into the historic building. In addition to restoring the property, they’ve also opened several businesses in the building with the opportunity for future growth. The city council at that time approved a 15-year tax increment financing (TIF) rebate for the property. He believes that is the type of incentive that benefits everyone involved, as the city sees an increase to its overall tax base, and the developer can reduce their overall investment. Atherton says Carroll’s problems aren’t insurmountable, but a new perspective on the issues is warranted.
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Atherton says he is ready and able to work on potential solutions to the City of Carroll’s challenges, such as limited housing options or aging infrastructure, but his chief priority is to ensure it is being done in a fiscally responsible way with taxpayers in mind.
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Atherton is scheduled to appear in next week’s Carroll County Growth Partnership (CCGP) candidate forum on Wednesday, Oct. 25, at 6:30 p.m. in the Carroll High School auditorium. Other candidates scheduled to appear are Jerry Fleshner for mayor, LaVern Dirkx for at-large, and Carolyn Siemann and Justin McCool for the Ward 4 seat.