Leadership
that
Listens!
THE TRUTH OF
THE MATTER
HOW I PLAN TO
IMPROVE OUR CITY
CHICKENS AND BEES
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While some folks think that the sole reason I am running is to allow city inhabitants to have chickens and bees, things don't really work that way. At least in my administration.
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I plan to present a permitting system that is equitable and fair and that accounts for property size. Also, like some permitting issues, neighbors would have to sign off on the permit.
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Then, once that plan has been hammered out, a mail-in poll will be conducted so that every citizen will know what the permitting process entails and will have the opportunity to present their views on the subject.
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If the majority of the citizens vote NO, then we will not proceed. If they vote YES then we'll proceed with a presentation to City Council for discussion, approval and passage.
All I ever wanted was fair treatment under the law.
TERM LIMITS
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Our elected officials should be subject to term limits. Allowing elected officials unlimited terms creates opportunity and incentive for nepotism, cronyism and every other
-ism you can imagine!
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I plan to work to limit terms for Mayor, City Recorder and City Council to three, which allows healthy competition and encourages our citizens to become involved in our city administration, while limiting one person's ability to foster unequitable relationships.
TRANSPARENCY/
ACCESSIBILITY
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Everything the City does should be easily available and readily accessible.
I will work with City Council to allow a Public Comment Period in every City Council meeting.
I will make our City's Charter and Ordinances easily accessible.
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I will work with the City Clerk to make City Council minutes more robust and to better record the work of our hard working Council.​​
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​​I will moderize the City's website to include frequent updates on city projects (like the Swamp Mall or Frank's Folly, as I like to call it).
CITIZEN SUPPORT
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Our administration should support the needs of our citizens above anything else. ​
Business is vital to our City, but our citizens are what makes our City so great!
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I will ensure that our current laws are consistently enforced. They were enacted for a reason and lawful purpose.
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​I will thoroughly review the traffic patterns around our schools and high traffic areas and work with the school and neighborhood leaders to revise them for the safety of all involved.
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I will work to create a not-for-profit City organization that will be able to inform our citizens of existing services and resources to help them in their time of need.
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I will work with the Public Works Department to make sure that our sidewalks and curbs are in good repair weed-free, properly marked and accessible to all. I will also properly address the potholes in our City streets!
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I will to work toward a reasonably-priced South Charleston Community Center in a new area that is more easily accessible and doesn't flood.
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I will work toward building a venue that will usurp the Charleston Municipal Auditorium and attract tourism dollars to our City.
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I will work with City Council to reduce restrictions on citizens' property usage and businesses.
STEWARDSHIP
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The most important job the Mayor and the City Council have is to be proper stewards of City resources (i.e. your tax dollars).
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I will make sure that businesses are not overburdened by City ordinances and regulations.
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I will make sure that City property is administered fairly and equitably.
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I plan to reinstitute a preservation and beautification committee to make sure that our City is well-maintained and as beautiful and inviting as we can make it.​
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I will work hard to bring our infrastructure back to where it should be by fixing our roads and sidewalks and encouraging our citizens to keep their properties clean and neat.
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I will work with Public Works to clean up our City's streets to improve our surroundings and make our streets more safe to travel.
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I plan to change our City's main crop (grass) to West Virginia wildflowers to beautify our surroundings, attract the pollinators that are dying in our state, reduce the cost of cutting that grass and repurposing our human resources to make our City a better more pleasing place to live.
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I will carefully review our City finances to make sure that we are properly using our resources to keep our City clean and in good repair and to improve the livability of our City's amenities.
MARKETING
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The beauty of our City is worthless if we don't tell anyone about it!
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I will modernize our antiquated City's website.
I want to create an accessible, filterable database of all businesses in our City that will be accessible to all.
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I will work hard to get our City on every state trail available and to advertise in State publications.
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I plan to suggest and market business opportunites in our City including manufacturing opportunities and family entertainment.
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I will upgrade our City festivals to make them more diverse and attractive.
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I want to utilize Oakes Field much more than it currently is for festivals and celebrations that will attract tourism dollars.
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I will attract entertainment-based attractions to give us all something wholesome to do and to attract tourism dollars.
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I will create and market opportunities for local investment in well-known businesses to be located here in our City.
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I will work to upgrade and better utilize our City's social media to attract visitors and keep our citizens informed of events and progress in our City.
Hey, Neighbor!
I am a 30-year resident of South Charleston.
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I am an active volunteer in my community.
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I am an independent person and do my best to have a self-sufficient household.
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I decided that I wanted a very small flock of chickens to provide my family with healthful fresh eggs. My permit was denied, in part, because "the Mayor didn't really like chickens." This endeavor started an odyssey that brought me here.
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Over the last few years I discovered a number of very disturbing facts about the policies of the current Administration of South Charleston. Enough that I knew someone had to do something.
I and my friends believe that someone is me. ​
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I hope you'll learn more about me so that you can understand where I'm coming from and where I'd like to see South Charleston go.
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You can count on me to be fair, open, honest, responsible, and do my best for you, your family and South Charleston!
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Under my leadership, South Charleston and you, its citizens, will thrive!
Work Experience
​I have worked at a number of professions throughout my lifetime including:​
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working in the office of a cap and emblem maker in the design and quote department for 2 years;
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receptionist at a law firm for 3 years;
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working in a message center for another law firm for 1 year;
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medical transcriptionist for 13 years;
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medical records clerk for 8 years;
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secretary to medical paralegals for 2 years;
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legal secretary for the last 26 years in the medical tort, litigation, banking and public finance areas;
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worked concessions for local events as a fund raising opportunity for my kids activities for 6 years;
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president of the local regional chapter of my church's women's organization which is the largest in the world for 5 years;
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counselor to the president of the children's program at church for 3 years;
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counselor to the president for the regional children's program at church for 3 years;
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Sunday School teacher for a total of 5 years;
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currently the first counselor in the presidency of the ladies organization at church;
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self-reliance/emergency preparedness coordinator for my church for the last 3 years;
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self-reliance/emergency preparedness seminar teacher for the last 3 years at Heart & Hand Outreach Ministries in South Charleston.
Life Experience
First and foremost, I am a Christian. ​
I was a single mother for 20 years. I have two adult children (both married), four adult step-children (two of whom are married), and have 9 beautiful grandchildren. ​
I am a recipient of the George W. Bush Points of Light Award for volunteering.​
I have been a member of the South Charleston Rotary Club for the last year.​
I have been a member of the Kanawha County Republican Women's Club for the last year.​
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As I often give talks in church and teach self-reliance seminars, I am proficient in public speaking.​
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​I perform over 200 hours of community service each year.
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I am organized, hard working, innovative, inventive, persistent and determined. ​
I have taught a class on personal finance, understand and use a budgeting system. (A budget is a budget whether it's $500 or $500,000,000!)​
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I don't know everything, but I know enough to know to ask an expert when necessary!
I believe that everything is figureoutable.
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Vera Warner, AB, MA,
retired Special Education Teacher
“I have known Susan Casdorph for over 25 years and know her to be smart, a creative problem solver and a great listener. Due to these attributes and a host of others, I resoundingly recommend her to become South Charleston's next Mayor!"
Jenny Keener, BSW,
Social Worker
I've known Susan for years, and she's the kind of person who shows up for South Charleston every single day. Whether she's teaching emergency preparedness classes or volunteering her time to help others, she leads with heart and action. Susan truly cares about our community - and that's exactly the kind of leadership we need in a mayor!
Shawn and Deepika Malhotra
We have known Susan Casdorph for over 20 years. She is an amazing person! She is a very enthusiastic, honest and hard-working individual! She is ever willing to go the extra mile to help others. She is very organized and has the ability to handle all situations very well. We endorse her 100% as the Mayor of South Charleston!
Sharon Wiley
I have been a long-time resident of South Charleston and I believe this town is due for a change. I believe that Susan Casdorph is the person that can do this. I have known Susan for 3-4 years now and she is a very upstanding citizen and a go-getter. I will back her 100% in this election for her to become our new Mayor. I'm sure she will make this town a more beautiful place to live and do what's best for the citizens here.
Paul and Connie Hinman
We have known Susan for over 20 years, have worked alongside her in volunteer service, and have observed how she works with and treats others. We know her to be of the highest integrity. Her community involvement is exemplified by her serving as an emergency preparedness instructor at Heart and Hand. She has received a Points of Light Award, a national honor recognizing her for outstanding community service. Susan is tireless in her service. As president of her church women’s organization in this part of West Virginia for 5 years, she instructed and oversaw the work of her counterparts in 10 congregations. Not content to limit her emergency preparedness work to Heart and Hand, she has organized and taught the subject at church preparedness events. She cheerfully took on the demanding task of organizing a high-quality live music program for her church’s annual Christmas Nativity exhibit last year. All of these while holding down a full-time job. Seeing her work and serve, one’s impression of her is organization, energy, and cheerfulness. As to character, her employment attests to her trustworthiness in the handling of sensitive information. Her church service sometimes involved counseling with compassion and sensitivity, and keeping confidences, which she did. While we have not had occasion to do so, we would trust Susan with the keys to our house and access to our bank account.
We highly recommend Susan Casdorph
for the office of mayor!
Janine Moran
Susan Casdorph would make an outstanding mayor for South Charleston. I first met Susan during the “chicken fiasco.” My husband and I were frustrated about the city’s policy about chickens - and we bonded over that shared view. I quickly realized that Susan’s concerns weren’t just about chickens - they were about something much bigger. What truly stood out to me was Susan’s deep frustration with how difficult our city makes it for residents to have a voice. She recognizes that local government should work with the people, not against them. Susan believes that input from the community shouldn’t be an obstacle course - it should be welcomed and valued. What I admire most about Susan is her ability to listen. She doesn’t pretend to have all the answers. Instead, she actively seeks out the voices of others, especially those with experience or expertise, and incorporates that insight into her approach. In my view, that’s the mark of a true leader. South Charleston deserves a mayor who listens, learns, and leads with humility. Susan Cardorph is that leader. I wholeheartedly support her candidacy and encourage others to do the same.
Julia Fluharty
The residents of South Charleston need to know that Susan Casdorph is committed when she sets her mind on a goal. Her determination kicks in for the better and she will pursue it to the end. For the past few years, she has often shared her frustration with the local government, starting with a situation you will read about her in bio. She hit a wall with the City, so it, and so many other issues, have motivated her to run for Mayor. I met Susan nearly 25 years ago, working together for several years for a program our kids were a part of in high school. Whatever needed to be done, we could always count on her. I've not simply known her all these years... we are friends. Her kind heart and energetic spirit are magnetic. And, she's a walking ray of sunshine. Susan is a worker bee and will give her all for the betterment of her hometown.
Anne Frampton
I worked with Susan when she was regional president of our women's charity organization. She is very organized and task oriented. she has compassion for the needs of others, and I know this will translate to the community of South Charleston. I live in Cross Lanes, so I can't vote for her, but I sure wish I could!
Chad Brough
I have known Susan Casdorph for over 13 years and she would make an amazing Mayor! She is dedicated, committed and passionate about her community and the people she serves and associates with. She is a Christian, a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a proud citizen of South Charleston. I endorse Susan to be our next Mayor. She will serve this City and its people with integrity and honesty. She is hardworking and dedicated to the issues she cares about and will serve, fight and scratch for the City of South Charleston. Susan is very loving and caring and has accomplished a lot in her lifetime. I am honored to call Susan a true friend and a great pillar of our community. She will always serve the people of South Charleston with class, honor and dignity.
​Upcoming Events
Look for Susan at Summerfest!
Friday, August 15th after 7:00 pm
Saturday, August 16th after 7:00 pm
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Friends of Susan Casdorph
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Mail checks to:
Post Office Box 8043
South Charleston, WV 25303
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Call 681-234-4410 for More Information