Ashland City Commissioner Election 2020: Becky Miller

Feb. 14--EDITOR'S NOTE -- This is one in a series of stories profiling each of the nine Ashland city commission candidates

Becky Miller thinks she is the right fit for Ashland city commission.

Miller has lived in Ashland for 42 years. She is a stay-at-home mom and has proudly raised her five children where she grew up. She is a former employee at U.S. Bank and Western Southern Life Insurance Company. Her primary focus if elected for city commission is the city budget, infrastructure repair and downtown revitalization.

"I'm running for Ashland city commissioner because I'm passionate about our city," said Miller.

This will be Miller's first time running for public office. She said the most intimidating thing about this race is being new. She wants to assure the public she has been doing her research and is studying the city to do the best job she can.

Miller said she knows first hand how the people feel regarding layoffs and closure at AK Steel because her family was one of many who experienced them.

"I felt the pain personally when AK Steel laid off," said Miller. "My husband had been there for 13 years. He got in the first set of layoffs four years ago and that greatly affected our family. We went from being financially secure and happy to (financially insecure)."

Miller said being a stay-at-home mom is an asset and has given her a skill set that would make her a perfect candidate for city commission.

"I can adequately budget," Miller said. "I think that, as a one-income family, you learn to cut out what's not necessary. As a city commissioner, I think you need to apply those same things."

Little details are the most important when working with a budget, she said.

"You can say 'Do we really need this?'" said Miller. "We need to look at where the money is going."

Miller would like to propose the idea of greater zoning flexibility so more businesses can come into the city.

Miller is an active volunteer in the community, cooking meals for the Salvation Army twice a month prior to the announced closure.

"I cook meals for the Salvation Army out of my own kitchen with my own things, and I make those meals because food is a way to not just warm the person's body but their soul and heart, too. So I like to put my heart into it," said Miller.

"I'm for full transparency throughout the entire city," she added.

Miller participated in public comment during an Ashland Board of City Commissioners meeting in 2018 and stated current commissioner Marty Gute wasn't a citizen of Ashland. During the meeting, she stated he was living in Mount Sterling.

"I'm not a politician," Miller said. "What you see is what you get. I'm not the most politically correct. I want people to know they can call me any time, day or night. If I don't have the answer immediately I will make sure I have an answer for them."

The primary election for city commission is on May 19. The primary election will reduce the ballot to six candidates.

(606) 326-2651 -- [email protected]

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