Jim Shields stresses deer control, downtown growth and continuity in Medina mayoral forum

Jim Shields, a candidate for mayor of the City of Medina and a 24-year member of the Medina City Council who also serves as human resources director for Medina City Schools, outlined priorities including deer population control, downtown economic development and maintaining the city’s current course at a candidates forum hosted by Medina TV and the Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce.

“Just tell me you’re gonna do something about the deer,” Shields said, describing deer complaints as the single most common issue raised by voters. He criticized the pace of existing efforts, saying city action must increase and that officials may need to use controlled hunts and sharpshooters in addition to bow hunting to reduce the herd. Shields cited recent incident counts, saying “18 deer taken out by bow hunters” versus “about 132 in the last year taken out by cars,” and called public safety a priority when discussing any additional measures.

Shields said he supports a planned downtown hotel and views it as a way to turn day visitors into overnight visitors who would use local restaurants and shops. He described a plan for the South Elmwood parking lot to be expanded and improved by the hotel group while remaining city-owned and noted the city would share spaces with the hotel. On pedestrian safety, Shields pointed to crosswalk upgrades, added cameras and increased police patrols and said the city plans new curb bump-outs to improve safety at busy intersections.

On workforce and housing, Shields said Medina faces labor shortages and that affordable housing options are limited. He suggested exploring lower-cost housing options, including rehabilitated mobile homes, as one potential approach to providing housing for workers. He also encouraged residents to learn more about the Medina Municipal Airport, which he called an underused city asset with potential for hangars and aviation-related businesses on recently acquired land.

Shields repeatedly framed his campaign as continuity with the current administration. He said former Mayor Dennis Hanwell’s leadership positioned Medina well and that he would “keep Medina on the same trajectory” while remaining responsive to residents. He also said maintaining a low municipal income tax is a priority and emphasized responsiveness to citizen concerns, citing the administration’s quick responses to ward meeting requests.

The forum was presented as an opportunity to inform voters; organizers reminded viewers to vote early at the board of elections or in person on Nov. 4. Shields closed by saying he would bring his “work ethic, my commitment, my love of Medina” to the mayor’s office if elected.