for Mayor of Zion
Vision for Zion
Let’s Rediscover Zion
There is so much already here to believe in.
Our people. Our history. Our neighborhoods. Our lakefront. Our diversity. Our creativity. And people throughout this community who care deeply about where Zion goes next.
I believe it’s time to rediscover what we already have, take good care of it, build on it and imagine what else is possible.
I won’t promise outcomes that no Mayor can deliver alone. But I can tell you where I intend to put my attention, energy and leadership.
A City That Serves.
City government exists to serve the people who live, work and invest here.
To me, that starts with good stewardship: taking care of what we already have, using resources responsibly and continually looking for ways to serve residents better.
Some of the places I want us to put our attention:
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Take care of the basics.
Address things like sidewalk grates and accessibility downtown, weeds and maintenance in public spaces, upkeep of the historic cemetery, and needed improvements to the train station and its parking lot.
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Take a fresh look at how we provide services.
Review contracts and services, including waste management and rising cost of water bills, to ask whether there are better ways to serve residents and provide value.
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Build a City Hall culture centered on service.
Give employees the tools, training, support and clear expectations they need to serve residents well, including helping staff respond respectfully and compassionately when someone is experiencing a mental health crisis or other difficult situation that can quickly escalate.
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Be willing to revisit everyday issues that matter to residents.
From feral cats to whether residents should be allowed to keep chickens, not every issue is enormous, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t important to the people affected by it.
How CAN we serve better?
A Community That Works Together.
One of Zion’s greatest resources is its people.
Residents, businesses, schools, churches, nonprofits, organizations and local governments each bring different ideas, resources, relationships, experiences and talents to our community.
I want City government to help connect those pieces, not because government needs to run everything, but because it can help create opportunities for people to find one another, contribute and work together.
That could mean:
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Building stronger neighborhoods.
Help residents connect with one another and create neighborhoods where people know each other, look out for each other and feel ownership in the place they call home. Provide trained support to help neighbors address issues, navigate conflict and work toward resolution and connection, building relationships strong enough that when life gets hard, neighbors know they can call on one another.
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Creating space for difficult conversations.
Bring people together for respectful dialogue around issues that tend to separate us, not expecting everyone to agree, but helping us understand one another better and strengthen our community in the process.
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Celebrating the cultures that make up Zion.
Encourage and support more opportunities for people to share their traditions, food, music, stories and experiences with one another.
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Connecting generations and talents.
Imagine our high school students teaching adults technology, media or other skills they’ve grown up knowing or learned at Zion-Benton Township High School, or residents of every age finding new ways to share what they know with others.
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Getting more of the right people around the same table.
Work closely with residents, businesses, schools, community organizations and other local governments to think differently about stubborn problems and explore new solutions.
Because what I know to be true is that some of our greatest untapped resources are living right here in Zion.
What CAN we do together?
A Place We’re Proud to Call Home.
Pride isn’t created by a slogan.
It grows when we take care of our community, recognize what makes it special and give people reasons to believe in its future.
I want us to rediscover Zion, and help people outside our community discover it, too.
That means looking at things like:
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Owning our identity as a Lake Michigan community.
We live in a community with extraordinary access to Lake Michigan, nature and open space. I want us to think bigger about how we showcase and connect people to those assets.
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Bringing more beauty, art and creativity into our community.
Continue finding ways to use public art, flowers, open space, gathering places and creative projects to make Zion more beautiful and distinctive.
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Creating more reasons for people to experience Zion.
Events, cultural experiences, nature, art and community gatherings can bring people here who might not otherwise visit, and give them an opportunity to see Zion differently.
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Creating pathways to homeownership.
As we work to improve Zion, I want the people who already call this community home to have opportunities to benefit from that progress. That means working with partners to help Zion renters who want to become homeowners understand and prepare for responsible, sustainable homeownership (from finances and maintenance to the responsibilities that come with owning a home) so they can put down deeper roots in the community they already call home.
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Looking for new approaches to affordability and our property-tax burden.
No single Mayor or government body controls all of the forces behind these challenges. But that shouldn’t stop us from bringing leaders and residents together, examining what we can influence and looking for creative solutions.
Because when we appreciate what we already have, and bring people with different experiences, perspectives and ways of thinking to the same table, we open the door to new ideas, opportunities and partnerships.
That’s how we begin to see more of what’s possible for Zion.
How I’ll Lead
Leading with LOVE. The HEART of Success.
I believe the most powerful leadership begins with love, not simply as a feeling, but as a commitment to treating people with dignity, believing in their potential, and working together to create something better.
Throughout my career, I’ve seen what happens when we lead with love instead of fear. People grow. Relationships strengthen. Trust develops. And together, we accomplish things we never imagined possible.
These are the values that guide how I lead.
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Humanity & Humility
Being human is hard work. Let’s give each other (and ourselves) a little grace.
We all have strengths, struggles, and things we haven’t figured out yet. I believe in leading with compassion, recognizing our shared humanity, and having the humility to admit when I don’t have all the answers. Leadership isn’t about being perfect. It’s about listening, learning, and growing together.
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Empathy & Encouragement
Everyone has a story. Everyone deserves to be heard.
We don’t always know what someone else is going through. I believe in listening to understand rather than judging, and encouraging people to recognize their potential. Sometimes the most powerful thing a leader can do is help someone believe in themselves.
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Appreciation & Accountability
Recognize what’s right. Take responsibility for what’s not.
People thrive when they feel valued. I believe in celebrating contributions, recognizing what’s working, and taking responsibility when things go wrong. Accountability isn’t about blame. It’s about owning our actions, learning from mistakes, and following through.
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Resilience & Respect
We can disagree without being divided.
Every community faces challenges. What matters is how we respond. I believe in treating people with dignity, especially when we disagree, and approaching obstacles with determination, compassion, and an open mind.
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Trust & Tenacity
Trust is earned. Meaningful change takes commitment.
Trust isn’t built through promises alone. It’s earned through honesty, consistency, and genuine care. I believe in doing what I say I’ll do, empowering others, and having the tenacity to keep moving forward, even when the path isn’t easy.
“Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about bringing people together, believing in what’s possible, and creating the conditions for everyone to flourish.”
I’ve spent years watching monarchs transform.
Maybe that’s why I believe so deeply that transformation doesn’t mean becoming something you were never meant to be.
It means creating the conditions that allow what’s already inside to emerge.
That’s what I believe is possible for Zion.
Let’s rediscover it, build on it and create even better, together.
It’s Time, Zion... Cheri for Mayor.