Kyle Baker Announces Candidacy For Lakewood City Council At Large

It is with an abiding sense of pride and belief in Lakewood that I am formally announcing that I am running for Lakewood City Council at Large in 2021.  The theme of my campaign is From Lakewood, For Lakewood, Forward Lakewood. In line with that, I am eager to get out and meet with residents and local businesses to discuss how we can continue to move Lakewood forward. 

By way of background, I am a proud product of the Lakewood City Schools.  My experience in this community and the Lakewood City Schools has been foundational for me as a person and professional. After graduating from Lakewood High, I left for college (Miami University) and law school (The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law); but knew I would come back to raise my family. Growing up in Lakewood, I fell in love with the diversity of backgrounds of my friends, classmates, and neighbors. I’m the youngest of 7 kids and come from a blue-collar tight-knit family. I’m proud of the fact that I was the first in my family to earn a college degree. I married the love of my life (Allison) in 2012 and we are raising our two young boys and dog (Champ) in the Lakewood home we bought in 2013. 

I have a profound respect for public service. In 2014 I left a large law firm to join Cleveland Metroparks because I wanted to be a public servant and make my community better. This occasion is no different. Lakewood is at a critical juncture. We are currently experiencing a fragile prosperity and need to continue to position ourselves as a community of choice, while at the same time investing in our aging infrastructure, nurturing a safe community friendly to every person, and welcoming appropriate development that fits and advances the community while at the same time preserving affordability. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we’ve been experiencing some tough times. We must continue working to make Lakewood more resilient after the pandemic is over, and I believe that a strong City Council is necessary to help guide and provide vision to ensure that outcome.

I have a unique blend of public, private, and volunteer experience. I’ve devoted countless hours to Lakewood as Board Member/President of the Lakewood Rangers Education Foundation and as Chair/Vice-Chair of the Lakewood Planning Commission. On Lakewood Planning Commission I was involved with and made critical recommendations to the city on issues ranging from expanded outdoor dining to major development projects. I also oversaw the Lakewood Rangers Education Foundation’s transition from mostly alumni-based services and scholarships for graduating seniors to funding current initiatives, students and educators in the Lakewood City Schools. I also have extensive community development experience as a Board Member for West Park Kamm’s Neighborhood Development. 

Through my role as Director of Real Estate and Senior Assistant Legal Counsel at Cleveland Metroparks, I work in many city halls across Northeast Ohio, where I see best practices and understand the complex interplay between municipal, county, state, and federal funding. I have overseen and stewarded the protection of over 1,000 acres (and counting) of new park land in Northeast Ohio. I also oversee the procurement and contracting process for Cleveland Metroparks along with other important organizational and law enforcement issues. While in law school, I worked for the Supreme Court of Ohio and the Ohio House of Representatives, so I have a deep understanding of how decisions made in Columbus affect folks living in Lakewood. I will bring this diverse background and expertise to Lakewood City Council to keep Lakewood moving forward. 

With my background and passion for this community – and a vision for an even stronger future for Lakewood – I am excited to begin this important and hard work. I look forward to knocking on doors and meeting with the community in the coming weeks and months. Please visit my website (www.kylebakerforlakewood.com) or reach out on social media (www.facebook.com/kylebakerforlakewood). 

Kyle Baker

Candidate for Lakewood City Council at Large in 2021. 

From Lakewood. For Lakewood.  Forward Lakewood.  

Grew up in Lakewood. Live in Lakewood. Love Lakewood. Graduate of Lakewood High School (2002), Miami University (2006), and The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law (2009). Proud husband to Allison Baker and father to Grant, Bennett, and Champ (dog). Former President of Lakewood Rangers Education Foundation, former Chair/Vice-Chair of Lakewood Planning Commission, and current Director of Real Estate & Senior Assistant Legal Counsel at Cleveland Metroparks.

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Volume 17, Issue 7, Posted 7:32 PM, 04.07.2021