Address to Residents

Fellow Pepper Pike Residents,

Serving as a Council member is a great honor for me. This city is a wonderful place to live, and I am committed to helping make it everything it can be. Planning for the future is very important, and I began serving on Pepper Pike's Planning and Zoning Commission in 2002. While there is a need for progress in Pepper Pike, one of the things I've found residents like about our city is its unique residential flavor. Maintaining that while moving the city forward is a delicate balance that requires careful deliberation.

Many of you know me from my work as a television journalist here in Northeast Ohio. Covering stories, I've found all issues have many sides, and you may feel passionately about them for reasons you've thought about for a long time. In my role as a reporter, I don't pretend to know all sides of an issue until I've researched them, talked to the people most affected by them, looked at how things got to where they are and how they will look down the road. Those are the steps I believe allow a good Councilperson to make the decisions that will be in the best interests of the majority of our community, not just a few.

Local Government

Personally, I believe the best path for local government to get things done is for good citizens to work together in a reasonable, rational way. I prefer discussion to shouting, respect to arrogance, reason to emotion. I also believe City Council should be more than a rubber stamp. Checks and balances are as vital in local government as in state and national government. I try to support those ideas that are shown to be good for the city but keep a skeptical eye on those that aren't.

Your Representative

Throughout my career as a journalist, I've listened to many people, from presidents and celebrities to those down on their luck. Now, as one of your representatives on City Council, I hope to hear from you so I can know of your concerns as we move forward.

Sincerely,
Scott Newell

Biography

Personal

• Resident of Pepper Pike since 1991
• Elected to City Council, term starting January 1, 2010
• Appointed to Planning and Zoning Commission 2002
• Member, Citizens Review Committee, 2009

Professional

• Owner of television production and website creation business since 1982, Trilobite Ltd. Clients include NBC News, ABC News, CBS News, Fox News
• Reporter/Anchor/Talk Show Host, WKYC-TV Ch 3, 1983-1989, 1999-2008
• Winner of 16 Emmy Awards
• Former music director and musician, The New Christy Minstrels

Education

• Wayne State University, B.A. with Majors in Print Journalism / Television, Radio and Film

Interests

• Cars
• Music
• Travel
• Videography