Alderman Schwartzman throws his name into hat for mayor

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Another community member is throwing their name into the hat and running for Mayor of Galesburg.

Peter Schwartzman, Aldermen in the 5th Ward, Professor of Environmental Studies at Knox College, and 2019 Recipient of the Mike Kroll Community Service Award declared his candidacy for the position Thursday.

Schwartzman has served as an Aldermen in the city for the last ten years and says that he has a clear idea about what it will take to make Galesburg one of the most “prosperous, enjoyable, and progressive places to live in the years to come.”

“We can make Galesburg the best city in the world…we just have to want to. I want to, do you?”

Schwartzman says that the city must pursue two goals to fulfill its potential to all of its residents: build a solid economic base for employment and prosperity, and to ensure that the city’s many strengths and achievements are fully shared among all who live here.

He says that those goals will be the focus of his energies as mayor, working with all constituencies to help make them a reality.

He points to the city’s embrace of renewable energy, urban agriculture and the improvement of rural/urban food partnerships, and the successful railyard as avenues to generate many well-paying, secure jobs.

Schwartzman also looks to security and peace of mind as being important for the collective future of Galesburg’s citizens. He says that the city can take proactive measures, where both the police and fire departments work with community members and organizations hand-in-hand to ensure cooperation, transparency, and accountability on all fronts.

Finally, he says that things can be done to improve the quality of life for all residents being a crucial goal of his. He looks at Galesburg’s parks and recreational facilities that can be enhanced and made more accessible to everyone. The City, being home to major historical and civic events and landmarks, just require better marketing and support from the City to reach their full potential.

The Knox Professor came to Galesburg in 1998 to launch the liberal art college’s Department of Environmental Studies. He’s also published several articles on climate change and energy and recently co-authored a book on the future of food and energy, entitled The Earth is Not For Sale.

He’s also helped launch several non-profits: the Knox Prairie Community Kitchen, Growing Together, Inc., and Trees4Galesburg.

In his time as an Alderman, he says he’s led the charge to get the City to adopt renewable energy, revitalizing downtown Galesburg, supported locally-owned businesses, strategically invest in parks and rec facilities, supporting diversity and inclusivity efforts, to be fiscally-responsible with its large annual budges. and to be more transparent with residents.

Schwartzman will face stiff competition. Mayor John Pritchard is seeking a third term while two other candidates have announced their intention to run: Jaclyn Smith-Esters and Kristine Crow.

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