Marty Lenhof is the incumbent mayor of Elsmere. He was first elected to office in 2010 and has been reelected for every term since. He will face Eric Bunzo, also known as the “Elsmere Chicken Man,” in November.
A former teacher and coach, Lenhof pointed to a handful of accomplishments under his leadership: the ongoing development of Woodside Park, the new public works building, and the centralization of city administration and police operations in a single building.
“The next steps include continuing to focus on services that benefit residents of all ages,” said Lenhof. “This includes completing renovations to the Community Center, expanding our renewed recreation program, restarting the Elsmere newsletter, Beyond the Tracks, and ensuring we maintain a balanced budget that reflects strong community engagement and responsible stewardship.”
Lenhof hopes to continue the various expansions that have occurred while he’s been in office.
“Through strong community relations and thoughtful economic development, the city has been able to expand the Police Department with additional patrol officers, school resource officers and a full-time administrative police clerk, increase recreational and senior services programming, and maintain high-quality streets and infrastructure,” said Lenhof.
He also pointed to recent controversies the city has been able to successfully navigate, such as the proposed reconfiguration of Dixie Highway, which was shelved following public backlash.
“The affected cities held public meetings to gather feedback, and we listened closely to residents’ concerns about the project and its long-term effects on the community,” Lenhof said. “And we pushed back to protect community streets and the safety of our neighborhoods.”