Person of the Week-Kathryn Huffman, Tipp City Council

The Gazette recently asked Kathryn Huffman, council member, attorney, wife, and mother of five children, to share her thoughts on Tipp City and her personal life. Here are her responses.

Give us a high-level summary of your position on the council, the major issues/projects you have been involved in, and your and the council’s most significant accomplishments.

During my time on Council, we made significant development decisions, including creating the vision for the Uptown district, purchasing the Tipp City Plaza, purchasing the 60-acre parcel at County Road 25A and 571, transitioning to a full-time fire/EMS department, and hiring a new city manager.

Why did you decide to become a Council member? 

I joined the city council because, as a long-time resident and professional in our community, I care about decisions that affect the citizens. There were areas that I thought could be improved, such as the Tipp City Plaza, and serving on council allows me to give back to the community.

How many years have you been on the council, and how many years did you serve as president? 

I have served on Council since January 2020 and was President for four years.

What’s it like to serve as President? What are the pluses and minuses? 

As President, you are a voting member of Council with the primary responsibility to run the meetings. I was term limited after four years and enjoyed serving in that role. The President frequently interacts with the city manager and helps develop the meeting agenda. Often residents reach out with questions and problems to the President. That was a plus, feeling like I could help respond to questions or issues. I wouldn’t say there were any minuses for me.

What’s the most difficult part(s) of being on council? 

One difficult aspect is finding the balance of priorities and making sure we are working within our budget. It is important to me that we are fiscally responsible and transparent with taxpayer dollars. Also, a council member’s vote is one of seven. Even if you are passionate about an issue, the majority of other council members need to be on board for change to happen. 

Are there any specific goals you hope to accomplish while on the council? 

I hope to see the continued development of the Uptown district, downtown, and balanced growth in Tipp City. We have a community that is flourishing. My goal would be to continue improving and adding amenities to enhance the city and add businesses to support our tax base.

Is Tipp City headed in the right direction (please explain)? Any changes needed?

Yes, there has been a positive momentum since I joined council that is moving Tipp City forward. The changes that were a priority to me are the same as I hear from many people in the community. I appreciate that we are improving and developing spaces for restaurants and retail, such as grocery options. We are also making decisions that will allow these improvements without increasing the burden on taxpayers. I would love to see more residents involved in the city government. We have open positions on the boards and commissions. I never thought I would be interested in serving on council, and after being appointed to the planning board, council was a next step. It would be great to have more people attend meetings and share their thoughts.

Tell us about your personal life, as much as you want to share.

Where were you born, and where did you grow up? I was born in Toledo and lived there until I moved to Tipp City after graduating from law school. I am an attorney with Dysinger & Patry and enjoy practicing law in a small town. Tipp City has been a great community to work and to raise a family.

Where did you go to high school? College? I attended Notre Dame Academy for high school and the University of Toledo for undergraduate and law school.

Anything in particular that affected your perspective on life? My parents always encouraged me to be confident in my talents and to have a strong faith in God. My husband and I have traveled for several service trips with our children. These experiences reinforced how blessed we are and the need to serve others. I also believe we are better when we move outside of our bubble and learn from people that are different from ourselves.

Tell us about your family. My husband and I have been married for 34 years and have five wonderful adult children. Our best times are with our family.
Thank you, Kathryn, for telling us what it’s like being a member of the Tipp City Council, and about you and your family!

Readers, if you have anyone you would like to see profiled in the Tippecanoe Gazette’s “Person of the Week” feature, feel free to reach out to editor@tippgazette.com, and we’ll get them on the list!