An election update from Duluth City Councilor Janet Kennedy.

She’s going to pursue the County Commissioner District 3 spot, which is held by Ashley Grimm.

Kennedy sent a statement, which says, “I am proud to serve the Fifth District and the people of Duluth, but I am dismayed by the lack of collaborative leadership currently happening with our district’s County Commissioner and we need strong leadership to help move our community in a new direction.”

Janet Kennedy is in her second term on the Duluth City Council and past Council President.

“Jail funding at the county level is not being supported by our commissioner and it is putting people in danger,” Kennedy continued. “It is not Ok to not properly fund our local jail, creating unhealthy and unsafe conditions, not only for those incarcerated, but for the staff as well.”

On the Duluth City Council, Janet worked with the Duluth Police Department to ensure they had the funding they needed to keep our neighborhoods safe, while ensuring that police officers had the proper training so everyone is treated with the respect they deserve. In addition she helped decrease the tax burden on the taxpayers just like in this last Duluth city budget season, building healthy communities with good safety nets, and attracting new development to Western Duluth that fits within the needs of the neighbors and residents.

Kennedy is a mother of two and a grandmother of nine. A lifelong Duluthian, retired from the Physical Therapy field after working for twenty-five years and is a business owner.

She is currently the Executive Director and founder of the non-profit Health Equity Northland and serves as a Parish Nurse Community Health Coordinator at St. Mark Church.

Ashley Grimm sent a statement as well. “My record is very clear. Because of strong relationships with colleagues and the community, I’ve gotten historic county investment in the west side of Duluth and increased investment in childcare and community projects. There is almost nothing I’m prouder of than having served as Public Safety Chair. In fact, I’ve led on increasing jail healthcare and mental health supports and supported jail and 911 staffing, follow-up services and housing for people getting out of incarceration. We’ve invested more, not less in the services provided at the county jail and I have led on that. I’m proud to run a positive campaign that’s based on facts and results and look forward to healthy debates. “