South Bend’s deputy city clerk is throwing her hat into the ring to become the next city clerk.
Kareemah Fowler announced her candidacy on Tuesday night. Fowler’s declaration came one day after Common Councilman Derek Dieter announced his own bid on Facebook.
Fowler has worked in the city clerk’s office for the past four years. She worked for eight years in the St. Joseph County Assessor’s office prior to that. She is a graduate of Riley High School and Bethel College, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Management.
Fowler says that she “has vast knowledge of the position and the day to day functions of the city clerk’s office operations, along with a proven track record of success.”
“As Chief Deputy City Clerk, Kareemah has been instrumental in the implementation of an electronic downtown parking ticket system for the City of South Bend, has worked hands on in the process of the live streaming of the South Bend City Council meetings airing on WNIT local access station, and is currently working with departments throughout the City to streamline the processes pertaining to citations and ordinance violations given by all enforcement agencies such as Code, Police and Fire,” Fowler said in a statement.
Her plans for the city clerk’s office include revising the codification structure of the Municipal Code, creating a mobile app for easy access to public records, preserving historical city records, and implementing a city clerk newsletter.
“I have a vision for the future of the Clerk’s office to better serve the public. As someone who has worked in this office day in and day out, I believe I have the greatest understanding of the daily operations of the City Clerk’s office and am in the best position to move us into the future by implementing some new ideas when elected City Clerk,” Fowler says.
Fowler has set up both Facebook and Twitter accounts for her campaign. Her campaign pages can be found at facebook.com/KareemahforCityClerk and http://twitter.com/KareemahforCityClerk.
John Voorde, the current city clerk, is considering a bid for South Bend Common Council. Fowler claims to have his backing in her race for city clerk.
Kareemah Fowler’s announcement brings to two the number of declared candidates in the May 5 Democratic primary.
The field may yet expand. Potential candidates still have time to file their paperwork. The Indiana Secretary of State’s office has not set a firm date but the deadline is typically in February.
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