Dawn Tomczak announced last week that she had submitted documents to be a candidate for Ward 4 on Milford City Council. The seat is currently held by Councilwoman Katrina Wilson.
“I’ll be honest, I don’t know much about politics but living here after having some issues of my own and not knowing who to talk to or how to address them along with listening to others in the building, I thought maybe I could help,” Tomczak said. “Maybe I could be a voice for those that always thought theirs didn’t matter. So, after talking to my kids and a few friends, I thought why not try, so I decided to run.”
Tomczak was born in Philadelphia. Her parents bought a farm on the outskirts of Harrington when she was in high school. Tomczak attended Lake Forest High School, but when her grandmother became ill, she traveled back and forth to Philadelphia to take care of her. This led her to get her GED. She has four children and nine grandchildren.
“My kids went to Lake Forest and Caesar Rodney,” Tomczak said. “As an adult, I mostly lived in Magnolia until I moved to Milford almost four years ago.”
One of Tomczak’s first jobs was at Medd’s Market where Westside Diner is located today. She also worked at LaOrtolana for several years, but says she was more of a stay-at-home mom. Tomczak also stated she loves the beach in any kind of weather.
“In 2019, I had two strokes that left me in a wheelchair. I moved into Silver Lake Estates shortly after,” Tomczak said.
Public safety and infrastructure are Tomczak’s main concerns. She is also concerned about government transparency and accountability. It is her hope that she can bring people to a common ground.
“My biggest challenges are going to be being seen and heard, I think,” Tomczak said. “That’s okay, though. In my experience, people tend to try and stay away from what they don’t know and stay where they are comfortable. If my running doesn’t accomplish anything, at least I will bring awareness to other people like me and that alone could make a difference.”
Tomczak stated she is looking forward to helping the people of Milford and helping them understand that they matter and have a say.
The city elections will be held Saturday, April 25 from 10 AM to 6 PM. The term of office for council seats is two years while the mayor will be elected for three years. Elections will be held at the Public Works building, 180 Vickers Drive, Milford.
