Grad student is youngest ever City Council member

Kevin Vonck: “City policies have the potential to affect students in a much different way than more-established city residents, and I think that fact is hard to ignore when students compose a significant portion of the population.”

2:14 p.m., June 18, 2004--Kevin J. Vonck says it seemed like his phone was ringing off the hook after his mid-April election as the first UD student to serve on the Newark City Council—congratulatory calls, those who just want to say hello and some with concerns they wanted addressed. Now, the calls have dwindled to about three or four a week, the new Sixth District councilman said.

“It’s been busy, but it’s been fun, Vonck, a 23-year-old a senior research assistant with the University’s Water Resources Agency and a doctoral candidate in urban affairs and public policy, said. “I think people see somebody new elected and they say, ‘This is an opportunity to talk about something that I’ve been thinking about or a chance to discuss an issue that I’ve brought up before and see if now it can be resolved.’”

Vonck’s new district stretches from Orchard Road down Main Street and out to The Hunt at Louviers development on the city’s perimeter. It includes large single-family homes, UD students in rentals, small businesses, public housing in Cleveland Heights and the new city reservoir off Old Paper Mill Road.

Vonck won the seat from incumbent Chris Rewa, the councilwoman who gave him his start in Newark government by appointing him to the city’s Conservation Advisory Commission. “If it were an open election and I could choose someone to run against, Chris Rewa would be the last person I’d want to run against,’’ he said.

Vonck, a Wisconsin native, wooed 44 percent of the vote by going door-to-door-to-door-to-door. “I think it was the hard work we did in terms of meeting everybody in the district, showing that I do care about the district and listening to concerns,’’ he said.

The residents told him they were concerned about affordable housing, Main Street development, University growth, traffic, green spaces within the city and the city’s dispute with the reservoir contractor.

Vonck said his first priority is to deal with the lawsuit over the $16 million reservoir, but he said he couldn’t discuss it until the litigation is resolved. “We would like to be upfront and give as much information as possible, but we can’t,’’ he said. “I am working hard on it. The whole council and the city staff are. The first priority is getting the reservoir completed.

“Working in water resources, I know how critical it is for the city to be self-sufficient in water supply in times of drought,” Vonck said. “We cannot afford to wait around, because the next drought could be right around the corner. It is unfortunate that the residents around the reservoir have to deal with a prolonged construction project, but I have asked for their patience as the city untangles its legal issues.”

Vonck said he also would like to improve the intuitiveness of the city’s web page, [http://newark.de.us/], to make it easier to use, and he would like to print informational brochures for residents who don’t have computers.

The youngest person ever elected to council, Vonck said he has a different perspective on students than many members of City Council.

“I think that a lot of City Council members have seen students as transitory or guests in the community, but I really think they’re pretty much full members of the community,’’ Vonck said. “They spend a lot of time here and a lot of resources. I would like to see a lot more students involved in different things in the community.’’

Vonck said he plans to talk with student leaders in the fall and to provide more information about students’ rights and responsibilities as Newark citizens through The Review or a web site.

“City policies have the potential to affect students in a much different way than more-established city residents, and I think that fact is hard to ignore when students compose a significant portion of the population,’’ he said

Vonck said his term starts in the middle of the Orchard Road residents’ dispute about traffic they fear will be generated by the University’s new Center for the Arts.

“I would like to see the University fund some things because they’re going to generate traffic, but I’d also like to see the city fund some things because they’re going to receive some benefits from the performing arts center. All those people are going to be eating dinner or stopping on Main Street before or after the shows, and that generates business,” Vonck said.

“The reason why I ran is I’m hoping to bring a new perspective to city government—kind of looking at the big-picture issues,’’ Vonck said. “I think items that get brought up to council are often brought up on a case-by-case basis without saying ‘How does this relate to this?’ If we look at the big picture, we’ll be certain policies we create are not hurting something else that we do. By being analytical about what we do, it will hopefully make for better government.’’

Vonck said he hasn’t decided if a run for higher office will be in his future, and he probably won’t until at least two years from now when his council term is up and his doctoral studies are complete. “I am one who believes that politics is an opportunity for service, not a career,’’ he said.

Article by Kathy Canavan

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