In its effort to familiarize Auburn residents with candidates for public office, the Auburn Reporter offers this brief introduction to two City Council hopefuls whose information arrived too late to meet last week’s press deadline.

The race for Position 5 is between Anthony Asé, Ryan Burnett and Robyn Mulenga, an Auburn School Board director. Incumbent John Holman recently announced he would not run for re-election. The Reporter introduced Mulenga to readers in May.

The primary election is Aug. 6.

Asé is a math teacher, a husband, a father, a board game lover and a hiker.

“I am running for City Council because Auburn needs members of its council that represent its citizens. I sometimes feel like we vote in people who don’t understand where we live,” Asé wrote in an email to the Reporter.

Representation, said Asé, is not so much about “demographics,” as it is about living in the area one wants to help.

It’s about implementing simple solutions to problems that affect people at the local level.

Including one problem that impacts him personally.

“I occasionally have to ride the bus home. I have to get off by Thomas Jefferson High School, about a 45-minute walk home. As a council member, one of my goals will be to slightly increase bus traffic through neighborhoods to better serve the commuters,” Asé said.

“Local government has a direct impact on our everyday lives, so why not elect an everyday man?”

As a chef, mentor and restaurant manager for 19 years, Burnett said he has developed into a strong problem solver and leader. He is ready to take on the city’s challenges.

“Many priorities face us, including displaced families, a safer community, the opioid crisis, having a financially stable city, more jobs and business opportunities, roadwork and more,” he said in an email. “As a council member, I vow to work toward the success of these.

”I am known for my passion, taking initiative and being proactive in problem solving, constantly looking for ways to improve systems, processes and procedures,” he said. “In my current position, I manage a budget greater than the city of Auburn.”

Burnett volunteers at his daughter’s school in Auburn and was an inaugural member of the mayor’s new jobs task force.

“I truly have the good of the city and it’s people at the front of my intentions,” he said, “and when elected, I will passionately commit to bettering our community.”

Candidates for the remaining City Council positions are: Position 1: Christopher Stearns, unopposed. Incumbent Largo Wales is not running for re-election. Position 3: James Jeyaraj and Ken Pearson. Incumbent Bill Peloza is not running for re-election. Position 7: Incumbent Bob Baggett and Vera Orlandic-Hodak.