The youngest of all the candidates running for Russellville City Council, Ashley Bland aspires to carry on the political legacy of her late great-grandfather, Marion “Dealer” Johnson. “Dealer”, as he was affectionately called, was a well-known and well-liked Logan County Court Clerk up until his death in March 1975. Now she is ready to prepare for a future that he isn’t around to perceive.
Bland says,, “If elected to the office of Russellville City Council, I hope to bring new and fresh ideas that will help lead Russellville into the 21st century. I have always been interested in government and am currently pursuing a degree in Political Science at Troy University. I have worked and/or volunteered on several major political campaigns. During this time, I learned how government operates and would like to put that knowledge to work for the citizens of Russellville. I love Russellville and would like to do my part to make it a place where people want to live and raise their children.”

One project that Bland would like to pursue is a city-wide recycling program. “I am very big on REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE. Although we have a wonderful recycling facility, I would like to see bins at each home to separate glass, cans, plastic, and paper so that we can work at preserving our environment for future generations,” Bland says. “With the city progressing towards ‘Going Green’ through the rain bins, this would be further proof that we are intent on protecting our community.”

Bland is running a grassroots campaign, something that she learned about through schooling and hands-on experience. Her strategies include visiting homes door-to-door, campaigning through Facebook (Ashley Bland for Russellville City Council), and updating her supporters through the Twitter site at twitter.com/blandforcouncil. “I don't claim to know it all, and I’m sure, if elected, that there will be a lot for me to learn” Bland says, “but I feel that it is imperative that we have new and younger people on the council who can think ‘outside the box’! It's time that we, as a city, start working together to be the best ‘little’ town that we can be. We are in dire need of new, fresh, and innovative ideas, which I believe I can offer. Since the youth are the future of our town, their thoughts, concerns, and ideas are just as important as anyone else's! I plan on providing a voice for youth, as well as the community as a whole. I would like to see Russellville progress and move forward, changing with the times instead of standing still in time; however, it is important that we preserve our heritage and maintain the historic charm that makes us special.”

The daughter of Veronica Johnson and the late Tony Bland, Ashley was born and raised in Russellville. She is a 2006 graduate of Russellville High School, is a substitute at Stevenson Elementary School, and is a freelance photographer. She has spent time working campaigns in Bowling Green; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Arlington, Va. Bland is a member of the Democratic Women’s Committee and serves as the head of the Logan County Young Democrats. She is very interested in bringing politics into the local schools because the “students and children of today will be the leaders of tomorrow.”
If anyone has any questions for Ashley Bland, feel free to contact her at 270-847-0172, or by e-mail at ashleyblandforcitycouncil2010@gmail.com