City Council, Place 4
Chelsea city council candidate Walter (Ryan) Adams has lived in Chelsea for 15 of the past 20 years, teaching AP US History and serving as Social Studies Department Chair at Chelsea High School. From 2004 to 2009, he began his teaching career in Chelsea before returning in 2014 after five years in his home state of Louisiana. Adams is also the faculty advisor for the Student Government Association, overseeing projects like an annual adult softball tournament, community pep rallies, the CHS Hall of Fame and other initiatives. He holds a master’s degree in public health with a focus on health behavior and has been active as a coach and community member.
Why he’s running: “Teddy Roosevelt once said, ‘Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.’ I have upheld this ideal in whatever role I have had: as a teacher, as a neighbor, as a coach, and as a family man. My ambition is to continue to do so, just in a different capacity. I feel that my perspective would add value to the exceptional leaders our city already has in place.”
Q: What do you believe is the most important issue facing your city today — and why?
Chelsea has not enjoyed its exponential growth over the last twenty years only because of its geographical location. There is a reason why people have chosen to stay, and those things are difficult to measure objectively. I never want to lose sight of our slogan, “It’s All About Family.” These words matter.
Q: What is one specific initiative or policy you would champion if elected — and why is it a priority?
I have a Master’s Degree in Public Health — Health Behavior. Though broad, I have a particular interest in population health. As a parent and as an educator, I am fully aware of the societal pressures affecting our youth. The struggle is there and I want to help. I am comfortable enough to show my own vulnerability. The most important attribute one can have is not what they can do but what they can do with others. I adhere to the adage “it takes a village.”
Q: How would you balance growth with quality of life — and why do you believe your approach is best?
Our growth seems to be an inevitable part of our present and future. It is a facet that we have to properly forecast. Our community’s youth may be the first generation (with a few exceptions) not to be able to tell their children how they once walked to school. I believe it to be vital that we sustain green space and connectivity within our citizenry. I’m a history guy. I’m all about preservation. It is possible to enjoy the advancements of progress while holding on to what made you distinct in the first place.
Q: What is your vision for the city in five years, and why is that direction important now?
Chelsea has undergone many changes to its infrastructure and population in the last thirty years. From a small town to a transient community to where we are today, the identity of Chelsea has always been reflected in the personality of its citizens. This was the vision behind establishing the High School Hall of Fame five years ago: connecting current student leaders with, and celebrating those who laid the foundation for what makes Chelsea, Chelsea.
Q: How would you ensure transparency and trust in government — and why are those values essential to you?
My life is literally an open book. This is not a selfish plug, but if you were to research “To Be The King of Diamonds,” you will find the publication from 2011. I have nothing to hide. There are mistakes and grammatical errors. Those were not intended, but it is a fair reflection of me. I, too, am flawed, but I am honest. That is what the citizens of Chelsea will be getting: 100% Coach Adams.
Q: How would you stay accessible and responsive to residents — and why is that type of leadership necessary?
If you wait until you can do everything for everybody, instead of something for somebody, you’ll end up not doing anything for anybody. I am not one to be idle. I ardently try to live according to certain principles. I want to always “do right” more than “be right.” In the end, people are not persuaded by what we say, but by what they understand. I promise only what I can provide, my authenticity.
Q: What’s one specific thing the city should do differently or better to support schools over the next four years, and why?
The simplest answer would be to have an educator sit on the council in Place Four! Kidding aside, in a municipality of our size, the schools are integral to the city’s identity. If it were not a factor, the school ratings would not be listed on real estate sites. We know they matter. I think it rather plausible, then, to have someone with insight as to how our support can be most effectively allocated.
Adams is facing incumbent Arthur Fisher, Jr., and Dr. Jeff Honea for the Place 4 council seat, and elections are Aug. 26. To see Fisher's views on key issues, click here. To see Honea's views on key issues, click here.
