WARREN — A community advocate launched her campaign for Warren City Council’s 2nd Ward seat during a gathering at Buena Vista Cafe on Thursday.

Tina Milner is seeking the seat now held by Andrew Herman, who chose not to seek reelection. She and Ron Book have filed as Democrats in the May primary. No one filed as a Republican.

Milner, who lacks a traditional political background but boasts extensive community involvement, says her hands-on experience makes her uniquely qualified to represent the ward’s residents.

Milner was selected in 2010 as the program coordinator of the city’s Weed and Seed Program through the U.S. Department of Justice and helped organize the Warren Police Department’s Citizens Police Academy.

She also serves as a volunteer patient adviser at St. Joseph Warren Hospital and coordinates the Roosevelt Area Neighborhood Watch group, which she has led for several years.

“I’ve been on the back end, the front end, and in the middle of community issues,” Milner said. “For the past 10 years, I’ve essentially been a co-council person, assisting with cleanups, neighborhood meetings and addressing concerns. I’ve been out there taking pictures, reporting issues, and working to keep our community informed and safe.”

Milner’s campaign focuses on three key goals: addressing neighborhood-specific issues, improving government accountability and advocating for fiscal responsibility. She plans to work closely with residents to identify pressing concerns and coordinate available resources to resolve them.

“The Constitution says we have a right to live peaceably in our own homes,” she said. “If that’s being disturbed, we need to address it.”

Residents in the 2nd Ward have expressed frustration with what they perceive as a lack of responsiveness from local government.

Milner brought up complaints she’s overheard ranging from accusations of inconsistent enforcement of city codes, and concerns over rising crime and blight.

She raised the issue of homeless encampments in the ward, one of which was broken up but Milner said another one is still unresolved.

Fiscal responsibility is another key component of her platform, Milner said. She also was critical of pay raises for city officials and questioned the allocation of American Rescue Plan funds, which some residents feel were spent frivolously.

“People are furious about the excessive pay raises and how some of the ARP money was used,” she said. “We need to be more transparent and accountable with taxpayer dollars.”

Milner discussed a lawsuit of her own from 2010, filed against her by the city in Warren Municipal Court over an unpaid $5,744.22 loan.

Milner defended her position, citing health struggles, financial hardship and political retaliation as factors in the case.

“My brother and I opened an insurance business and took out a small advertising loan. Unfortunately, I became extremely ill — I lost my vision in one eye, my hearing, and ended up on disability,” Milner explained. “We did fall behind on the loan, but we restarted payments nearly two years ago and have been paying it back.”

In addition to her local work, Milner recently attended a Black Leadership Luncheon in Columbus at the invitation of Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. “It wasn’t because I did anything spectacular,” she said. “It’s because of my ongoing, continual involvement in the community.”

Milner described her campaign as one built on a foundation of grassroots support and a promise to amplify residents’ voices.

“People feel ignored by the city,” she said. “They want their local government to be accountable to them, and that’s what I’m here to do.”